Another "wear" quandry...

[heliodoc]

Anti military coming from Flying Pig  Doubt that , Hawk 200

I came from the Army Guard and civilian helo and fixed wing MX world and from what I gather Flying Pig has alot to offer like me and my compadres.  It AINT the free flying.  I was flying skydivers before I got back into CAP and thought I might give back

But calling some one anti military just because of the uni issue is just lame.

I have left off ANY of my RM qual off my CAP uniform just 'cuz of the forum  like this...

ANTI military???  RIGHT ....  I came from the RM and ARNG and CAP uniforms and "uniform manual 39-1"  NEEDS a COMPLETE OVERHAUL

anti military enough for ya???

[Eclipse]

I have left off ANY of my RM qual off my CAP uniform just 'cuz of the forum  like this...

Um.  What?

[lordmonar]

With out calling anyone names.......

It is simply that the USAF does not recognise them....not that they are lame or not important but the USAF only recognises federal level awards.

If CAP were to relax and allow NG state awards it COULD open the door to just way too much.  First it is state NG awards, then we get the SDF guys (who often get the same awards) then we get the State Troopers with their awards and then the Fire Department.  And while we are allowing state trooper awards why not the county police or the local PD and FD awards?  Heck I got a national level award from the Boy Scouts....why not that one?

While State NG awards are completely legitmate, as are CGAUX awards, Red Cross and BSA  awards we have to control them somewhere.

So following USAF guidance on this issue seems like a good thing.  NO state awards.

[Prospector]

Yes, getting back to the basic question of the rationale behind not allowing State awards and decs on the CAP uniform -

I think I have been converted to not wearing State awards on the CAP uniform. I only have one State Good Conduct Medal and the rest of my awards are Federal - both are legitimate awards for service in the respective component. I think that the real rationale for the current CAP reg is that the whole awards and decs system is a can of worms. Once you open it up to "Non-Federal" stuff of any kind it is a slippery slope of confusion, finger-pointing, and hand-wringing.

Everyone should be proud of any awards and decs you actually earn for your service and display them proudly on your uniform. It's not a slam on anyone's service for CAP (or the AF) to limit what is worn on their uniforms. To keep to the "most common denomonator" rule, Federal awards are the nationally recognized standard, and CAP awards are for CAP personnel only to show other CAP personnel their achievements and to be recognized within the organization for your service.

For instance, let's say you were a police or fire dept. officer at the WTC on 9-11. You may have earned accolades from all sorts of organizations for your heroics, but the one that is the most prestigious at the moment is the one you earned from your own organization and your peers and that you should wear on your department uniform. Everything else is legitimate, but is for your shadowbox.

I guess what I'm trying to say is; be happy and proud of your own achievments, and if allowed to, wear them on your uniform.

The irony here is that when you were on active-duty, you probably never complained once about wearing this or that, and just followed the regs like everyone else so you wouldn't get hazed or gigged. If CAP says this is what you can wear, then so be it.

If you don't like it and it causes you to dislike your service in CAP, it seems to me that you have two choices, either leave the organization, or promote up to National Commander and make the change yourself. 

Of course, there is the option of just discussing and venting here on the forums and then just letting the issue go.

[RiverAux]

I think a fair compromise would be to allow the wear of state military awards earned by CAP members for CAP service.  There are various examples of CAP members earning various awards from their state for CAP activities.  Its certainly not common, but given how close some CAP Wings are to their state military, it should be an option. 

I'm not passionate about it though. 

[Major Carrales]

I think a fair compromise would be to allow the wear of state military awards earned by CAP members for CAP service.  There are various examples of CAP members earning various awards from their state for CAP activities.  Its certainly not common, but given how close some CAP Wings are to their state military, it should be an option. 

I'm not passionate about it though.

I wholeheartedly agree.  CAP Members who are decorated by a State for service within that state ought to be allowed to wear those awards.  I would, however, be inclined to limit it to decorations (State Gov awards, Commendations and the like).

[Prospector]

I think a fair compromise would be to allow the wear of state military awards earned by CAP members for CAP service.

This should definitely be allowed unless the state's award duplicates one you get from CAP for the same event. In other words, if you are in CAP and CAP awards you something for any service or event, and you get an award from the state for the same event, then the CAP award trumps it and should be worn instead of the state award.

If the state awards you something for a joint event and you were acting as a CAP member representing CAP during the event, and your CAP unit doesn't award you anything for it, then I would say by all means in this case they should allow you to wear the state award.

Cases like this need to be handled by national on a case by case basis and every CAP local unit commander should be on top of things like this to make sure his troops are rewarded appropriately for serving CAP.

What would it look like if say the local AF or Guard unit does a joint exercise or mission with a CAP unit, and afterwards all the participating AF and Guard troops get a unit award for it from their command, and the CAP unit gets nothing from their own command (assuming of course that they did a similar outstanding job)?

[lordmonar]

I think a fair compromise would be to allow the wear of state military awards earned by CAP members for CAP service.  There are various examples of CAP members earning various awards from their state for CAP activities.  Its certainly not common, but given how close some CAP Wings are to their state military, it should be an option. 

I'm not passionate about it though.

I would allow specific exeptions to be allowed by letter from the National HQ...for any award by a supported agency for CAP support.

The RM does the same with foreign awards all the time.  If a country were to issue an award to an American serivcemen then that service can allow the decoration to be worn.  It does not happen often but it does happen.  Look at all the Republic of Vietnam awards that some vets wear for example.

[Cecil DP]

I think a fair compromise would be to allow the wear of state military awards earned by CAP members for CAP service.  There are various examples of CAP members earning various awards from their state for CAP activities.  Its certainly not common, but given how close some CAP Wings are to their state military, it should be an option. 

I'm not passionate about it though.

I would allow specific exeptions to be allowed by letter from the National HQ...for any award by a supported agency for CAP support.

The RM does the same with foreign awards all the time.  If a country were to issue an award to an American serivcemen then that service can allow the decoration to be worn.  It does not happen often but it does happen.  Look at all the Republic of Vietnam awards that some vets wear for example.

Foreign Awards by law have to be approved by a congessional action, the law states that you can accept the award,but that you cannot wear it until that approval is received. As one of those who do have "Vietnamese awards", the Armed forces did get a blanket approval to accept and wear the medals during the war.