SM Decorations!!

[Aj890]

Why are senior members not allowed to wear shoulder cords?!?! I miss wearing my shoulder cord from when I was a cadet! I think that we should be able to wear one in accordance of our duty as a SM. Exp. officers who are in charge of cadet programs should have their own shoulder cord, or officers that are escorts for a drill team of color guard should have the choice of wearing a SM shoulder cord!!

We should have our own decorations just like the cadets do!

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

[Майор Хаткевич]

Probably not, but perhaps part of a very small percentage.

[Pylon]

In all likelihood, yes, you may be the only one here on CAPTalk who feels that way. 


Even as a former cadet myself, I don't see the need.  After a little time as a senior member, you'll realize our rewards for all our hard work are often intangible: a letter from a former cadet or his parents crediting you with their success, a SAR find and save, friendships formed, etc.  And any one of these intangible rewards will mean much, much more than any piece of fabric could.

[Flying Pig]

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

Oh Lord, I hope so!!!

[Aj890]

well I am a younger SM and I just think that it would be pretty neat if we got some kind of small recognition of the things we do... I agree with you Pylon! but the 4 years I have been a SM and trust me I have done A LOT of things for my cadets, I just haven't ever seamed to get a thank you... ya know?

[Eclipse]

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

Oh Lord, I hope so!!!

Ditto.  It would be another unnecessary affectation.

If anything we should get rid of the for cadets as well.

well I am a younger SM and I just think that it would be pretty neat if we got some kind of small recognition of the things we do... I agree with you Pylon! but the 4 years I have been a SM and trust me I have done A LOT of things for my cadets, I just haven't ever seamed to get a thank you... ya know?

If you've been reasonably active for 4 years, you should have a fair number of decorations on your rack.  If your rack doesn't include service ribbons for activities like
encampments, sorties, NCSAs, etc., you may not have been as active as you think you have.  With 4 years in you should also be at least a 1st Lt, and have a senior rating in something
which also affords at least one badge and a dec.

Your commanders can also recognize your service with decorations like the Achievement or Comm Comm decs which are common for members serving at the unit level.

[Flying Pig]

There are plenty of tangible forms of recognition in CAP.  I think the specialty track badges that go on your pocket are the same thing.  If you are in cadet programs, you have a CP badge dont you?  Why do you also need a shoulder cord?  A bit redundant.  I wore shoulder cords as a CAP cadet, as an AFJROTC cadet, as a Marine and as an Army infantry soldier.....  Im done with cords!

[AlphaSigOU]

Say no to 'deodorant strings'!

[Luis R. Ramos]

I think that we should be able to wear one in accordance of our duty as a SM.

Why?!!!

Flyer

[FlyTiger77]

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

I believe that if you are not the only one then you are one of a very small minority.

Personally, I don't see the point. YMMV.

[Rick-DEL]

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

Oh Lord, I hope so!!!

Ditto ! I see no need for SM's to wear cords.

[Stonewall]

well I am a younger SM and I just think that it would be pretty neat if we got some kind of small recognition of the things we do... I agree with you Pylon! but the 4 years I have been a SM and trust me I have done A LOT of things for my cadets, I just haven't ever seamed to get a thank you... ya know?

If you're in it for a "thank you", pat on your back, or the cord you wore as a cadet, then you're in the program for the wrong reason.

"And trust you, you've done A LOT of things for your cadets."

In 4 years, I'm sure you have done some good for cadets.  I have been a senior member for 21 years and have also done a lot of things for cadets.  Not just "my cadets", but cadets period.  There are others on here who have done A LOT more than I have, yet none of us seem to be asking for silly decorations to add to our uniforms.

You help out at encampment, you get a ribbon.
You escort during IACE, you get a ribbon.
You recruit cadets, you get a ribbon.
You go to an NCSA, you get a ribbon and a patch you can wear.
You progress through the professional development and you get promoted.
You enroll in the Cadet Programs specialty track and you can earn ribbons and badges.
You get yourself qualified in ES, you get patches and/or badges.

