Mini-medal mounting for the Mess Dress

alamrcn · January 16, 2009, 03:00:16 PM

In the past, I had the Bookstore mount my medals for me.

Thier technique was to remove the cloth from the slide it came on, and wrap it around a flat bar... layering each medal atop the preceding medal. The back was then simply secured in a temporary manor with something like black electrical tape. It's clean and condensed, as apposed to just sliding them on a mount like regular ribbons.

Since I last had my medals remounted, I've gained a few and need to have them all remounted again. I'm not really interested in trying to do this myself if I don't have to, so who out there might be providing a mounting service now?

Vanguard doesn't seem to do it. And if AAFES does, they probably won't do it for us - much like their send-out tailoring service.

JohnKachenmeister · January 16, 2009, 03:12:37 PM

You can buy mini-medal mounting racks at AAFES and put them on yourself.

Pylon · January 16, 2009, 03:39:17 PM

The Hock sells them too: http://www.thehock.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=42

I don't like the tight spacing on the multi-row ones, personally. So I buy several holders for four across and pin each row independently to get the spacing I like visually.

IceNine · January 16, 2009, 03:44:17 PM

http://milthinribbons.com/moaMountedBridge.aspx?Service=airforce

ultrathin.com

I've used both companies, both are top notch and you'll get what you pay for.

Timbo · January 16, 2009, 03:59:06 PM

Marlow White will do it for you as well.

http://www.marlowwhite.com/awards-decorations.html

alamrcn · January 16, 2009, 04:30:55 PM

Medals of America...
Does seem to do it, but the mini-medal link is broken right now to find out the options.

Ultra-thin...
Seems they'll only do thier medals? Haven't looked at the site enough yet. I've seen their ribbon products and like them a lot. I'm sure their medals are great too, anyone have 'em?
*** Edit: They don't have CAP mini-medals yet, only ribbons.

Marlow White...
That a good option. But I kinda shuddered at...
"$5.00 for each ribbon that you supply that we mount or have to move."
I'd have a new one added in at pretty much both ends of pressidence, so I'd think all of them might be affected! OUCH!

Michael - mine are on separate bars for vertical spacing if I remember right. They've been on the uniform for awhile, being that I only wear it one or two nights a year and don't have to dryclean it very often. Do you use the slides on the medals? Or do you take them a part and wrap them around the bar?

es_g0d · January 16, 2009, 04:36:43 PM

Consider: http://randysribbons.com/

The gentleman who runs this business is both an active duty Senior NCO and an outstanding CAP member. He knows CAP uniforms like a good cadet, and that's the highest compliment I can think of. I wouldn't trust expensive CAP mini medals to anyone else.

Good luck and good hunting,
-Scott
www.CAP-ES.net

*WAVES TO ACE*

alamrcn · January 16, 2009, 06:13:54 PM

$3 per medal by someone in CAP sounds pretty good! Would I get a discount if I said Snotty sent me?

I am a little confused by this statement though....

QuoteNote: Medals must be assembled in very specific ways when they are mounted in this manner. If you want your 12 mini-medals mounted in three rows of four across; try somewhere else. The regulations are specific.

I think this might be how mine are already. How are they supposed to be?

IceNine · January 16, 2009, 07:29:14 PM

Neither of the companies I referenced above carries CAP Medals, and only Ultrathin carries our ribbons.

However if you send them off they will mount the medals for you.

But in light of SL's post above I'd certainly choose the option of a Gent who knows CAP's reg's.

Hey Scott, can you get him to post a couple pics of his work? That would certainly encourage me to use him exclusively in the future.

ltcmark · January 17, 2009, 12:04:01 AM

The first set of medals that I purchased, I had the Bookstore mount them in the staggered pattern. Adding additional medals when they are mounted in that way is almost impossible because they glue them. The Bookstore said they would not do it.

When I was at the National Staff Collage, we got a tour of the Bookstore. They were putting together medal bars that day. They would remove the mounting bracket from the ribbon on the medal, put rubber cement on the ribbon and press onto a brass ribbon holder. Then to finish, they would but a strip of black eletrical tape on the back side to finish. I was thinking that was pretty expensive glue and tape.

