USAF Unit Citations awarded to CAP?

[Shuman 14]

Another outsider looking in question, does/has the US Air Force award/awarded the CAP as a whole or as individual units a Unit Citation (i.e. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, etc.)?

[Eclipse]

No.

Civil Air Patrol members and units are ineligible for military awards, though there are occasions where local commanders hand out military
decorations for various service on an honorary basis.

CAP has its own Unit Citation and National Commander Unit Citation awards.

[lordmonar]

Not quite true......but no CAP does not get USAF Unit Citations.

[Eclipse]

What would we be eligible for?

[Shuman 14]

What would we be eligible for?

Well, outstanding support to an Air Force unit or base the is first thing that jumps into my my mind.

Is there any reason give by the USAF why the CAP is ineligible?

I know I sound like a child crying "why" but I'd really like to understand the thought process that excludes the CAP from this.

The Coast Guard routinely awards unit citations to the USCGAux and I know that civilian personnel assigned to USAF units/bases are included in any unit awards the said base/unit receives... so why not the CAP? 

[lordmonar]

What would we be eligible for?

The Air Medal comes to mind. 

My point is that.....for the most part "civilians" are not authorized military medals.....is a policy more then law.
Just as the CG awards CG medals and unit citations to CGAUX units and personnel....the USAF could do the same with CAP if the chose to do so.

I am not advocating this in any way.....just stating the facts.

[UH60guy]

What would we be eligible for?

The Air Medal comes to mind. 

Though that would require a lot of redefinitions about what CAP really is. The Air Medal, and many other medals, specifically state they are "for award to any person who, while serving in any capacity in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States..."

Though CAP is an Auxiliary of the Air Force and by no means am I trying to denigrate our service, but we are not "in" the Air Force as much as many would like to think.

[SarDragon]

Read up o the Air Medal. The first ones were awarded to CAP members.

  The Air Medal was authorized in 1942, and established the award for "any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States subsequent to Sept. 8, 1939, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight."

[UH60guy]

True, but that was a long time ago and the role of CAP was a little different back then. We're not exactly armed submarine hunters anymore. Though interesting point I see- looking around the internet, I see various sources on the Air Medal citation- some say "...in the Army..." and others say "...in or with the Army..." I'll try to find the actual source document, though it may have been amended since signed.

Edit: It appears the "or with" was added December 27, 1941, about 6 months after the the executive order established the medal on May 11, 1942. Though not all seemingly official sites have caught up after only 70 years to do so.

I guess part of the problem in the military is everyone gets touchy about awards. We give them out a lot in CAP, but the achievement awards in the military (plethora of campaign awards aside) are a little more infrequent. Not to mention, there's only so many levels of them too. I always heard grief when my outstanding intelligence specialist received the "same" Army Commendation Medal as the crew chief or the guy manning the entry control point to the FOB. Completely different jobs, and they all distinguished themselves in their capacity, but somehow everyone flips the heck out when they see someone else getting recognized the same way for doing something different.

I know each service awards Air Medals different. The Navy has their strike flight numerals. The Army only awards them in combat (despite no mention of that in the Executive Order establishing the medal), and I'm not sure how the USAF applies them. I had to spend two years in Afghanistan to earn my two (service, not V device). I can only imagine the weeping and gnashing of teeth if military members saw it awarded to CAP members, well deserved though they may be.

[isuhawkeye]

I was presented this specifically for my CAP service

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander's_Award_for_Public_Service

[Eclipse]

Yes, let's all run to see who can list the most obscure civilian decoration or WWII combat award.

We don't qualify for military decs, and certainly not the ones the OP asked about.

[Alaric]

I was presented this specifically for my CAP service

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander's_Award_for_Public_Service

That's very cool, and you should be pleased that someone chose to recognize your service to them.

[johnnyb47]

Yes, let's all run to see who can list the most obscure civilian decoration or WWII combat award.

We don't qualify for military decs, and certainly not the ones the OP asked about.

You're kind of cute when you get grumpy.

[UH60guy]

You're kind of cute when you get grumpy.

Back to Unit Citations, with apologies to Col. Saunders


Now that I think about it, even if CAP members were able to be issued USAF unit awards, it would be weird to receive awards that not everyone could wear (though I'm sure there is probably an exception somewhere out there)- since USAF awards can't be worn on the corporate uniforms. That's just one reason why CAP has its own set of awards and recognitions, separate from the DoD.

[Eclipse]

Nice!

[Hawk200]

I was presented this specifically for my CAP service

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander's_Award_for_Public_Service

That's pretty cool. Got a ribbon for it?

[Shuman 14]

Yes, let's all run to see who can list the most obscure civilian decoration or WWII combat award.

We don't qualify for military decs, and certainly not the ones the OP asked about.

Again, I have to ask why don't you?

In my career I've seen one Service give another Service awards and civilian agencies too.

For example, when the GWOT first kicked off, there as a L&O Detachment within my BN that was mobilized to augment an USAF SF unit conducting Airbase security. At the end of their tour, all were awarded Air Force Force Protection Badges. Those were entered on the DD-214 at demob and entered into their 2-1 and SRBs.

Also I remember an Army Hospital once receiving a Public Health Service Unit Commendation.

Plus I can point to numerous times when the Coast Guard has awarded their unit citations to other Services and to the USCGAux. Biggest and best example of that is when the Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to the ENTIRE Coast Guard which specifically included the USCGAux and DoCG civilian employees.

The Coast Guard even awards certain of their Service ribbons to the USCGAux, specifically the Special Operations Service Ribbon and the Recruiting Ribbon.

Example of this would the flooding of the DesPlaines River a few years ago. All the USCGAux Flotillas involved in the rescue and recover operations were awarded the SOSR and I think all the Recruits from Great Lakes-NTC that came out to fill sand bags got it too.

Another example I'd like to point out was during Katrina, the State of Louisiana issued a blanket award of the Governor's Unit Citation and the LANG Emergency Service Ribbon to ALL military units that took part in the operations to include all Federal (USA, USAF, USN, USMC, USCG), State (ARNG, AFNG, SDF), foreign (French Naval Units) and Auxiliaries (CAP, USCGAux). Now I know that only the various National Guard and State Defense Force units involved could actually wear those ribbons... its the thought that counts.

So I don't see why the USAF couldn't (if it wanted to) award an appropriate unit award to the CAP or a unit there of.   

[Patterson]

Wow.  The Air Force may award, can award and have awarded Units, Senior Members and Cadets any and/or all decorations, certificates, and awards that are not expressly forbidden by Air Force Instructions.

Doesn't anyone here remember that the majority of all certificates and awards given to CAP members before 1980 were Air Force?  That was when the Air Force had complete control and Command of its Auxiliary...how things have certainly changed!

[JoeTomasone]

And, let's not forget, that when we are "AUX ON", we are indeed an instrumentality of the United States, and the official auxiliary of the USAF - civillians though we may be.  So, for those awards that are awarded for service to the United States and that may be awarded to "any person" or that specifically includes civillians (such as the Aerial Achievement Medal (http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7770), we are/could be included.

I want one just so everyone goes nuts trying to identify it.   

[a2capt]

And, let's not forget, that when we are "AUX ON"...

When?
..can't the Air Force put in for an award using our own award criteria, and our awards, separate from any USAF awards?