border patrol medal

[desert rat]

What is the status of the boarder patrol medal?

[Al Sayre]

I thought that was only for the Auxies...

[DNall]

Well now I imagine it's tabled till there's actually a border patrol mission. There's already a CN ribbon for that flying on the border. When the mission develops & there's a need to recognize people, the ribbon will show up.

[James Shaw]

Border Patrol Medal will be voted on at this NB in Washington DC. I will be attending and let folks know as soon as I can.

[DNall]

That's fine & everything, but there's no mission as of yet, and what's the criteria?

[James Shaw]

I know what the criteria is for a few but cannot release until after the NB. They are supposed to discuss:

The Distinguished Flying Award
Aerial Achievement Award
Border Patrol Award (reissue)
Incident Commander Badge
Drug Demand Reduction Badge

I believe there are a few more up for consideration but am not sure. I did not have and dealings with their design or criteria.

[DNall]

You understand the Arieal Achievement & Dist Flying Award cut the legs out from under an effort to get an adendum to the AFI to describe circumstances & process for AF to recommend award of civilian awardable AF decs for service to AF (primarily on AFAMs). There's been some favorable feedback on that & we'd like to write a proposal out here to go up. What would be dramatically more helpful, which I've heard is in the works as well, is a CAP Achievement medal underneath the Commander's Commendation.

Creating ribbons & badges we don't really need, that don't incentivise desired behavior, and don't fit within a logical overall system w/o holes... well that's just a waste of time. In fact let me quote you something out of SOS:

Joint Leaders Must be Hedgehogs and Not Foxes—The Greek poet Archilochus noted that the "fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." British philosopher Isaiah Berlin, in an essay entitled "The Hedgehog and the Fox," offers insight into Archilochus's meaning: The hedgehog is a thinker or leader who "relates everything to a single central vision...a single, universal, organizing principle." The fox, on the other hand, "pursues many ends, often unrelated and even contradictory."

George Marshall, modeling the leadership of jointness, related everything to the single central vision of victory. In war, a military leader cannot be distracted from the pursuit of victory. In peace, a military leader cannot be distracted from the preparations for victory. Personal prestige and service loyalties must give way to the best plan for success. As President Roosevelt considered supreme commanders for Operation OVERLORD, he sought to give George Marshall his "place in history." Tempted to don the mantle of command, Marshall nevertheless passed it on to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, his best field commander. He recognized that leaving Washington might imperil the delicate balance among the services and between the allies. Too many foxes, pursuing too many unrelated and contradictory ends, waited to distract the United States from its singular pursuit of victory.

[James Shaw]

I dont set the criteria for the medals or awards. I have nothing to do with that effort. The historical group responds to the request of the National Board with requested designs and historical information. It is not our job to justify or deny what the National Board does. The criteria was sent to us as a matter of historical nature....not for approval or opinion. I dont feel like anyone is cutting legs out from under any other effort as far as I am concerned. Historians are observers and sometimes advisers for historical relevence.....not the policy makers. I think it is shameful to demean the efforts of CAP trying to bring recognition to people who may otherwise not be recognized. If members do not care for it than that is their opinion.....but dont degrade someone elses efforts.

[Major_Chuck]

A Border Patrol Medal.  

A medal that we don't need.  How many people in Iowa are going to be eligable for this award?  We don't rotate to the border for duty as the real military does.  This is just a feel good medal for a handful of people that actually get a mission on the border.

What would be more appropriate would be a Civil Defense Ribbon or Homeland Security Ribbon to recognize our members who participate in missions all around the country and not just on the Southwest Border.

[RiverAux]

Wasn't there a story a few months ago about the border missions that were flown all last summer? 

[JohnKachenmeister]

I'd like to see a CAP Air Medal, awarded for "X" number of flying sorties regardless of mission and do away with all the specialty mission awards.

But then, I'd like Brittney Spears to have not shaved her head, too.

[Major_Chuck]

I'd like to see a CAP Air Medal, awarded for "X" number of flying sorties regardless of mission and do away with all the specialty mission awards.

But then, I'd like Brittney Spears to have not shaved her head, too.

off topic:  She was just upset that Kfed might have been the father of Anna Nicole's baby.

[JohnKachenmeister]

I'd like to see a CAP Air Medal, awarded for "X" number of flying sorties regardless of mission and do away with all the specialty mission awards.

But then, I'd like Brittney Spears to have not shaved her head, too.

off topic:  She was just upset that Kfed might have been the father of Anna Nicole's baby.

Why get upset?  That way her kids will have a playmate!

