New Achievement Award

[Pylon]

What is the process for designing CAP awards, ribbons and medals?

How are CAP awards, ribbons and medals designed?  Are multiple designs allowed to be submitted for consideration?  Is it one person who designs them?  Who is the committee in charge of placing the recommended design before the NB?  Are the designs checked with the AF Heraldry institute or any other military heraldry organization?

I'm curious how this works.

[Maj Ballard]

As noted by many people, the commander's commendation is awarded often for actions that might not be considered by many as being at a level that warrants the comcom.  This award fills the space for an award for those that do good things but the things may not be at a level deserving a comcom. 

I hope they clearly delineate acceptable actions that merit this award, and further clarify the others. I've seen cadets awarded Meritorious Service for being on a color guard at a home school convention, and other folks turned down for Commanders Commendations who did things that were well deserving of it (large scale impact, well above and beyond others of like rank and responsibility, etc.).

[adamblank]

I second that.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

I hope they clearly delineate acceptable actions that merit this award, and further clarify the others. I've seen cadets awarded Meritorious Service for being on a color guard at a home school convention, and other folks turned down for Commanders Commendations who did things that were well deserving of it (large scale impact, well above and beyond others of like rank and responsibility, etc.).

I'm glad someone mentioned this. I've seen this very thing before. There has to be some sort of political statement in cadets earning a MSA or ESA to begin with. But it's entirely possible that part of the problem is that the criteria for the awards isn't spelled out exactingly enough.

[TankerT]

I hope they clearly delineate acceptable actions that merit this award, and further clarify the others. I've seen cadets awarded Meritorious Service for being on a color guard at a home school convention, and other folks turned down for Commanders Commendations who did things that were well deserving of it (large scale impact, well above and beyond others of like rank and responsibility, etc.).

I'm glad someone mentioned this. I've seen this very thing before. There has to be some sort of political statement in cadets earning a MSA or ESA to begin with. But it's entirely possible that part of the problem is that the criteria for the awards isn't spelled out exactingly enough.

OK.  Here's my take... having served on a Wing Awards board for many years.

Political statement for cadets getting an MSA or ESA to begin with?   Cadets are eligible to earn those awards just as much as any senior.  And, an MSA has nothing to do with the scale or level of anything.  The CCA and MSA are for the performance of the individual.  Not the level or scale of what the performance is for.

ESA and DSA are another story. These specifically provide for a level which the service is for. (ESA should be for Wing or higher, and DSA is for National service.)

The biggest problem I have seen is how people write up awards.  Most awards that get turned down have little to do with how deserving the person is.  It has to do with a poor writeup.  I have received recommendations that are two pages long that are full of glowing statements about the person and how super their duty performance is.  But, when you eliminate all of the adjectives from the narrative, you end up with the person's name, and that they were involved with an activity.  No facts.  No numbers.  No comparison.  Nothing objective.  Just subjective statements are present.

I have seen a few MSAs go through for a cadet's performance with a small activity on the local level go through.  But, the facts provided met the criteria as outlined in the regulation.  I have seen CCA recommendations rejected for service on a great activity on the Wing or Region level.  But, the rejected narrative had nothing but statements like "outstanding," "excellent" and "superb" which in the end, don't convey anything but someone's opinion. 

What will be interesting is how the new Achievement ribbon fits in to all of this.  How subjective will it be?  How objective?  Or, will there be no submission process and it will be based on the commander's desire to award?

[Maj Ballard]

All I can provide is concrete facts. A Commander's Commendation was turned down for something that had facts, figures, statistics, metrics, benchmarks, etc. that involved coordination, planning, achievement and leadership well above individuals of like rank and responsibility.

On the other hand, a Meritorious Service Award was approved for two of my cadets simply for serving on a color guard at a non-CAP event.

This isn't the only story like this... My point is that there need to be more concrete criteria. Otherwise, things will be at the subjective (often political) whim of the board.

[O-Rex]

Speaking of awards, whatever happened to the CAP Homeland Security Ribbon discussed a couple of years ago?

[James Shaw]

Speaking of awards, whatever happened to the CAP Homeland Security Ribbon discussed a couple of years ago?

It was presented to the board and shot down at the same time. That was in April of 2007.

[ctrossen]

Speaking of awards, whatever happened to the CAP Homeland Security Ribbon discussed a couple of years ago?

It was presented to the board and shot down at the same time. That was in April of 2007.

Are you sure about this? I've been wondering about this as we likely have some members in the wing that would be eligible for this soon.

Item 17.h. from the Mar '06 National Board shows that the HLS award was approved.

11.8.d. from the Mar '07 NB was an attempt to create a Border Patrol award (or to roll that into the HLS award), and that was defeated.

Unless something didn't make it into the NB minutes?

[James Shaw]

Speaking of awards, whatever happened to the CAP Homeland Security Ribbon discussed a couple of years ago?

It was presented to the board and shot down at the same time. That was in April of 2007.

Are you sure about this? I've been wondering about this as we likely have some members in the wing that would be eligible for this soon.

Item 17.h. from the Mar '06 National Board shows that the HLS award was approved.

11.8.d. from the Mar '07 NB was an attempt to create a Border Patrol award (or to roll that into the HLS award), and that was defeated.

Unless something didn't make it into the NB minutes?