You don't need a cord.  You want one, but you don't need one.  You're not a cadet anymore.

[The Infamous Meerkat]

^ Second.

In JROTC I had two... they suck. (personal opinion)

At the HIWG Encampment last year, we had an SM that personally bought more than a thousand dollars of Encampment T-Shirts with his own funds, and never expected a thank you...
You might try to better embody the leadership value of Selfless Service, it will do you some good. When I started my fourth and final year of JROTC our crusty ol' Sergeant Major gave us the speech that we had taken and learned from the program for three years now, and that this year was our turn to give back. Now, as a Senior Member it's your turn, welcome to it.

[Walkman]

 

We could do blaze orange cords for ground pounders. No, better yet, ANSI green with reflective thread as part of the braid. Maybe with a matching beret?

Aircrew would get white & blue braids.

And for those of us that are dual-qual'd, we wear both!

Sorry, couldn't resist...I shouldn't pick on the new guy. Apologies...

[The Infamous Meerkat]

Hey, at least those ideas had SOME productive use other than ego stroking...   

[Eclipse]

We could weave bright orange paracord  "survival cords"!

[Duke Dillio]

The olive drab ones look better...  JMO....  but we should hang some bullets off of it so instead of a cord you get an aguiliere (sp?)

[sardak]

We could do blaze orange cords for ground pounders. No, better yet, ANSI green with reflective thread as part of the braid.

Do a search on reflective rope or cord. There are plenty of bright colored ones that have a reflective filament woven into them. I have one cord that has both reflective and glow-in-the-dark tracers.

Mike

[Eclipse]

I made one out of black for my watch with a whistle on the buckle.  I like the idea of reflective orange, though.

[Spartan]

Why are senior members not allowed to wear shoulder cords?!?! I miss wearing my shoulder cord from when I was a cadet! I think that we should be able to wear one in accordance of our duty as a SM. Exp. officers who are in charge of cadet programs should have their own shoulder cord, or officers that are escorts for a drill team of color guard should have the choice of wearing a SM shoulder cord!!

We should have our own decorations just like the cadets do!

Am I the only one who feels this way?!?!

One of the biggest transitions between being a cadet and a senior member was when I realized that being a senior member meant I was getting more intrinsic rewards from CAP than I was extrinsic rewards.  A major part of why we have so many ribbons as part of the cadet program is to provide the cadet with another external (extrinsic) reward as an atta-cadet.  If you got into phase 3 and 4, you probably realized there was a transition from the reward each achievement to rewarding more significant accomplishments.  Part of it fits very well into Skinner's theory of operant conditioning, and the program is built so you will put more work in for that next reward if that is all you are going for.  At the same time, if all you are in CAP for is to be a flare hound, you are missing out on a lot as a senior member.

We senior members get to do a lot that makes the big picture happen.  We get the reward of seeing the newly minted senior member learn, develop and become a better senior member and CAP officer.  We get to mentor cadets and sometimes be mentored by cadets.  It is hoped that these duties will have intrinsic rewards where we get something emotionally, spiritually or mentally from the experience.  Sometimes it is the satisfaction of the dumbfounded look on a cadet's face at how easy the solution to their problem was.  Other times it is the satisfaction of knowing that because you were the personnel officer that kept track of a lot of information, promotions, awards and decorations are presented when they are deserved, strengthening the resolve of those members.

For me, the recognition doesn't matter that much anymore.  I've been doing this in one form or another for almost 15 years.  I am more concerned with getting the job done and getting a thank you, or seeing people get the recognition they deserve than I am with getting another piece of flare for my uniform.

I have well over my minimum recommended 37 pieces of flare, and for the most part, it does not mean that much to me to get something else.  It usually means I have to spend more money for a new ribbon rack, another ribbon, another device and shipping.  Being a large build guy (still within AF height and weight standards) who has difficulty wearing the BDU shirt with rolled sleeves, I found the Infantry cord constricting and very irritating in the Army, as I found the cords I wore as a cadet. 

I for one do not want to wear a cord with my uniform, and would not wear one again if it were an optional uniform item.