[DNall]

I dont set the criteria for the medals or awards. I have nothing to do with that effort. The historical group responds to the request of the National Board with requested designs and historical information. It is not our job to justify or deny what the National Board does. The criteria was sent to us as a matter of historical nature....not for approval or opinion. I dont feel like anyone is cutting legs out from under any other effort as far as I am concerned. Historians are observers and sometimes advisers for historical relevence.....not the policy makers. I think it is shameful to demean the efforts of CAP trying to bring recognition to people who may otherwise not be recognized. If members do not care for it than that is their opinion.....but dont degrade someone elses efforts.

Do take another look at what I said. I said nothing against you or historians anywhere, I said a couple og those decorations are not the best poilicy as they threaten an opportunity for much more significant recognition that can actually help people & the AF relationship rather than just be some meaningles bits of color we give to ourselves.

Awards & decorations are significantly important in any institution, military or otherwise, and particularly in ours. However those decorations become meaningless when they're tossed about or created willy nilly. If they don't follow a centrally logical system, they are counter productive. What's centrally logical, constructive to the relationship, real world helpful to our members, and historical is that we should integrate the AF decorations awardable to civilians, and emulate directly or categorically those that are not.

The historical group's job is indeed to support the NB with information and to do so with integrity with regard to the best interest of the organization above the fleeting desires of board members or membership at large for that matter. Respectfully.

[James Shaw]

Awards & decorations are significantly important in any institution, military or otherwise, and particularly in ours. However those decorations become meaningless when they're tossed about or created willy nilly. If they don't follow a centrally logical system, they are counter productive. What's centrally logical, constructive to the relationship, real world helpful to our members, and historical is that we should integrate the AF decorations awardable to civilians, and emulate directly or categorically those that are not.

Then I apologize for jumping the gun.   I have looked at the criteria for a few of them and by comparison they are closely linked to current AF awards and decorations. Not exaclty the same. One of the reasons that some of these are done is because it takes many years to try and get the support needed to get AF stuff awarded to CAP members. It takes less time and convincing to go through CAP. This allows members to be recognized. If they have a change in hierarchy or structure on the AF side and the new one doesnt agree with the whole thing than it can stall it even longer. This may be the way that CAP and the NB is trying to close that gap.

Fixed quote - MIKE

[DNall]

The Arial Achievment medal in the AF is designed specifically for civilians but is also awarded to military personnel. It is routinely awarded to contractors as an example.

The proposal we'd like to make, thru CAP-USAF to A3/SHA (in attendance at BoG), is to steamline the recommendation & award process for CAP members. We are not the same as Joe Blow off the street & they know that. The gist is anyone in the AF may make a recommendation, or CAP members may write advisory narratives to the state director who recieves all recommendations & approves or not & on up the CAP-USAF chain. The award authority should be delgated tot eh CAP-USAF echelon that ties in with the AF level. In other words, State director is like AF Sq CC, Region is like Gp, CAP-USAF is like Wing, AU, AETC, Air Staff, and finally if necessary the CSAF/SAF.

The reason they like this is AF retains total control of all recommendations & awards, and it delegates work off the desks of higher ranking officers to levels IAW the AF uses for its own people. It's a very minor change to an AFI to spell out and streamline a process that already exists but no one knows about or takes advantage of.

[Hammer]

Border Patrol Medal will be voted on at this NB in Washington DC. I will be attending and let folks know as soon as I can.

When is the NB in Washington, DC, and what must one due to attend?

[Al Sayre]

Starts today I believe...

[Major_Chuck]

Border Patrol Medal will be voted on at this NB in Washington DC. I will be attending and let folks know as soon as I can.

When is the NB in Washington, DC, and what must one due to attend?

Ahh,  good question....

One must bring plenty of treasures and offerings for Ceasar, your finest pelts best silks and be willing to offer your eldest daughter to him, for he is Ceasar.  If Ceasar is pleased he will bestow upon you a Kingdom such as SER, or MER, and he will grant you a legion of TPU Clad warriors to defend and hold off the NOTF Barbarian Hoard.

This is how...

[James Shaw]

FYI:
Border Patrol Medal Denied
Distinguished Flying Medal Denied
Aerial Achievement Medal denied
Drug Demand Redution Badge Approved
Incident Commander Badge Approved
As a side note: CAC Ribbon approved for seniors who earned it as cadets
No more limitations on number of ribbons / devices worn (does not have to be below collar).

[RiverAux]

I missed the discussion of the Distinguished Flying Medal.  Was any reason given for it to be denied?

I hope it was because they thought it would be better to submit people who have done something like that for the AF equivalent awards (which we are actually eligible for). 

[James Shaw]

Distinguished Flying killed in committee (no reason given)
Aerial Achievement illed in committee (no reason given)
Border Patrol killed in vote (member limitation to small, criteria similar to HLS operations)