Why number the awards?

[RiverAux]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way. 

[lordmonar]

Never been in an AD unit have you?

[James Shaw]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

Are you talking about the milestone awards or ones like the BMV, SMV, Wilson, Spaatz?

[Майор Хаткевич]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

Are you talking about the milestone awards or ones like the BMV, SMV, Wilson, Spaatz?

Spaatz is a milestone as well.

[Cecil DP]

He did cite the Spaatz as a milestone

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

Are you talking about the milestone awards or ones like the BMV, SMV, Wilson, Spaatz?

Spaatz is a milestone as well.

[RiverAux]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

Are you talking about the milestone awards or ones like the BMV, SMV, Wilson, Spaatz?

Any of them. 

[James Shaw]

I can not be 100% sure but I have my own "theory".

The cadet milestones are numbered because it gives NHQ and CAP members a "comparative" number to present when it comes to funding, presentation to government officials, and tracking overall success of the cadet program. The number represents the percentage that reach the goal based on the overall number of cadets that have been in the program. If the percentage is higher in one area than it may show success. If it is lower in another it can be viewed as a success depending on how you choose to view it. It is better for the recipient to have the low number because it makes it "elite".

As far as the Wilson, Spaatz they are considered the capstone of professional development. My feelings match that as posted for the cadet milestones but with a little more "rareity". My Wilson number is 2627 so to me that means of the (SAMPLE) 100000 people that have been in CAP  less than 3000 have done what is required to reach that level. Does that make me a better member; possibly depending on my personal development along with my professional development. Does that make me better than other members; no, I feel that each person should be gauged individually.

The SMV, BMV, and DSM are not numbered. You can track them by the "order number". I estimated mine to be around #120 based on history and average given. It is not accurate I am sure. The only ones that are "tracked" other than the numbered are the SMV, BMV, DSM and some ESA's. They are tracked at NHQ and referred to as National Commanders awards. If you look at a certificate and it only has one signature line and it is the National Commander than it is tracked. I have an ESA like that. I called NHQ one day to order a SMV medal and they told me that the ESA was listed. My other ESA was not but the CC ones are.

[Майор Хаткевич]

As far as the Wilson, Spaatz they are considered the capstone of professional development.

The cadet program has 5 milestones as per CAPR 52-16

-Wright Brothers
-Mitchell
-Earhart
-Eaker
-Spaatz

No such thing as a capstone award.

[SarDragon]

Lighten up, Francis. Each is the highest award in the respective program, and can be considered a capstone.

[Cecil DP]

A Capstone is the last and final brick put into place on a building
A Milestone is a waypoint towards a destination.

Wilson and Spaatz awards=CAPSTONES, you've completed the program
All others are milestones, you haven't fininshed  the program, but are progressing towards it.

[flyboy53]

At NSC, we learned, regardless of the reason, that tremendously high numbers of cadets never go beyond the Mitchelll Award and an equally high number of officers (senior members) never complete Level II so the numbers give an indication of how few there are of certain awards. The numbers should be an eye-opener to the membership and, I would hope, promote the need to complete the program. It is also a way of validating the award. As for AD units, some active duty medals are numbered on the rim and there is a corresponding entry in a personnel record. I have an Humanitarian Service Medal from the Air Force that was numbered. I also have a foreign medal that is numbered and the same number is on the award certificate.

[cnitas]

As for AD units, some active duty medals are numbered on the rim and there is a corresponding entry in a personnel record. I have an Humanitarian Service Medal from the Air Force that was numbered.

False. 
I have been dealing with this misconception as a collector for almost 10 years.  The US military has not numbered or tracked individual medals since before WW2.  Any number that may have been on the box of the medal you got was a GSA contract number denoting the manufacturing batch that the medal came from.  It is not a 'numbered medal' like a Mitchell or Wilson award. 

In WW2 Baily, Banks and Biddle made many US Decorations and they were numbered on the medal itself.  Again, these were simply used to track completion of contracts and/or to aid in local inventory.  They were not numbered based on the number of people who had earned said awards.

The UK military numbers all their medals with the service member's ID number, rank, and unit.

[ascorbate]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

I can't imagine why CAP wouldn't number the milestone and capstone awards given to the membership over the years.

More importantly, I can't believe that somebody at CAP NHQ hasn't maintained a listing of all of these awards somewhere since their inception. To just give out numbered awards without having a master listing somewhere is doing the organization and the membership a dis-service from a historical perspective!

[James Shaw]

Why are certain awards in CAP numbered?  What useful purpose does it serve?  I can't think of any other awards that are numbered in this way.

I can't imagine why CAP wouldn't number the milestone and capstone awards given to the membership over the years.

More importantly, I can't believe that somebody at CAP NHQ hasn't maintained a listing of all of these awards somewhere since their inception. To just give out numbered awards without having a master listing somewhere is doing the organization and the membership a dis-service from a historical perspective!

CAP has kept records of many of these. The problem is that they were using different types of systems that did not transfer or interact. That means that someone would have to go to NHQ and manually do that. I am trying to do that with the SMV and BMV list. They are their they just have to be put in the system. It would not take long to do it. It is a matter of priority.

[flyboy53]

False. 
I have been dealing with this misconception as a collector for almost 10 years.

