Published: September 04, 2008 12:05 pm      

Infantrymen's Association helps Vietnam veteran

Ada — The Ada chapter of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association (CIA) will be selling raffle tickets throughout the Pontotoc County Fair for a $500 Wal-Mart gift card. Tickets for the raffle are on sale for $5, and all proceeds earned will go toward helping to fund a kidney transplant for Vietnam veteran Lonnie Johnson. Johnson’s kidney failure is attributed to constant exposure to the herbicide “Agent Orange” while serving in the Army during the Vietnam War.

“We’ve guaranteed Pam and Lonnie (Johnson) that we’re going to raise them as much as $1,000,” said CIA executive officer Jack Jones. “It will help with medical bills and other expenses.”

The Ada chapter of the CIA began forming in 2005 by retired U.S. Army Colonel J.L. Rhodes. Previously the closest CIA location was in Hugo.

In 2007 the Ada chapter received its charter, and the Headquarters Company, First Battalion, First Regiment (Oklahoma) Ada chapter of the CIA was made official. Within a year, the Ada chapter had raised enough money through donations and raffles to erect a Combat Infantrymen’s Monument which stands on the eastern side of the Pontotoc County Courthouse grounds.

The definition of a combat infantryman is any member of the Army that is directly involved in ground combat, said Rhodes. Combat infantrymen are awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

Those eligible to receive the CIB are enlisted soldiers, warrant officers and officers in the grade of Colonel and below. The badge is awarded to those mentioned who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit (brigade or smaller).

Regulations for receiving the CIB have changed since its origin during World War II. Where previously in times of war all members of a brigade were eligible to receive the CIB if any part of the brigade came under enemy ground fire, today only those directly under enemy ground fire can receive the badge.

This has led to a “can of worms” being opened by military officials trying to sort out who is and isn’t eligible for the prestigious badge, Rhodes said.

Rhodes and Jones both received their CIBs while serving in the Korean War. They endured a minimum of 45 days of direct ground combat in order to be issued CIBs. “It’s a very elite badge,” Rhodes said.

The CIB is displayed at the top of a soldier’s medal rack while in uniform, Rhodes said.

“The only medal that goes above the CIB is the Medal of Honor,” he said. “The CIB goes at the very top of the rack of ribbons. It’s prestigious.”

“If you’ll notice, MacArthur had one. Eisenhower had one. Colin Powell has one,” said Jones. “They didn’t earn them as generals. You can’t earn one as a general ... They earned them early in their careers.”

Raffle tickets will be available to buy after the fair as well.

Tickets can be obtained by phoning Rhodes at (580) 332-8811 or Jones at (580)310-6173. The drawing for the $500 Wal-Mart credit card will be held during the last week of October.

Tax-deductible donations to the nonprofit group are gratefully accepted.