NRA Badges

[rdmcii]

I posted a question to knowledgebase, I am unsure if this is my question re-worded or a composite qustion:

"Are cadets allowed to receive a Marksmanship Medal/Award through the NRA as shown in CAPM 39-1? 

  Answer
  The NRA no longer offers the Junior National Rifle Association Marksmanship Badge described in CAPM 39-1.  At one time the National Rifle Association had a Junior NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program for young people, and CAP allowed cadets who earned the badge to wear it on the service uniform. The NRA program has since been changed. It has been incorporated with other awards that go from Pro-marksman through the nationally recognized Distinguished Expert.  Cadets who previously earned the badge under the old criteria may continue to wear it as long as they are cadets.

The national board/NEC would need to review the new NRA program and establish criteria before additional awards of the marksmanship badge. Whether future cadets will be allowed to earn and wear some type of marksmanship badge is an issue the national board will need to consider and decide."

I post it here, cause I see an awful lot of the badges in Volunteer, and I could not make heads or tails of the CAPM 39-1 INTENT myself, why authorize a badge no one of cadet age could have earned? Silly me, it was possible

[Eclipse]

Are you seeing NRA badges or military marksmanship?  There have been a fair number of cadets in my AOR who have joined the guard and wear those shooting badges on their service dress.

[MIKE]

http://materials.nrahq.org/go/products.aspx?cat=Medals%20and%20Bars

[rdmcii]

"Are you seeing NRA badges or military marksmanship?  There have been a fair number of cadets in my AOR who have joined the guard and wear those shooting badges on their service dress."

I think NRA, but military marksmanship badges are not authorized anyway

[Hawk200]

I posted a question to knowledgebase, I am unsure if this is my question re-worded or a composite qustion:

"Are cadets allowed to receive a Marksmanship Medal/Award through the NRA as shown in CAPM 39-1? 

  Answer
  The NRA no longer offers the Junior National Rifle Association Marksmanship Badge described in CAPM 39-1.  At one time the National Rifle Association had a Junior NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program for young people, and CAP allowed cadets who earned the badge to wear it on the service uniform. The NRA program has since been changed. It has been incorporated with other awards that go from Pro-marksman through the nationally recognized Distinguished Expert.  Cadets who previously earned the badge under the old criteria may continue to wear it as long as they are cadets.

The national board/NEC would need to review the new NRA program and establish criteria before additional awards of the marksmanship badge. Whether future cadets will be allowed to earn and wear some type of marksmanship badge is an issue the national board will need to consider and decide."

I post it here, cause I see an awful lot of the badges in Volunteer, and I could not make heads or tails of the CAPM 39-1 INTENT myself, why authorize a badge no one of cadet age could have earned? Silly me, it was possible

I've seen the actual badge mentioned in 39-1, and only one cadet that ever had it. I knew what it was, but had never seen one prior to that. Asked him about it, he told me it had taken him almost three years to earn.

Many people interpreted that line in 39-1 as allowing any NRA badge to be worn. But the badge mentioned is actually a specific one, not a generalized grouping.

I think NRA, but military marksmanship badges are not authorized anyway

Military Marksmanship badges are not, but there are Deputy Commander of Marksmanship badges that are. Those badges are listed in Table 6-5 (page 116), and include the "Air Force Distinguished Rifleman and Pistol Shot Badge", the "Silver Excellence-in-Competition Rifle and Pistol Badge with Wreath", and the "Bronze Excellence-in-Competition Rifle and Pistol Badge With or Without Wreath".

A website that explains a little more detail is here: http://www.airforceshooting.org/

I have seen someone dress down a person wearing a Silver EIC badge, and showed both individuals where it was listed in 39-1. Make absolutely certain that it's not one of these authorized badges before calling someone on it. There's a lot that goes into earning them.

Although it would be possible for a cadet to earn one, it's probably unlikely that you would actually see one with it. But, then again, I have seen a cadet with the "Junior National Rifle Association Marksmanship Badge" so it's not impossible (unless they're under 17). But it probably wouldn't be more than a couple.

[Fuzzy]

The Chairman wears an NRA badge. Looks like the gold sharpshooter one.



You'd think someone would stop him if it was incorrect. Considering his level at the program.

At least thats my thinking.

[rdmcii]

No argument with hawk about those few USAF badges that are authorized. I knew when I wrote it that someone would notice and call me on it.

I wore a NRA Jr Marksman badge as a cadet many many years ago, and where there is a program you might (have) seen lots of cadets with it. The issue is the JUNIOR marksman program was discontinud so long ago that no one of cadet age could possibly have earned it.

[rdmcii]

to further elaborate: The old JR program had a pretty wide range of badges, all authorized (to ware one) but the currently awarded badges are not the junior program, and have not been for years.

[Hawk200]

You'd think someone would stop him if it was incorrect. Considering his level at the program.

At least thats my thinking.

Considering how many people don't even know the contents of 39-1, there's a flaw to that. I've gently corrected a number of people on all kinds of things that are in the manual, but they don't know because they never read it.

