Commanders: Your people don't get awards if you don't put the paperwork in.

[Holding Pattern]

Friendly reminder to all as the end of the year approaches:

Sometimes your squadron may not be terribly special. But there are still those who make it special by being at every meeting. Or doing every AE lesson. Or being at every activity outside of meetings for cadets. Or be the first pilot to volunteer for every O-flight day.

Sometimes your squadron may be special. You'll have members that run encampments at wing, help at every SAR training day, and perhaps even participate on live missions.

Sometimes someone will in your squadron will save a life. Sometimes they'll do so at risk to themselves.

In the end, one of the most important things we can do as commanders is RECOGNIZE those achievements, from the most simple of dedication to tasks to the most heroic of tasks.

As commanders, one of the best ways of doing that is to write up their achievements and send up an award package.

CAPR 39-3 is your friend here, but don't forget to also visit CAPR 35-6. Those ES and flight ratings should be recognized too.

[Flying Pig]

Years ago... maybe 2000-ish, I had been put in for an SMoV.   Or so I thought.    About 2004 I found the  documentation in an old desk sitting in the corner of the Sq meeting room in an envelope that had never been mailed.   Whattayadoo huh?

[Holding Pattern]

Years ago... maybe 2000-ish, I had been put in for an SMoV.   Or so I thought.    About 2004 I found the  documentation in an old desk sitting in the corner of the Sq meeting room in an envelope that had never been mailed.   Whattayadoo huh?

Provide that evidence to your CoC. If the original submission to your CoC failed, that is sufficient evidence for a resubmission outside of the 2 year window alloted by regs.

https://www.facebook.com/RMRCAP/posts/10161991692820461

[Eclipse]

I agree on the mean that Commanders should recognize their people, but if they
are deserving of anything, then take the time to write them up for an actual decoration
and drive past the "Of The Nominated" parade.

When are people going to realize that CAP service is not a competition, but when you
play against each other for "competitive" awards, the members are forced to compare their
service, and while most of the OTY certs wind up behind file cabinets, the sour grapes
it can engender when someone who is clearly not the respective "OTY" receives an award,
works against the very intention of the recognition.

It'd be one thing if the awards were based on objective standards (most mission hours, most
cadet activity hours, etc., etc.), but when volunteers "compete" based on subjective, non-published
standards, that causes more problems in the rank and file then it's worth.

At least give them something they can wear.

[Holding Pattern]

I agree on the mean that Commanders should recognize their people, but if they
are deserving of anything, then take the time to write them up for an actual decoration
and drive past the "Of The Nominated" parade.

When are people going to realize that CAP service is not a competition, but when you
play against each other for "competitive" awards, the members are forced to compare their
service, and while most of the OTY certs wind up behind file cabinets, the sour grapes
it can engender when someone who is clearly not the respective "OTY" receives an award,
works against the very intention of the recognition.

It'd be one thing if the awards were based on objective standards (most mission hours, most
cadet activity hours, etc., etc.), but when volunteers "compete" based on subjective, non-published
standards, that causes more problems in the rank and file then it's worth.

At least give them something they can wear.

I personally hate OTY awards as every award committee I've been on when it comes to judgement time has been subjective, arbitrary, and based solely on the information available to those specific members (who usually don't go out of their way to find out about any other members.)

And yeah, it can feel as a slight when you've put a serious amount of hours into a program but are told that they want to give the OTY award to someone else because "you earned it last year, it is someone else's turn." or other rationalizations to make it more "fair."

I strongly prefer CAP achievements, Commendations, service awards, etc. where there is at least some semblance of award criterion and an award the member can carry forward their whole career reflected in e-Services.

[N6RVT]

Years ago... maybe 2000-ish, I had been put in for an SMoV.   Or so I thought.    About 2004 I found the  documentation in an old desk sitting in the corner of the Sq meeting room in an envelope that had never been mailed.   Whattayadoo huh?

We found the paperwork for someone's command pilot wings 32 years later when we scrapped the trailer they were in.

[baronet68]

This is a very nice tool for helping write your award nominations:

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/P039_003_F66823F4021E0.pdf

[NIN]

We found the paperwork for someone's command pilot wings 32 years later when we scrapped the trailer they were in.

Were they still in the trailer, or had they moved?

[N6RVT]

We found the paperwork for someone's command pilot wings 32 years later when we scrapped the trailer they were in.

Were they still in the trailer, or had they moved?

That squadron had a huge influx of members just post 911, and they by about 2003 reduced back to its original size.  Two of the four trailers it occupied were almost never used again and were serious time capsules.  When I transferred in I found the logistics officers desk had paperwork lying on it that was dated over a decade earlier, and there was an 80286 computer with Windows 3.1 and a VGA monitor that all still worked.

[Flying Pig]

Years ago... maybe 2000-ish, I had been put in for an SMoV.   Or so I thought.    About 2004 I found the  documentation in an old desk sitting in the corner of the Sq meeting room in an envelope that had never been mailed.   Whattayadoo huh?