A few years ago, I was at an AFFES store. I found mini-medal mounting bars made by Ira Green. They look just like ribbon mounting bars except they have the spacing for medals.

http://www.iragreen.com/view/1249/

The drawback is you can only mount these side by side. The advantage is you can easily upgrade your rack. With the cost of medals now, I want to get as much life out of mine as I can. The mini-medal rack is worth the money.

LtCol057 · January 18, 2009, 01:35:37 AM

The guy that runs Randysribbons is a pretty good guy. He was a cadet in my squadron (right before I joined). I've worked with him at several encampments. He definitely knows the regs about uniforms and ribbons. At a couple of the encampments, during his off-duty time (very rare), he was making ribbons for the cadets.

I know, a little off topic, but I feel like we need to support our own in all aspects, professionally, financially, and personally.

Gunner C · January 18, 2009, 01:40:48 AM

Quote from: LtCol057 on January 18, 2009, 01:35:37 AM
The guy that runs Randysribbons is a pretty good guy. He was a cadet in my squadron (right before I joined). I've worked with him at several encampments. He definitely knows the regs about uniforms and ribbons. At a couple of the encampments, during his off-duty time (very rare), he was making ribbons for the cadets.

I know, a little off topic, but I feel like we need to support our own in all aspects, professionally, financially, and personally.

I didn't know that Randy had gone national. I met him when he was a senior airman on the Pope AFB Honor Guard. I swore him in at his reenlistment and trained him as an observer. Great guy - I think I'll pulse him for my next ribbon rack. He succeeded me as the squadron CC at NC007 (there were a couple of others in between.)

Gunner

DocDGuard · January 19, 2009, 06:07:30 PM

Greetings All! Thanks to ES God for the Heads-up. Wayne and Tom, thanks for the compliments! Yes, I do Mini-Medals and ribbons for CAP, USAF, and every other service. Mine are cheaper, thinner, and lighter than all the others, plus, I am a uniform Nazi. The web site is a bit out of date though. Medals are basically $4 if you send me yours (in good shape) or $7 if I provide them. The statement about the configuration comes from AFI 36-2903 and CAPR 39-1. If you mount them like I do, they have to go in a specific manner, if you slide them on, then they go on 4 across. Anyone interested in ribbons or medals, or if you just have uniform questions, please feel free to email me. I'm working on pictures by the way.

LtCol057 · January 19, 2009, 09:17:25 PM

Hey Randy, good to hear from the frozen north. We're in line for 3-5" of snow tonight and tomorrow. Anyway, to get back on topic, as soon as your website is updated, might be sending some orders your way.

DocDGuard · January 20, 2009, 03:01:16 AM

The Web Site may take time. However, you can feel free to email orders to: randysribbons@aol.com if you like. The price for ribbons is $1.10 per ribbon and $.60 per attachment.

davidsinn · January 20, 2009, 11:16:24 AM

Quote from: DocDGuard on January 20, 2009, 03:01:16 AM
The Web Site may take time. However, you can feel free to email orders to: randysribbons@aol.com if you like. The price for ribbons is $1.10 per ribbon and $.60 per attachment.

Could you post some pictures of your work to this board?

Cecil DP · January 20, 2009, 06:21:52 PM

Quote from: davidsinn on January 20, 2009, 11:16:24 AM
Quote from: DocDGuard on January 20, 2009, 03:01:16 AM
The Web Site may take time. However, you can feel free to email orders to: randysribbons@aol.com if you like. The price for ribbons is $1.10 per ribbon and $.60 per attachment.

Could you post some pictures of your work to this board?

Don't that would make this board open to commercialism. Your website address is already posted.

davidsinn · January 20, 2009, 07:04:10 PM

Quote from: Cecil DP on January 20, 2009, 06:21:52 PM
Quote from: davidsinn on January 20, 2009, 11:16:24 AM
Quote from: DocDGuard on January 20, 2009, 03:01:16 AM
The Web Site may take time. However, you can feel free to email orders to: randysribbons@aol.com if you like. The price for ribbons is $1.10 per ribbon and $.60 per attachment.

Could you post some pictures of your work to this board?

Don't that would make this board open to commercialism. Your website address is already posted.

Which does not have any pictures. I'm curious as to what these things look like as I like the idea of buying ribbons from him but am on a budget so I want to be picky.