This is what was passed on to me from someone at NHQ. The idea and concept was approved and sent to the awards proposal committee. After it was researched and studied it was truned down because their were other awards that could be used for the same thing. I admit that this sounds strange but it hasnt been talked about since. As with anything else that is subject to change.

[James Shaw]

The Homeland Security Ribbon I have been informed has been approved and will probably go before the Counter Drug Ribbon. I do not have much more info. I have not seen a design or specific criteria. Stay tuned for more information.....

[Psicorp]

Now that this ribbon and mini medal are approved...

Will we finally see an Eaker Award mini medal? And will it be round, too?

(Laughing at that last question...)

From what I recall based on postings here and on a few other forums, an Eaker mini has been "proposed", "promised", "will be available shortly" several times in the last decade or so. As of yet, it has still to materialize.

Riiight, so they've decided to create yet another ribbon/medal with no definitive qualification criteria instead.  A "let's round out your ribbon rack" ribbon.   Nice.   

How difficult is it to create an Eaker medal anyway?  The ribbon colors are there, the  medal itself isn't that complicated.  "Civil Air Patrol" across the top, "Ira C Eaker" across the bottom, and either the image of him or an etch of two diamonds in the middle.  Done...next?

[Major Carrales]

Now that this ribbon and mini medal are approved...

Will we finally see an Eaker Award mini medal? And will it be round, too?

(Laughing at that last question...)

From what I recall based on postings here and on a few other forums, an Eaker mini has been "proposed", "promised", "will be available shortly" several times in the last decade or so. As of yet, it has still to materialize.

Riiight, so they've decided to create yet another ribbon/medal with no definitive qualification criteria instead.  A "let's round out your ribbon rack" ribbon.   Nice.   

How difficult is it to create an Eaker medal anyway?  The ribbon colors are there, the  medal itself isn't that complicated.  "Civil Air Patrol" across the top, "Ira C Eaker" across the bottom, and either the image of him or an etch of two diamonds in the middle.  Done...next?

That's a bit insensative, don't you think, disrespecting the decoration to the guy who designed it.

[SAR-EMT1]

One:
I don't like all of our medal being MINI - I want some full sized ones

Two: Can we do something other then Round and with a word "Membership", "Leadership" "Coffee making"
with our awards.

The above issues are two of the reasons why I dont wear Mess Dress.

Sidebar: Why the heck cant we get the USAF to approve the CAP the recieve real USAF/DOD medals/ribbons/achievments ?

I would rather have 1 "real" USAF piece then twenty CAP mini-medals

[afgeo4]

One:
I don't like all of our medal being MINI - I want some full sized ones

Two: Can we do something other then Round and with a word "Membership", "Leadership" "Coffee making"
with our awards.

The above issues are two of the reasons why I dont wear Mess Dress.

Sidebar: Why the heck cant we get the USAF to approve the CAP the recieve real USAF/DOD medals/ribbons/achievments ?

I would rather have 1 "real" USAF piece then twenty CAP mini-medals

Okay... I'll give you the phone number to a local USAF recruiter.

[SAR-EMT1]

I am a former AFROTC scholarship cadet,
I was shown the door when my medical waiver was revoked.
I've tried to get back via both officer and enlisted channels
to any service that would take me. Army, AF, etc...
Believe me if it was as easy as calling the local recruiter, I'd have commissioned in 2006 and would already have pinned on first john.
---
I will repeat, i would rather wear one USAF item then twenty CAP mini-medals

[Psicorp]

That's a bit insensative, don't you think, disrespecting the decoration to the guy who designed it.

No disrespect intended towards the designer of the ribbon, sir.  I actually think it's a rather spiffy looking ribbon.   I just think a ribbon should have more significance than a substitute/replacement for a certificate of appreciation.   

If the ribbon were to be for something like for recognition X number of hours participated in the Volunteer Support to the Air Force program, that would be different (and I think more fitting to the ribbon's colors).   

[JayT]

One:
I don't like all of our medal being MINI - I want some full sized ones

Two: Can we do something other then Round and with a word "Membership", "Leadership" "Coffee making"
with our awards.

The above issues are two of the reasons why I dont wear Mess Dress.

Sidebar: Why the heck cant we get the USAF to approve the CAP the recieve real USAF/DOD medals/ribbons/achievments ?

I would rather have 1 "real" USAF piece then twenty CAP mini-medals

1. Why? We have three. How many more do you need?

2. Why?

3. That just reeks of wannabeism. I'm sorry your military career didn't pan out. Life sucks. But CAP isn't the Air Force, it isn't the 'unpaid Air Force Reserve,' it isn't the military. If you have such a need for military bling............

Not even the Air Force wears full sized medals on mess dress.

[mikeylikey]

^ Ya.....but military awards were at one time standard issue to CAP members.  The option to give military awards and civilian awards to CAP members are on the books, but no one is going after them. 

[PHall]

I am a former AFROTC scholarship cadet,
I was shown the door when my medical waiver was revoked.
I've tried to get back via both officer and enlisted channels
to any service that would take me. Army, AF, etc...
Believe me if it was as easy as calling the local recruiter, I'd have commissioned in 2006 and would already have pinned on first john.
---
I will repeat, i would rather wear one USAF item then twenty CAP mini-medals

Well, where would you wear a full sized medal? What uniform combination do you wear that with?

The mini medal is for wear on mess dress plus, IIRC, you can wear one mini medal on the blazer for formal events.

We have a use for mini medals. The only use we have for full size medals is as a keepsake.