Mini Medal or Madness?

[James Shaw]

How many mini medals do you wear on your Mess Dress if you have one. Do you mix your AD / RES / CAP medals to the mix or CAP alone on the uniform. Initially I wore all of mine. When I got to 3 CAP rows I stopped wearing my RM ribbons and went to CAP only. I went to a REG Conf a few years ago and the guest speaker was a retired MGen who is a current member of CAP. He had around 40 minis on his uniform including his RM and CAP. They went from the bottom of his uniform almost to the top. It looked kinda nice and kinda overwhelming.

Thoughts?

Pride or Pretentious?

[cnitas]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

[Gunner C]

Wear how many you're confortable with tempered by how many you can afford.  Those suckers aren't cheap.

If you've earned them, wear them.  If you're embarrassed by them, then don't.

GC

[lordmonar]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

I disagree....if you earned them and are wearing the properly.....do so with pride and gusto!

[ddelaney103]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

I disagree....if you earned them and are wearing the properly.....do so with pride and gusto!

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

[baronet68]

I typically wear just my favorite five CAP awards, Commanders Comm, Lifesaving, Unit Citation, Earhart, and IACE.

[RogueLeader]

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

You could add extra weight to the opposite side to keep on an even keel, but you might sink evenly. . . . would make for an interesting CAPF 79: Fell over due to the wearing of Mini-Metals, causing him to hit his head on the bar. . . .

[lordmonar]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

I disagree....if you earned them and are wearing the properly.....do so with pride and gusto!

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

Yea...but you're [darn] near bulletproof on that side!

[SJFedor]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

I disagree....if you earned them and are wearing the properly.....do so with pride and gusto!

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

Yea...but you're [darn] near bulletproof on that side!

True, but kevlar would probably be cheaper then 40 mini-medals.

[Dragoon]

I stopped at 20 - and honestly it looks a little big flakey.  So I pick and choose which medals to wear.  Honestly, if they aren't on the top row, it's hard to tell what they are anyway.

It would look much better if I had them mounted 6 or 7 to a row with overlapping, but that costs big bucks, and you have to pay almost the same amount every time you add one (and the way CAP hands 'em out, that could be an annual expenditure).

At the other extreme, a friend of mine joined and bought mess dress immediately for the board.  It was kind of funny to see only a single mini-medal on that suit.  And since there is only one pin on the back of single holder, he could twirl it like a stripper's tassel!

[ddelaney103]

I wear about 24, though I cheat on a few things.

I wear my medals in two racks: the military ones above whatever CAP ones fit.  I have to pick the CAP ones in multiples of 4 so it looks like one continuous display.

This does mean I'm wearing two "illegal" state medals on the bottom of my military rack, but I'm leery of fiddling with them all the time.

[cnitas]

This does mean I'm wearing two "illegal" state medals on the bottom of my military rack...

I knew you were trouble 

[James Shaw]

I mainly wear the CAP ones only. I have 17 all together with the odd man on the top. I used to wear the AD/RES ones as well but that was too many to buy.

I have seen many 25 year vets with 200 S&R missions wear multiple minis of the same. Kind of strange at first but if you earn them wear them.

[JohnKachenmeister]

I think CAP members with awards from the RM should make a point of wearing them.  It adds to our credibility when dealing with RM types.

Back in the day when I still fit in a mess dress I wore only my RM medals, plus my wings.

[mikeylikey]

^ Agreed!  Wear all, some or none, plus your CAP ones.  Good thinking!

[JohnKachenmeister]

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

You could add extra weight to the opposite side to keep on an even keel, but you might sink evenly. . . . would make for an interesting CAPF 79: Fell over due to the wearing of Mini-Metals, causing him to hit his head on the bar. . . .

Its too bad that Jose Carrales got cold feet and quit drawing for the "Smilin' Kack" comic strip.  I could work that into the story line!

[Major Carrales]

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

You could add extra weight to the opposite side to keep on an even keel, but you might sink evenly. . . . would make for an interesting CAPF 79: Fell over due to the wearing of Mini-Metals, causing him to hit his head on the bar. . . .

Its too bad that Jose Carrales got cold feet and quit drawing for the "Smilin' Kack" comic strip.  I could work that into the story line!

Naw, I just got busy with school, work and he new baby.  Smilin' Kach will return.

[PaulR]

How many mini medals do you wear on your Mess Dress if you have one. Do you mix your AD / RES / CAP medals to the mix or CAP alone on the uniform. Initially I wore all of mine. When I got to 3 CAP rows I stopped wearing my RM ribbons and went to CAP only. I went to a REG Conf a few years ago and the guest speaker was a retired MGen who is a current member of CAP. He had around 40 minis on his uniform including his RM and CAP. They went from the bottom of his uniform almost to the top. It looked kinda nice and kinda overwhelming.

