My 6 Year Feik Ribbon Dilemma

Started by Майор Хаткевич, October 23, 2009, 01:51:19 PM

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Eclipse

Quote from: USAFaux2004 on October 23, 2009, 06:06:13 PMDiet I'm on will go bad if I overexert, because then the body will retain fat instead of burning it.
But this is at least a year away, and the real issue with the application for the test is wing level. Not sure how it is now, but if I have to send stuff up for approval through unit-group-wing, I'm worried on the response time at wing and not so much as SD.

I promise you that if you get to that point, and I still have anything to say about it, test-delay will not be an issue.

"That Others May Zoom"

Майор Хаткевич

In that case I'd have to be ready to go in November, which gives me December, January, 1/2 February for a second hit.

National takes 30 days I believe to tally the results, but worst comes to worst, I think it's 60 days from the attempt, so if it's on December 5th, then by Feb 5th I can try again.

Now...just to get there.

kd8gua

On the topic of Feik / Wright Award dilemmas, I had a fun situation myself:

I became a cadet in 2002. I don't even remember when anymore, but it took me a while at first to start promoting and testing and all that good stuff. At any rate, I had a horrible time passing the Wright Brothers (Achievement 3) test. There were some questions I just didn't get. I started taking this test in January of 2003, and testing was offered once a month. I finally passed the written portion of the Wright Bros Achievement in March of 03, one month before the change over to the Feik and the gifted promotions. However, the thorn in my side from day one, PT, hurt me bad. I just wasn't able to pass the PT that month and had to wait another month to test for PT. So I finally promoted to C/SrA in April of 2003.

So I was one of the very few people who took both the Wright Brothers Achievement test, and the Wright Brothers Award test. Oddly enough it was a lot of the same material, so I passed the Wright Award test first try and it took me like 20 minutes to complete, if that. Even though I technically earned the Wright Brothers ribbon for Achievement 3, because it was already April, I was given one of the brand new, hot off the ribbon machine, Feik ribbons.

And here I was hoping to earn the Wright ribbon for completing the Wright Bros achievement (number 3) and then getting a bronze clasp for earning it again as the award :)
Capt Brad Thomas
Communications Officer
Columbus Composite Squadron

Assistant Cadet Programs Activities Officer
Ohio Wing HQ

Pingree1492

#23
Quote from: kd8gua on October 23, 2009, 07:07:01 PM
And here I was hoping to earn the Wright ribbon for completing the Wright Bros achievement (number 3) and then getting a bronze clasp for earning it again as the award :)

Just a note- your Wright Brothers Award shouldn't be unnumbered.  If your unit properly processed the award, then you would have a number.  Hopefully National will be able to pull that up for you when you rejoin.  Otherwise, you'll have to go digging for old certificates, and Form 52's.

Quote from: USAFaux2004 on October 23, 2009, 05:23:27 PM
I did the math, and If I get to my goal weight by December (on schedule right now)
Do the "hitting that 6:14 mile" program from CS for 3 months, I can get started in February, so that gives me a year.

Based on the Awesome Cadet Super Chart that was developed:

Achievement 12: Feb 10
Achievement 13: Apr 10
Achievement 14: May 10 (C/Maj)
Achievement 15: Jul 10
Achievement 16: Sep 10
Eaker: Nov 10 (C/LtCol)
Spaatz: Nov 10 - 15 February 11 (I turn 21)

Still, if I get there or not, I'll probably kick myself down the road if I don't try.

I never wore either the Feik or Armstrong ribbons as a cadet, as they were either added after I had already completed the achievement (Feik), or I decided to get my Mitchell under the old system (Armstrong).  If anyone hassles you for not wearing the Feik, just explain and move on.

Yes, if you can I would definitely recommend at least taking a shot at the Spaatz Award.  Your timeframe is REALLY tight, but definitly doable.  I got my Eaker on Nov 27, and took my Spaatz Exam on Feb 18.  A lot of that time between awards was a 2-month wait in processing my Eaker, so I couldn't actually schedule the Spaatz Exam until late February.  If you are able to do everything in minimum time, and have your ducks in a row getting your exam scheduled and taken as soon as possible after getting your Eaker, you could conceivably have two shots at the test.

That being said, while you are working on your award, make sure that you are also contributing to your unit's cadet program in some way.  And you certainly don't have to be the Cadet Commander to make a difference.

NOTE:  edit was because I hit the post button before I started writing, stupid mouse pad  >:D
On CAP Hiatus- the U.S. Army is kindly letting me play with some of their really cool toys (helicopters) in far off, distant lands  :)

Майор Хаткевич

kd8gua,

When you rejoin, on E-Services you SHOULD have a documented WBA#

SarDragon

Missing the ribbon is no big deal. It's the result of a program change, and the situation is similar to other times when things were added or removed. At one time, there were cadet officers out there w/o Armstrong ribbons, and it was never an issue.