Provide that evidence to your CoC. If the original submission to your CoC failed, that is sufficient evidence for a resubmission outside of the 2 year window alloted by regs.

https://www.facebook.com/RMRCAP/posts/10161991692820461

Ehhh.... that was almost 20 years ago now...  not to mention, Im no longer active in CAP.  I just come here and look for reasons to justify rejoining 

[etodd]

In the end, one of the most important things we can do as commanders is RECOGNIZE those achievements, from the most simple of dedication to tasks to the most heroic of tasks.

As commanders, one of the best ways of doing that is to write up their achievements and send up an award package.

^^^ Good stuff.  It took me awhile to understand it. I'm not one who cares about awards, ribbons, and certificates myself. I just enjoy the work.  And I probably said some things here in the past about it that upset some folks. A couple people finally got my attention. Made me realize that as volunteers we certainly do not get paid for all the many hours and work that we do. Some who put in way more than they even should, as they often wear multiple hats. I've only been in CAP 4 years now, but have seen many of these dedicated members who truly go 'above and beyond'. Sacrificing time with family and even time at work. I fully understand now how important it is, at a Wing Conference, for example, for these people who have been so dedicated, to be decorated or given a certificate, in front of their peers. Both as a way of saying thanks, but also to inspire others to follow their lead.

Don't water it down by making it a "everyone gets a trophy event". But make it really special for those who truly go above and beyond. Recognize those people and hold them up high. Its a good thing. 

[Stonewall]

Years ago... maybe 2000-ish, I had been put in for an SMoV.   Or so I thought.    About 2004 I found the  documentation in an old desk sitting in the corner of the Sq meeting room in an envelope that had never been mailed.   Whattayadoo huh?

Provide that evidence to your CoC. If the original submission to your CoC failed, that is sufficient evidence for a resubmission outside of the 2 year window alloted by regs.

https://www.facebook.com/RMRCAP/posts/10161991692820461

Yeah, a fellow former cadet that knew I was still in CAP submitted this to my squadron commander at the time. A couple years later he asked if I got it and I didn't know why he was talking about.  Other than my friend, his wife, and my wife, no they proof.

    On August 26, 2006, while surfing at Mayport Beach, FL and coming ashore after multiple shark sightings and warnings by ocean rescue, Lt Col Stonewall and his friend noticed a father yelling for his young son who was caught in a current on a boogie board. 

Noticing a young lifeguard struggling to get through the waves the two took action to assist.  Realizing how bad the condition of the seas was and the very real threat of shark attack.  Both Lt Col Stonewall and his friend made a decision to risk their own lives and assist the lifeguard.  Lt Col Stonewall and his friend made it through the waves to reach the young child first.  The boy was already made it past the breakers and was in very deep water; neither Lt Col Stonewall nor his friend could touch the ocean floor. 

By this time the father had swum out with the lifeguard.  When they arrived, both were overwhelmed with exhaustion.  Lt Col Stonewall and his friend placed the young boy on top of one surfboard while the father and lifeguard grabbed on to the other surfboard.  Lt Col Stonewall and his friend slowly pulled the young boy's surfboard and they worked their way back to shore.  While en route, they were toppled by a large wave and had to reorganize everyone into position.  It was not until they got to knee deep water that additional lifeguards arrived.

Lt Col Stonewall's selfless act played a major role in the saving of the child's life in addition to assisting both the father and young lifeguard back to safety after their exhaustive swim. 

It is without a doubt that Lt Col Stonewall quick thinking, heroic action and willingness to risk his own life to save others reflects great credit upon him, the Florida Wing and Civil Air Patrol.

[Flying Pig]

Mine was work related.  I got the agency Medal of Valor and a Lifesaving.  People go back and forth about whether or not getting a pay check disqualifies you from receiving CAP medals.  I personally don't think it matters.  There are things people do on the job that transcend being compensated.  If that were the case, as an LEO, even if I did something "off duty", someone could reasonable argue that I did it because I was a cop and was mandated to act.   I've heard all the view points.   Most of the people who disagree have never put themselves at risk of death for another persons well being.  I can say that being paid has no bearing on your response.   My employment may have put me in a position to have those interactions, but nothing about my position requires me to risk my life.  That's an action someone decides on their own.   Now, does a paramedic need to be put in for a CAP lifesaving medal every time they take someone to the hospital?   No.  However, my position on the "issue" is that if that persons agency recognizes them for heroism or life saving above and beyond the normal scope of their duties, then I would have no issue submitting them for a CAP decoration as well.   I had this discussion once before about responding to a car accident while off  duty.  It was in my city, I stopped, took action, and ended up being on scene for a couple hours.  So I put in for 3 hours over time at the direction of my supervisor.  The argument was that the moment I was compensated, I no longer rated any CAP recognition.   Apparently if I had not put in for OT, nobody had an issue... put in for OT, now theres an issue.  Oh well.