Nominating self for award?

[RNOfficer]

In CAP anyone can nominate anyone for an award; I assume this means one could nominate oneself. Has anyone ever done this? The response?

I believe I deserve at least an Achievement Award for my contributions to the unit this year but doubt anyone will nominate me.

Last year, my unit gave only one Achievement Award (not to me but I nominated the recipient) and no higher awards (CCs and such). This unit is more active than most others.

[tsrup]

sure,
put your name on some paper, write how awesome you are, and see if it sticks.


If it works it works, if it doesn't, then you only wasted some paper.

[HGjunkie]

I would think it's odd to nominate yourself for something.

[SarDragon]

Sometimes, you gotta do whatcha gotta do. Sad, but true.

[RiverAux]

If your personnel officer is not up to snuff sometimes you have to take care of yourself, particularly for the professional awards and some of the routine stuff (red service ribbon).  It is very often up to the individual to keep track of their ES activities and to put themselves in when they have enough credit for things like the Air SAR, CD, or DR ribbons.  No one would think it odd that an individual generated their own reward request for items like that.

Now, if you start talking about individual decorations like the Achievement Award, Commanders Commendation, etc., people probably would look at you funny if you started paperwork on them.

[RADIOMAN015]

Now, if you start talking about individual decorations like the Achievement Award, Commanders Commendation, etc., people probably would look at you funny if you started paperwork on them.

I would think it could be given to the commander for his/her review.   Lets face it we all keep track of our accomplishments at work so when raise/review time comes we can point some things out.  The only payment for volunteers are awards of various sorts.   Why not just help the unit leadership.  IF you feel you deserve it and it isn't signed/forwarded than it would be time to have a heart to heart talk with the unit commander.

(However, interesting war story, when I was NCOIC of unit administration for an aircraft maintenance squadron, the officer maintenance supervisor (departing for a permanent change of station) actually submitted his narrative/form for an award completed.  The commander gave it back to me (unsigned) and said do what you want with it.   Well I put it in my desk drawer (just in case he changed his minded) and 1 year later when I left, it was still in that desk drawer.    )   

RM   

[Camas]

If your personnel officer is not up to snuff sometimes you have to take care of yourself, particularly for the professional awards and some of the routine stuff (red service ribbon).

You're supposed to take care of yourself by submitting appropriate paperwork (CAPF2a or CAPF24) for awards and "routine stuff". Re: CAPR 39-3 Para 19 and CAPR 50-17 Para 2-5e.

[Flying Pig]

In CAP anyone can nominate anyone for an award; I assume this means one could nominate oneself. Has anyone ever done this? The response?

I believe I deserve at least an Achievement Award for my contributions to the unit this year but doubt anyone will nominate me.

Last year, my unit gave only one Achievement Award (not to me but I nominated the recipient) and no higher awards (CCs and such). This unit is more active than most others.

In CAP, some commanders either dont think about it, care or both.  I would talk to your unit staff about it before I would start writing my own.  If it comes down to it, then write your own, or approach another member, brief them on the details, and perhaps they will be the submitting member. But make sure you follow up.
Like in my case, I was put in for the SMoV, a few years passed and I just assumed it got rejected.  Shame on me for not following up. SqCC changed, things were moved around, you know how it goes.  I later found it in an abandoned desk drawer about 3 years later.  Postage on the envelope but never mailed.  I inquired and was told the award had to be submitted within 2 years of the incident.  Shortly after, I let my membership lapse for about 3 years.  Here I am again, 10 years later.....discovering CAP isnt for me again.

[lordmonar]

Sometimes, you gotta do whatcha gotta do. Sad, but true.

True on Active Duty, true at work, true in CAP.

[Stonewall]

Sometimes, you gotta do whatcha gotta do. Sad, but true.

True on Active Duty, true at work, true in CAP.

Yes, can confirm this right now.  I and every other E6 & above had to write their own awards package for the deployment I'm on right now.  Only thing leadership did was tweak what we wrote.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I know I have at least one, maybe two, clasps to my Red Service Ribbon coming, but I would feel terribly out-of-place doing the paperwork and giving it to the squadron CC.

[davidsinn]

I know I have at least one, maybe two, clasps to my Red Service Ribbon coming, but I would feel terribly out-of-place doing the paperwork and giving it to the squadron CC.

Why? You're not putting yourself in for a decoration only a service award.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Why? You're not putting yourself in for a decoration only a service award.

I too often suffer from the "tall-poppy syndrome."

[ßτε]

There is definitely a difference between recommendations for decorations submitted on a CAPF 120 and applications for activity and service ribbons submitted on a CAPF 2a.
One should not recommend oneself for a decoration.