WIWAC, I joined just before the current program structure was implemented, and completed Achievement 1 under the olde program. Consequently, I ended up wearing a Mitchell ribbon without a Curry ribbon lower in the rack. It looked a little odd, but nobody said anything about it. In fact, a couple of my older buds were cadet officers, w/o Mitchell ribbons. Again, no big deal.

If asked, just tell them there was a program change, and you are not eligible to wear the Feik ribbon.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Майор Хаткевич

#26
Quote from: Pingree1492 on October 23, 2009, 09:02:07 PM
Yes, if you can I would definitely recommend at least taking a shot at the Spaatz Award.  Your time-frame is REALLY tight, but definitely doable.  I got my Eaker on Nov 27, and took my Spaatz Exam on Feb 18.  A lot of that time between awards was a 2-month wait in processing my Eaker, so I couldn't actually schedule the Spaatz Exam until late February.  If you are able to do everything in minimum time, and have your ducks in a row getting your exam scheduled and taken as soon as possible after getting your Eaker, you could conceivably have two shots at the test.

That being said, while you are working on your award, make sure that you are also contributing to your unit's cadet program in some way.  And you certainly don't have to be the Cadet Commander to make a difference.

I'm told that before my time, awards took a while to process. I believe with my Mitchell and Earhart it was a matter of days over a weekend. Sent on Thursday/Friday, posted Monday. If the Eaker is just as well done, and I would hope it is whenever I get to that stage, I would also have my Spaatz stuff ready to go. Say it posts on a Monday, then that same day the # gets plugged into the Memo, and gets E-mailed/Faxed to the appropriate places.

Of course this is a team effort, one requiring the approval of the Senior leadership as well as their support. I've already discussed this with the Deputy Commander of Cadets, and will also try to go to at least one meeting a month/activity. I'm also in contact with the cadets who were serving under me when I was the cadet commander, so I've been trying to guide them as much as I could.

As for the test itself, I really hope it doesn't take two tries, as that would be a blow in of itself.

Regarding the Feik ribbon questions, I haven't had any since about '05-'06 but it just came up in my mind when I ran a ribbon checker and saw 16 pop up (I clicked down the line for the achievement ribbons), but remember having only 15 ribbons (and [darn] proud of being a low ribbon cadet!). When ordering I was considering getting it but that would mean a different ribbon rack, and that would not work well for me.

P.S. Don't you get the results from the AE/CP tests right away when you are done? Multiple choice online seems relatively easy to grade automatically. The only issue with grading would be the essay, but here I believe having taken college courses really helps. I've seen great improvement in my writing after taking some specific business writing classes.

P.P.S. Anyone know why most C/LtCol wait months or even years to take the Spaatz? You'd think at that point you are at the top of your game, and might as well take a shot for the finish line.

Ozzy

Well, I believe its because of a few things. The first is that you only have three chances to pass and you don't want to waste a chance by not being prepared. Others may just want a break from testing or trying to promote. And then you have a few that were pencil whipped to Lt. Colonel and think that if and when they take the Spaatz, they might be exposed.

I'm actually trying to 'power through' to get a few chances at taking the Spaatz exam. I just turned 20 in September and I still have a bit to do before I can get the Eaker and then apply and wait to take the Spaatz. I joined very late in the game which has been both a blessing and a curse.
A blessing in the fact that everything up to Captain was in my opinion, very easy. That was due to three years of AFJROTC and that I was a senior in HS. But it was also a curse because I had to plan a bit on how far I wanted to go, and whether or not I wanted to get to the Spaatz.

Anyways, the way I have it, I need to complete the CC achievement by the first week of November. Then finish the staff duty, essay, speech, ECI-13 (w/e its called), mentoring, PT, by January. THEN try to take the Spaatz in February, if fail wait until April, if failed again in September days before my 21st.

^^ Talk about Crunch time. I've been doing that since I joined. IF I should pass on my first try, I'd would have made C/Col. in about 39 Months.
Ozyilmaz, MSgt, CAP
C/Lt. Colonel (Ret.)
NYWG Encampment 07, 08, 09, 10, 17
CTWG Encampment 09, 11, 16
NER Cadet Leadership School 10
GAWG Encampment 18, 19
FLWG Winter Encampment 19

Майор Хаткевич

ECI-13 really is the only way to go w/o COS or RCLS- or w/e THAT is called.

I ordered my stuff two years back, but never go to taking it. I'm sure most of it I could do on the fly simply by being a cadet.

I just redid my math, and my list is off. I had one promotion from feb to apr to may...doh!