Funny, I just checked the DoD form authorizing the medal and there's a medal set number separate of my SSAN beside the authorization; and the foreign award has a four-digit number that isn't my SSAN? Perhaps you need to do a little more research. May I recommend "The Call of Duty" by Strandberg and Bender or "U.S. Military Medals & Ribbons" by P.K. Robles. Let's not start a partisian dispute between collectors and veterans regarding to what's related to their medals.

[RiverAux]

The only practical reason for numbering them that I can think of is as an anti-fraud measure.  If Joe Smith says he has one of these fairly important awards, having a number on it that could be matched with a set of orders at NHQ wouild make sense.  For example, I've got a Mitchell award that just has my name typed on it and without the number, anyone could get a blank certificate, forge a signature and present it as real.

I'd like to think that NHQ started doing it for the reasons Caphistorian gave, but I just can't believe that they were thinking that far ahead when they started doing it. 

[James Shaw]

When I received the SMV they gave me 1 full size medal. I had to get the stars and the mini myself. I did not know I could not get them through Vanguard. I had to call NHQ and let them know who I was, my CAP ID and the date I received the SMV. They had to verify the information in there SM database. I was able to order an extra SMV full size and a couple of minis. I had to send the money directly to Susie Parker. They do try to control these as best as possible. I only know of one member who has tried to "claim" they had received the SMV but never got the paperwork. They said their squadron commander told them they got it. This was a fairly new SM. They have since left the CAP and moved on to something else.

I am in the need of another full size SMV and mini. I have been waiting for the Thanksgiving Holidays to pass. So it would not lay in limbo. My wife had one framed and mounted for me. I think the anti-fraud idea is great and probably true to some extent. We verify all MOV's before letting them in the MOVA.

[Майор Хаткевич]

A Capstone is the last and final brick put into place on a building
A Milestone is a waypoint towards a destination.

Wilson and Spaatz awards=CAPSTONES, you've completed the program
All others are milestones, you haven't fininshed  the program, but are progressing towards it.

Whatever you consider it to be, that is not what it is in CAP.

b. Milestone Awards. There are five milestone awards in the Cadet Program. They mark the cadet's transition from one phase of the Cadet Program into another phase where he or she will assume new leadership roles commensurate with his/her increased maturity and development as a cadet.
(1) The Wright Brothers Award marks completion of Phase I.
(2) The Mitchell Award marks completion of Phase II
(3) The Earhart Award marks completion of Phase III.
(4) The Eaker Award marks completion of Phase IV.
(5) The Spaatz Award is the highest award in the Cadet Program.

[Airrace]

The only practical reason for numbering them that I can think of is as an anti-fraud measure.  If Joe Smith says he has one of these fairly important awards, having a number on it that could be matched with a set of orders at NHQ wouild make sense.  For example, I've got a Mitchell award that just has my name typed on it and without the number, anyone could get a blank certificate, forge a signature and present it as real.

I'd like to think that NHQ started doing it for the reasons Caphistorian gave, but I just can't believe that they were thinking that far ahead when they started doing it.

This makes since to me.

[Lord of the North]

Just to add so fuel to this little fire.  At one time there was an award above the Wilson.  It was called the National Commander's Citation I believe.  In October 1977 I earned my Wilson (#251).  The next year completed the requirement for the National Commander's Citation and applied for the award.  At about the same time the Senior Member Training Program was revised the and National Commander's Citation was deleted.  National processed my application but awarded me a second Wilson (#4).  So, for those of you that want to try and keep track of awards by the number assigned to them, keep in mind that at least for the Wilson there are two numbering systems.

[flyboy53]

Let's add another one. How about the Falcon Award? In all my time in CAP (since 1966), I've only seen two of them. Do you remember the metal ribbon bar? One current holder has to keep looking on e-bay for last authorized ribbon. Think of all the history with these awards. That's why I belive numbering them is a good idea. It's that extra level of status that the holder really accomplished something good. I only wish that someone would start compiling a list.

[James Shaw]

A Capstone is the last and final brick put into place on a building
A Milestone is a waypoint towards a destination.

Wilson and Spaatz awards=CAPSTONES, you've completed the program
All others are milestones, you haven't fininshed  the program, but are progressing towards it.

Whatever you consider it to be, that is not what it is in CAP.

b. Milestone Awards. There are five milestone awards in the Cadet Program. They mark the cadet's transition from one phase of the Cadet Program into another phase where he or she will assume new leadership roles commensurate with his/her increased maturity and development as a cadet.
(1) The Wright Brothers Award marks completion of Phase I.
(2) The Mitchell Award marks completion of Phase II
(3) The Earhart Award marks completion of Phase III.
(4) The Eaker Award marks completion of Phase IV.
(5) The Spaatz Award is the highest award in the Cadet Program.

You are missing the point. Yes the Spaatz is a milestone award but it is also a capstone award because you cannot go any higher in the cadet  program. Hence the term capstone.

[Hawk200]

The only practical reason for numbering them that I can think of is as an anti-fraud measure.  If Joe Smith says he has one of these fairly important awards, having a number on it that could be matched with a set of orders at NHQ wouild make sense. 

I've actually heard it presented this way a few different times. It makes sense. Don't know how valid it is, but it's practical logic.