CAP Uniforms & Army Awards

[davedove]

I wonder if the CAP-USAF folks deployed to the Gulf Coast after Katrina in support of CAP operations got any AF awards for that service?

I read a news release a while back that there were Humanitarian Service Medals as well as Armed Forces Service Medals given to military involved with Katrina, as well as the Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal for DoD civilians.  I don't recall the specifics, but there were medals given out.

[DNall]

I read a story about some maint personnel who just prep'd AFSOC helos to deploy & got a humanitarian service medal for it. Of course CAP-USAF personnel involved would get it, and obviously it would be appropriate for a lot of CAP members as well, even if you apply a stiffer standard.

[Hammer]

The AFI cited would forbid, for example, awards by a state government, and by extension, state awards would not be authorized on the CAP uniform

Really?  I was just asking, because the MDWG/CC wears his ARNG ribbons/

[DNall]

The AFI cited would forbid, for example, awards by a state government, and by extension, state awards would not be authorized on the CAP uniform

Really?  I was just asking, because the MDWG/CC wears his ARNG ribbons

The Army ones or the state ones? Cause the Amry ones would be fine, but the handful of state ones would not - or that's up for debate a bit since they are auth on ANG uniform in that state... see how this gets confusing.

[Hammer]

I wonder if the CAP-USAF folks deployed to the Gulf Coast after Katrina in support of CAP operations got any AF awards for that service?

Most likely.

I did seven weekends of 'quake relief in California. Didn't get anything on either the CAP or Air Force side for it. The Wing CC sent out certificates that a few people on the military side used to get Humanitarians. Unfortunately, my Group CC "lost" them.

There were a number of people from my base that went and did one day of quake relief. Every one of them got an Achievement Medal, and I think a few managed to finagle Humanitarians as well (so much for that little clause that says you can't get two different decs for the same action.)

If the operation was awarded a HSM and you can prove you were assigned to that operation...then you don't need anyone's approval....it's already been done.   Take your evidence (EPRS, Orders, TDY Vouchers, Decoration write up) and go to your MPF and they will check the web site and update you in PCIII (or what ever they call it now).

If you were physically there, you got BOTH the Humanitarian Service Medal, AND the Armed Forces Service Medal.  If you weren;t there, but aided in some way, such as the people in the NMCC, you only got the Armed Forces Service Medal

[Hammer]

The AFI cited would forbid, for example, awards by a state government, and by extension, state awards would not be authorized on the CAP uniform

Really?  I was just asking, because the MDWG/CC wears his ARNG ribbons

The Army ones or the state ones? Cause the Amry ones would be fine, but the handful of state ones would not - or that's up for debate a bit since they are auth on ANG uniform in that state... see how this gets confusing.

He wears BOTH Army, PAARNG, and CAP.  See the picture below:



Personnally, I think that if you get to wear a CAP ribbon for being in for two years, why couldn't you wear a State Commendation or evven a State Legion of Merit?  Am I missing something here?!?!  The AFI DOES allow National Guard State Decorations to be worn.

[MIKE]

But not on federal service.

[Hammer]

But not on federal service.

Isn't it upto 90  or 180 days?  And I think that's a BS rule, look at the foreign decorations authorized.

[DNall]

I think its 60 or 90 days... in recognition of the fact that it's a lot of work to change your rack for a week's service. It just gets difficult to keep up with what's what. Which is why you can't wear them on active service & why you can't wear them in CAP - at least as the interpretation goes. It may be BS, but that's what it is & CAP doesn't make the rule one way or the other.

Personally I don't think you need a CAP ribbon for 2-years service, much less the worthless crap they call level I. They got rid of the AF Good Conduct medal for similiar reasons. I'd be in favor of cutting a lot fo the current CAP decorations & instead recommending members for the many AF decorations that can be awarded to civilians.

[Dustoff]

I wonder if the CAP-USAF folks deployed to the Gulf Coast after Katrina in support of CAP operations got any AF awards for that service?

I read a news release a while back that there were Humanitarian Service Medals as well as Armed Forces Service Medals given to military involved with Katrina, as well as the Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal for DoD civilians.  I don't recall the specifics, but there were medals given out.

To set the record straight, the CAP-USAF folks from NCLR were awarded the HSM.  We weren't in the AOR long enough to qualify for the AFSM.  I can't speak for the other regions, but I know what our region CC put us in for.

And mawr, thanks for the kind words.  All we did was grease the skids for ya, CAP was doing the hard work.

Jim

[Hawk200]

But not on federal service.

Isn't it upto 90  or 180 days?  And I think that's a BS rule, look at the foreign decorations authorized.

From AFI 36-2903, p123: 4.3. ""Non-Air Force Service Awards. Air National Guard (ANG) members wear state decorations when serving in state status but not while on federal active duty...."

From the Air National Guard supplement to AFI 36-2903: "ANG personnel on federal active duty status (Title 10) for a period of 179 days or less may wear State awards/decorations."

So technically the statement of "But not on federal service." is not a completely accurate one.

I got a lot of grief while in tech school last year for wearing a state dec. My school was almost 8 months, but my orders were Title 32. According to the AFI and its supplements, I could wear that state dec the whole time. I bruised a few egos when I showed them that.

[lordmonar]

But not on federal service.

Isn't it upto 90  or 180 days?  And I think that's a BS rule, look at the foreign decorations authorized.

Yes, but the difference is that the foreign decorations were earned while in federal service and this is a very important disctinction.