But for activity and service ribbons:

19. Administration Procedures for Award of Activity and Service Ribbons. The individual member is responsible for preparing and submitting to the unit commander CAP Form 2a, Request for and Approval of Personnel Actions, when the requirements for an activity or service ribbon have been completed. The CAP Form 2a is then forwarded by the unit commander to the appropriate approving authority. (If the unit commander has been delegated approving authority by the wing commander as outlined in paragraph 17b, the unit commander simply approves the form and returns it to the recipient.) Upon approval, activity and service ribbons are purchased by the awarding unit or by the individual recipient, as appropriate.

[SarDragon]

I know I have at least one, maybe two, clasps to my Red Service Ribbon coming, but I would feel terribly out-of-place doing the paperwork and giving it to the squadron CC.

I just did mine for my 40 clasp. If I don't keep track, no one else is going to, either, because I have broken service, and only just recently have I been able to substantiate my entire service periods.

[JC004]

I know I have at least one, maybe two, clasps to my Red Service Ribbon coming, but I would feel terribly out-of-place doing the paperwork and giving it to the squadron CC.

Why? You're not putting yourself in for a decoration only a service award.

Agree.  I had to do all of my 2a ribbons myself.  I'd feel strange doing a 120 for something, though.  If you qualify for the SAR ribbon or whatever, you just fill out the 2a, attach documentation, get it signed, place it in your file.  Otherwise you're wearing ribbons that haven't been awarded in writing.  I have the hours for the community service ribbon (tons of them, actually), but how would anyone know that if I hadn't filled out the form, attached the Presidential letter (for the President's Call to Service Award) with the number of hours on it (over 6,000), and got it signed?  A personnel officer isn't even likely to come across that information if I hadn't initiated it and if someone wants to know where the documentation is for two Community Service ribbons with silver clasps across them, it's not there without my own initiative... (I don't own the physical ribbons, but I could, I guess...)

[nesagsar]

  A personnel officer isn't even likely to come across that information if I hadn't initiated it and if someone wants to know where the documentation is for two Community Service ribbons with silver clasps across them, it's not there without my own initiative... (I don't own the physical ribbons, but I could, I guess...)

I had the same type of situation WIWAC. I usually wore the standard com service ribbon with no attachment but at NCSA boards I had both ribbons with all of the silver clasps.

[3DigitSpaatz]

I believe I deserve at least an Achievement Award for my contributions to the unit this year but doubt anyone will nominate me.

What YOU believe isn't the point, is it? Perhaps you'll just need to revel in the self-satisfaction of a job well done.  Or did you just join CAP so you could collect pretty little ribbons for your uniform?

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd feel like a complete tool recommending myself for an achievement award, and would view anyone who does as such.  If you don't feel like your work, above and beyond that of your peers, is being appreciated, you can always take your services elsewhere.

[anonymous former c/col]

Most of post redacted - my choice.  Realized it came down to this:

No, as NIN said, I am not the voice of morality in CAP.  I am one voice of the way things used to be, and this is my opinion.


If no one recognized your work there is honor in being the tireless volunteer who only does this work for God, Country and Community, maybe you'll feel good about yourself, and trust that eventually you will be rewarded...

"There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

[lordmonar]

hahahhaahahahahha

God I love CAPTALK sometimes.  I don't know which way I should go on this.

Okay.......

One.......It is your career....you are the one responsible for making sure it move in the direction you want it to go.  In the real USAF that means firewall "5"'s and a decoration at the end of your tour (for the E's at least).

You get a crappy EPR or a lazy supervisor who is too "busy" to look out for you....you do it yourself.

I wrote all my own EPRs over the last 10 years of my career.  I was expected to provide very strong bullets from the time I was writing EPR for my subordinates.  Same deal for decorations. 

In CAP if getting decorations is your thing........well you certainly aren't getting paid.....and you have a commander who does not do his job.....again, you have to look after your self.

Two......we get this all the time from former cadets who never really learn the lessons we try to impart.   SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP.....this is not touchy feely BS this is real world leadership.....you use all the tools available because not everyone is the same.  Assuming that everyone has the same values as you....is a sign that you don't understand leadership.

Three....It may be more satisfying that someone recognises your work and sings your praises.....but sometimes you got to do it your self.  I assume that you work in the real world and have, at least at one point, had to punch a time card.   I mean should your boss not known that you were at work and doing your job....that he should have done all the paperwork to makesure you got justly compensated?

I know at my work......if my employees don't fill out their time sheets correctly......it's their pay check.