Thoughts?

Pride or Pretentious?

It is not about pride or pretension.  If you were awarded them, wear them- whether you have one or 50. 

[afgeo4]

I think CAP members with awards from the RM should make a point of wearing them.  It adds to our credibility when dealing with RM types.

Back in the day when I still fit in a mess dress I wore only my RM medals, plus my wings.

I've never met someone in the "RM" who judged people on chest salads.

I think any man who's worth considering will judge you on your merits and words, not what decorations you wear.

In fact, I've found that the most experienced and awarded officers rarely wear their bling.

[NIN]

I wear all my RM minis (the ones that have 'em, that is) and then I have about another half dozen CAP medals that I wear.  I haven't gotten motivated enuff to update my rack, but when I do, I need to do it in such a manner as my military ones remain in the way they are on the top (because they're on a separate rack that I wear for dual purposes!)

But all y'all are right: CAP medals are NOT cheap, and they're one for one with the ribbons (unlike the RM, where "medals" only exist for the awards called "Medals".. Clever!)

[FLCAP390707]

I have seen the new Mini Ribbons.  They are made with the fabric from the mini medal drapes.  What are the ideas as to the CAP producing these ribbons for mess dress?  It cuts down on cost (I have seen them for $3.95 per) and "bling"

[Hawk200]

I have seen the new Mini Ribbons.  They are made with the fabric from the mini medal drapes.  What are the ideas as to the CAP producing these ribbons for mess dress?  It cuts down on cost (I have seen them for $3.95 per) and "bling"

There are no ideas to wear ribbons on the mess dress. It isn't done. Medals are worn on mess dress, and that's all that is authorized.

Plus, ribbons on mess dress would just look wierd. Mess dress is all about the bling.

[SAR-EMT1]

I dont wear them because I am disturbed by the fact that they are all practically identical:
a little bronze disk with "civil air patrol" followed by a single word ex: "leadership"

I think its sad and tacky.

[AlphaSigOU]

I dont wear them because I am disturbed by the fact that they are all practically identical:
a little bronze disk with "civil air patrol" followed by a single word ex: "leadership"

I think its sad and tacky.

When the mess dress miniature medals were created back in 1969, it was felt that CAP awards for the most part were (and are) awarded for service; in keeping with US military tradition, service medals are circular disks. Only the highest CAP decorations (SMOV, BMOV and the three service awards) have unique medal designs. (The CAP DSM, ESA and MSA use the military's hexagonal commendation medal design.)

[SAR-EMT1]

I know this, however it doesnt change th fact that they all look alike in design/wording

and I feel its sad and tacky.

Personally I feel that we should NOT have a mini medal for every ribbon.

[SARMedTech]

Well, as a MG, he would be expected to have more 'bling' than anyone else, so I would say he is trying to live up to the expecation.

If you are a CAP Capt, and you have 40 minis, you may want to cut back a little.

I disagree....if you earned them and are wearing the properly.....do so with pride and gusto!

You can't wear 40 medals properly - you start to overbalance and pull to the side, not to mention the possibility of capsizing.

Or CAP-sizing!  Couldn't resist. 

"I'm sorry for that right there, Lord. Please help those starving pygmies in Africa...."--Larry the Cable Guy

[James Shaw]

I personally feel that anything that honors the hard work, dedication, and volunteer hours of a person in CAP or anyother selfless job could be made out of clay and it would still be honorable and I would wear it proudly.

[Major Carrales]

Read up, folks, you don't have to wear mess dress nor the medals that are authorized for wear on said uniform.  (in fact, I don't even own a Mess Dress uniform) The Mini-medals actually reflect CAP history in that their design is somewhat parallel to the design of the "cartoon" CAP ribbons from the 1960s-1970s.  They have their place...that that is a place that no one is compelled to go!!!

Smacks of more self-loathing of CAP and its history.  I, too, would just wear them proudly or not at all (if that were my choice).

[SAR-EMT1]

Read up, folks, you don't have to wear mess dress nor the medals that are authorized for wear on said uniform.  (in fact, I don't even own a Mess Dress uniform) The Mini-medals actually reflect CAP history in that their design is somewhat parallel to the design of the "cartoon" CAP ribbons from the 1960s-1970s.  They have their place...that that is a place that no one is compelled to go!!!

Smacks of more self-loathing of CAP and its history.  I, too, would just wear them proudly or not at all (if that were my choice).

Now dont get me wrong... I dont think there is anything wrong with the Mess Dress or the idea of the medals... I just want some variety in the medals themselves.