So I need to promote in January in order to pull off a successful 2 tries at Spaatz, if any.

Ozzy

yep. Well I ordered the test about 3 weeks ago so I still have to wait a bit for it to get here. Out of all the things I'm worried about, its that. Not so much of taking the test but of ordering it, waiting for it, then sending it back and such.

Actually a good question for you (And me if I fail the Spaatz the first time) is if and how the Spaatz is going to change because of the proposed phase one and two leadership text change in April 2010. I already have the first leadership 'module' for phase one and glanced through it a few times to see how different it is and I'd be a bit concerned if I was to take a test on something that is even slightly different to what I was reading for the past few years.
Ozyilmaz, MSgt, CAP
C/Lt. Colonel (Ret.)
NYWG Encampment 07, 08, 09, 10, 17
CTWG Encampment 09, 11, 16
NER Cadet Leadership School 10
GAWG Encampment 18, 19
FLWG Winter Encampment 19

Майор Хаткевич

I don't think it will be any different.

They will make 100 questions for all tests from what I heard. The tests will be 25, and alternate if failed, etc.

The Spaatz already should have a bank of questions, and I don't think it will change any if at all since the other achievements will not change in content, only additional questions.

Pingree1492

Quote from: USAFaux2004 on October 24, 2009, 12:09:59 AM
ECI-13 really is the only way to go w/o COS or RCLS- or w/e THAT is called.

I ordered my stuff two years back, but never go to taking it. I'm sure most of it I could do on the fly simply by being a cadet.

Don't count on it!  You'll need to do some studying to pass it. 

Quote from: Ozzy on October 24, 2009, 12:30:21 AM
Actually a good question for you (And me if I fail the Spaatz the first time) is if and how the Spaatz is going to change because of the proposed phase one and two leadership text change in April 2010. I already have the first leadership 'module' for phase one and glanced through it a few times to see how different it is and I'd be a bit concerned if I was to take a test on something that is even slightly different to what I was reading for the past few years.

BTDT.  They changed from the old, horrible aerospace book to the new module system right before I got my Mitchell (or sometime in that time-frame at least).  Basically every test I took after I took my Mitchell Exam was based on the new aerospace text.  So I assumed (and was actually told by my squadron) that the Spaatz Exam was going to be based on the new material as well, and I didn't read the applicable portions of R52-16 close enough while I was studying.  I didn't realize it was based on the old material (pre-2000) until the day before the exam.  So I was studying that while I was riding down to my exam.  Not the best way to go into a test stress free and rested, but it worked out in the end.  Just a word of advice- don't take a college midterm the morning of your exam  ;)

I took the exam in 2003, so the moral of the story is that you may not have to worry about the Spaatz changing significantly based on new material until a few years after the new stuff gets implemented.  And I'm sure that the new cadet programs team that we have in place at National will give plenty of warning and lead-in for when it does change.
On CAP Hiatus- the U.S. Army is kindly letting me play with some of their really cool toys (helicopters) in far off, distant lands  :)

Seabee219

One BIG rule of thumb every cadet should do..Keep copies of test, and acheviement you do. The rule is, if it is not on paper it did not happen. I had that problem with my cadets and as DCC, I redid every cadets record and put them back on track, gave all the award that were needed and so forth.   ::)
CAP Capt, Retired US Navy Seabee.
  MRO, MS, MO, UDF, GT3, MSA, CUL
1. Lead by example, and take care of your people

IceNine

I hope you mean proof that they were passed and not the tests or answers themselves.

If you're going to let cadets keep their answers sheets you might as well make cadet testing open book and online.   ::)

"All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies"

Book of Bokonon
Chapter 4

Ozzy

Quote from: IceNine on October 24, 2009, 03:56:49 AM
I hope you mean proof that they were passed and not the tests or answers themselves.

If you're going to let cadets keep their answers sheets you might as well make cadet testing open book and online.   ::)

haha you do know this coming January.....

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Anyways now that I think about it.... if I'm taking it in Feb..... that might just be when I'm doing college mid-terms......

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And other then the certificates saying 'cadet so-and-so has completed blah blah blah', it's all on eServices....... plus the award numbers should suffice?
Ozyilmaz, MSgt, CAP
C/Lt. Colonel (Ret.)
NYWG Encampment 07, 08, 09, 10, 17
CTWG Encampment 09, 11, 16
NER Cadet Leadership School 10
GAWG Encampment 18, 19
FLWG Winter Encampment 19

Hawk200

Quote from: IceNine on October 24, 2009, 03:56:49 AMIf you're going to let cadets keep their answers sheets you might as well make cadet testing open book and online.   ::)

If a cadet asks, I've given the top portion, the part that shows ID, and their (test) grade. It doesn't have the answers shown.