I asked the cadets at the local unit (my former unit), how they knew what to put on the uniform. Most of them said that they just looked at someone elses. Asked seniors the same thing, they said that they did what someone told them to do.

to further elaborate: The old JR program had a pretty wide range of badges, all authorized (to ware one) but the currently awarded badges are not the junior program, and have not been for years.

I've only seen one of the badges. Were they a stepped type program, with gold, silver and bronze? Or were there differences in the hangers to denote different aspects? I've done loads of web searches, but I've found so few results that I'd wondered if it was one of those programs that was popular before it was popular to put everything on the internet.

[rdmcii]

"I've only seen one of the badges. Were they a stepped type program, with gold, silver and bronze? Or were there differences in the hangers to denote different aspects? I've done loads of web searches, but I've found so few results that I'd wondered if it was one of those programs that was popular before it was popular to put everything on the internet. "

The most common and the one I know was the .22 program, there were other programs with different badges but I don't trust my memory on them.

First was a bronze pro-marksman with a round medallion, than a silver marksman , still round, than a first class bar on that, then a gold sharpshooter - than 7-9 bars on that, then distigushed marksman - don't remember/never saw one. Besides being round not shield shape they all said 'junior' on them. They have been gone quite a while and your guess about the internet is likely right - a good side branch for the CAP collector perhaps. I still have my two and I use to have a little NRA book that described all of them.

[rdmcii]

heres one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/NRA-Natl-Rifle-Assoc-Jr-Div-Sharpshooter-Badge-Medal-%5C_W0QQitemZ190370801460QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100206?IMSfp=TL100206012017r2151

and yes compared to pro marksman,it's gold

[Hawk200]

heres one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/NRA-Natl-Rifle-Assoc-Jr-Div-Sharpshooter-Badge-Medal-%5C_W0QQitemZ190370801460QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100206?IMSfp=TL100206012017r2151

and yes compared to pro marksman,it's gold

Apparently the program was stepped using bronze, silver, and gold. The example I saw was the exact same badge, but in silver. I had asked the cadet about the events, he told me that there were pistol matches as well. At the time, I didn't really know much about the programs themselves, I just knew of the insignia because it was in the manual.

[rdmcii]

Obviously the simple solution to all this would be for the chairman have the NCAC suggest to the NEC that they review and approve current NRA badges.

Even if you do read your CAPM 39-1 it is easy to understand why you might be confused, I was when I posted to the knowledgebase. A long extinct badge IS authorized, it is an easy jump to assume that they MEANT the current badges.

The silver badge that you saw would have said 'marksman' on the top bar but in all other respects the same

[lordmonar]

Let's replace it with a simple ribbon.  Looks neater IMHO.

[MIKE]

Let's replace it with a simple ribbon.  Looks neater IMHO.

Ditto.

I'd much rather a CAP marksmanship ribbon Could set it up Navy/CG style with basic ribbon for marksman, S and E... instead of just expert like with the SAEMR.  You can use the NRA courses of fire as they exist today, but I would stipulate that it must be a CAP activity to qualify for the award.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Considering the flaming hoops you need to jump thru to get real firearms training via CAP, I'd say treat it like the Community Service Ribbon

[lordmonar]

but I would stipulate that it must be a CAP activity to qualify for the award.

What would constitute a CAP activitiy?

The NRA holds a youth class once a month.  It is open to anyone.  We drive our cadets there.....is that a CAP activity?

If a cadet from a neighboring unit goes there as well....does that constitute a CAP activity?

No....I think we should just leave it alone....if you get a marksmanship award from the NRA then you get the ribbon.

;)CAP should develope its own marksmanship program.  Then I would agree with you.

[MIKE]

My beef with it is if you go off the NRA requirements the only course of fire that is proctored is DE.  Everything else you can shoot in your backyard with an air rifle.

[lordmonar]

My beef with it is if you go off the NRA requirements the only course of fire that is proctored is DE.  Everything else you can shoot in your backyard with an air rifle.

I don't think so.

You still need an NRA range master.

The DE is more proctored then the rest....but our Spaatz is more protored then the rest of our acheivments....but we don't say the Eaker is not proctored.

[Zen Master Charlie]

Nearly half of the cadets in my squadron have earned one of the Jr Marksmanship medals. I got mine about 2 years ago.

Here is my thinking on this one: Every cadet in my squadron who wears one of these medals has received it, and a certificate approved by the local NRA instructors. Because the NRA instructors approved it, and CAPM 39-1 permites it, then we can wear it right! Because CAP does not specify this issue, It should solely be up to the NRA, and not a CAP problem until the regulations are changed. Because it is allowed, its not a CAP issue, its a NRA issue, and they need to communicate with CAP to resolve it. But in the mean time, until this is resolved between both organizations, I believe if the NRA awards them, properly meeting their standards for their program, then CAP should be allowed to wear them, in accordance with CURRENT CAP regulations.