Pink Ribbon

[garrettkitt]

So I just came from JFA (Johnson Flight Academy) and was given an unique award. It' is called a "pink ribbon award".  It is given to a cadet that does something very stupid/dumb and it has to be a completely innocent act of stupidly. I.e. Trying to taxi off with your wings still tied down to the Tarmac. I received mine for hitting my head on a wing strut and powering down the plane by engaging the start on the magnetos while the plane was still running lol. My question is does anyone know of anyone else who has received this award? Yes, it is unofficial and only given out by one senior member. This SM is from Illinois. Anyways I got the pink ribbon and will be wearing it at squadron events (not wing or nat.)


Garrett Kitterman C/MSgt
Sq. Deputy Commander
GLR-IN-220

[MSG Mac]

!!!!DO NOT WEAR IT AT YOUR UNIT. !!!!!

It is not a CAP Award. Keep it as a memento of having survived an act of stupidity and share the story with friends. ONLY

[Eclipse]

Don't wear it on your uniform.

That "Senior Member" was supposed to knock off giving those out a long time ago.

Also, unless something changed this week, you should adjust your signature.

With both above said, how did things go?  The weather was pretty iffy this week.

[Panzerbjorn]

You received an award for hitting your head on a strut and trying to power off the aircraft with the key?   Hmmmm.....Where's mine with oak leaf clusters?  There isn't a Cessna pilot yet that hasn't hit their head on a strut or tattooed their forehead with diamond dimples from running into the trailing edge of the flap.  It's one of the reasons I always wear a ball cap when I'm flying or pre-flighting.

If you received that award for stupid things done, not much must've gone on and they were scraping the bottom of the barrel for reasons to give that award.  Hope you're not beating yourself up over it.  Also hope you had a heck of a good time and made the best out of each flight that that week!

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Those kind of "awards" should go the way of the dodo bird.

I remember in a former squadron we were prepping the airplane for an inspection.  A squadron member slipped and broke his arm in two places.

He was the safety officer.

Such a thing may seem funny but this guy was in some serious pain.

Needless to say, do not wear it.

[NorCal21]

Those kind of "awards" should go the way of the dodo bird.

Why? They are long storied, and usually meant to be some harmless fun. Its still widely used in the military. I point to the Navy still pinning on aviator wings on a submariner officer who breaches the sub accidentally.

[Garibaldi]

It can still be considered as a form of hazing, in some eyes.

[inactive123]

  Interesting. I was also there,and I know a glider cadet recieved it for a rope break. I overheard another cadet saying it was authorized only to be worn in the Illinois wing. The wind is what kept cadets out of the sky.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I suppose it's my ingrained ex-safety officer talking.

[garrettkitt]

Don't wear it on your uniform.

That "Senior Member" was supposed to knock off giving those out a long time ago.

Also, unless something changed this week, you should adjust your signature.

With both above said, how did things go?  The weather was pretty iffy this week.

I did have great fun. Got around 8.4 hours of flight! I know not to wear it, I just find it quite funny! And signature? This is a forum not a formal email I am sending out to the president? Anyways thanks for asking!

[Mitchell 1969]

Those kind of "awards" should go the way of the dodo bird.

Why? They are long storied, and usually meant to be some harmless fun. Its still widely used in the military. I point to the Navy still pinning on aviator wings on a submariner officer who breaches the sub accidentally.

Long storied? I've been around since 1967 and never heard the story about the "pink ribbon."

It's pointless twaddle, designed to inflate the presenter while deflating the recipient.

[AirAux]

I would mount it on an award board and place a brass nameplate on it and put it on the wall of fame.  It will always get attention and give you something to talk about and remember your flight training.  Congratulations on your flight training.

[Storm Chaser]

Don't wear it on your uniform.

That "Senior Member" was supposed to knock off giving those out a long time ago.

Also, unless something changed this week, you should adjust your signature.

With both above said, how did things go?  The weather was pretty iffy this week.

I did have great fun. Got around 8.4 hours of flight! I know not to wear it, I just find it quite funny!

Being that you're a C/MSgt you should know "not to wear it". That said, you stated on your first post that you "will be wearing it at squadron events (not wing or nat.)" [sic.] Which one is it?

And signature? This is a forum not a formal email I am sending out to the president?

You forgot to say "sir" at the end of that sentence. Seriously, an experienced Lt Col is giving you feedback and that's not an appropriate way to respond, forum or not. Now, I don't know if you changed your signature block or not, but your first post on this tread says you're a "Sq. Deputy Commander". Since that position is reserved to senior members, I imagine what you meant was that you're the Cadet Deputy Commander. If so, that's an even bigger reason for you to comply with uniform regulations and to show proper respect to CAP officers.

(edited for grammar)

[Private Investigator]

Slightly off topic but when does a Cadet experience that "moment of clarity"? It must be one of the milestones?   

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

You forgot to say "sir" at the end of that sentence. Seriously, an experienced Lt Col is giving you feedback and that's not an appropriate way to respond, forum or not.

Well stated, Sir.

(note: Storm Chaser is a Major and I am a Captain)

[Salty]

Slightly off topic but when does a Cadet experience that "moment of clarity"? It must be one of the milestones?   

I received mine the moment the doors of the bus opened at Lackland AFB in the middle of the night and a TI started yelling.




The only thing I've ever seen remotely close to these "pink ribbons" were the embroidered "purple heart" patches we got for sustaining an injury doing something dumb while deployed to Saudi Arabia.  The patches were given out by the hospital commander and I still have mine stored in my foot locker.

I think these methods can be used in good fun and help build camaraderie but I also agree that some people use these methods to haze and demean others.  I'm not sure if this is appropriate for Civil Air Patrol but the military and many Greek organizations in college still use these methods without incident.

[Mitchell 1969]

Those kind of "awards" should go the way of the dodo bird.

Its still widely used in the military. I point to the Navy still pinning on aviator wings on a submariner officer who breaches the sub accidentally.

Define "widely used." And, it's a giant leap between somebody in the Navy possibily doing this and being able to say that "the Navy" does it.

[Shuman 14]

Those kind of "awards" should go the way of the dodo bird.

Its still widely used in the military. I point to the Navy still pinning on aviator wings on a submariner officer who breaches the sub accidentally.

Define "widely used." And, it's a giant leap between somebody in the Navy possibily doing this and being able to say that "the Navy" does it.

I've never served on a submarine but even as a young Marine I had heard of this tradition. So I believe "widely" is the appropriate word.

[Eclipse]

For those who believe this type of thing is "harmless" and "all in fun", perhaps a review of the most
recent 52-10 will assist the understanding.

Further to this point, and something which needs to be considered in the broad discussion;
Ask yourself..."Why is the ribbon pink?"

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Further to this point, and something which needs to be considered in the broad discussion;
Ask yourself..."Why is the ribbon pink?"

As someone who never got to meet my mother-in-law due to breast cancer, and who is helping his wife fight this horrible disease, this pushes buttons with me, and not good ones.

The pink ribbon has become a symbol of survival for women and men (Peter Criss, former drummer of KISS, is a breast cancer survivor), and their caregivers and loved ones.

I don't like seeing it trivialised.