Disaster Relief Ribbon - Outdated/Impossible Requirements?

[nesagsar]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

That is a high requirement. I don't even have 300 and 400.

[Major Carrales]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

That is a high requirement. I don't even have 300 and 400.

Nor do I , yet, but it would be the sort of thing that would provide a higher degree of meaning to the award.  In my opinion, of course.

[Eclipse]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

I'd be curious as to why you believe that - it is called "Disaster Relief", the training is 100% geared towards DR, as are the missions.

300 and 400 really have nothing to do with DR, per se, nor are they that big a deal, effort-wise.

[nesagsar]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

I'd be curious as to why you believe that - it is called "Disaster Relief", the training is 100% geared towards DR, as are the missions.

300 and 400 really have nothing to do with DR, per se, nor are they that big a deal, effort-wise.

as far as effort goes most of the FEMA classes are easy, I had 10 of them done before I even started working in ES. The problem with 300 and 400 is availability and cost. How many squadrons are going to pay to send an officer to the classes?

[James Shaw]

as far as effort goes most of the FEMA classes are easy, I had 10 of them done before I even started working in ES. The problem with 300 and 400 is availability and cost. How many squadrons are going to pay to send an officer to the classes?

You could call the local health department and check with them. I called mine and spoke to the lady that is in charge of this type of training. She was "elated" to hear that someone from CAP was interested in attending classes. I was very fortunate that they had a class scheduled for the next month and it was ICS 300 Equivalent: Incident Command / Unified Command (MGT313) through Texas A&M.

It was sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Albany Health Department. It was a 24 hour class with full table top exercise with real time reporting requirements. It was great and all 100 or so people really got into it. My employer gave me the time off of work to do the class because I was one of the IC's for the plant. They paid me my regular pay. I was able to show how it could benefit the plant since we had a lot of chemicals and our exercise was based on a chemical release.

After I received the certificate a few weeks later I sent it to the NOC / John Desmarias and it showed up in eservices a few weeks later.

[CAP Producer]

as far as effort goes most of the FEMA classes are easy, I had 10 of them done before I even started working in ES. The problem with 300 and 400 is availability and cost. How many squadrons are going to pay to send an officer to the classes?

I see your point. You or someone in your chain of command should check to see if soemone in your wing or region is certified to teach the ICS-300 or 400. I know of a trainer assigned to NHQ, afew in WIWG, one in MNWG.

Your Wing Operations Staff should be able to help you find a course with a reasonable cost in your area.

Or you can come to NESA next year and get both done at ICSS.

Linky: http://nesa.cap.gov/#

[Eclipse]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

I'd be curious as to why you believe that - it is called "Disaster Relief", the training is 100% geared towards DR, as are the missions.

300 and 400 really have nothing to do with DR, per se, nor are they that big a deal, effort-wise.

as far as effort goes most of the FEMA classes are easy, I had 10 of them done before I even started working in ES. The problem with 300 and 400 is availability and cost. How many squadrons are going to pay to send an officer to the classes?

Why would the unit have to "pay" for someone to go to ICS 300 & 400?  The classes are free and offered on weekends, just like other PD.
Many wings have instructors on staff.

[tsrup]

I think the courses that should serve as the Criteria for this award should be FEMA based (Since that is Emergency Management) and include completion of ICS-300 and 400.  That would provide the "rigor" as well as the "relevance" to the ribbon.

The original purpose of this ribbon was "Civil Defense," "Emergency Management" is the modern "politically correct" term for it.  FEMA training to the highest level is thus fitting and proper.

I'd be curious as to why you believe that - it is called "Disaster Relief", the training is 100% geared towards DR, as are the missions.

300 and 400 really have nothing to do with DR, per se, nor are they that big a deal, effort-wise.

as far as effort goes most of the FEMA classes are easy, I had 10 of them done before I even started working in ES. The problem with 300 and 400 is availability and cost. How many squadrons are going to pay to send an officer to the classes?

Why would the unit have to "pay" for someone to go to ICS 300 & 400?  The classes are free and offered on weekends, just like other PD.
Many wings have instructors on staff.

Not always the case, especially in wings with limited resources.

My squadron commander and I will be attending ICS 300 & 400 next month, which takes place in the middle of the week and is taught by the town's emergency manager. 
I have not heard of SDWNG teaching their own ICS courses as of yet.  If they are taught, they are very few and far between... or on the opposite end of the state.

But all of this is just pain in the butt logistically.  There is no actual cost (except time off from work etc..) to attend these (at least here YMMV).

[Eclipse]

Like everything else is all hinges locally - my wing has ICS instructors as members and they have been offering weekend classes as a "convenience" to members - whether it is physically convenient is another matter with a state as spread out as we are.

Just about every state I have checked does offer the ICS classes on weekend, because a lot of other agencies need them for their aux's, CERT teams, volunteers FD's, etc., which again doesn't mean they are near the person who needs them.

At least by me it hasn't taken any more initiative or effort than attending an SLS/CLC, etc., but much of that is a product of happenstance and not program planning.

[RiverAux]

I could easily see substituting some of the FEMA independent study courses for the now-gone Red Cross courses, but not 300/400. 

[ltcmark]

They are actually separate awards, worn separately.

(which reminds me, do any of the rack builders have the "V" as silver and accommodate multiple awards?  McChord does not.

This is one of the best rack builder websites that I have found:  http://www.medals.pl/us/

It will even configure your military and CAP ribbons in the right order along with all the attachments.

[DakRadz]

They are actually separate awards, worn separately.

(which reminds me, do any of the rack builders have the "V" as silver and accommodate multiple awards?  McChord does not.

This is one of the best rack builder websites that I have found:  http://www.medals.pl/us/

It will even configure your military and CAP ribbons in the right order along with all the attachments.

The only thing I don't like is that my Mitchell Award is not followed by my Wright Brothers Award in real life...

I would say it is an outstanding rack builder, though.

[DBlair]

They are actually separate awards, worn separately.

(which reminds me, do any of the rack builders have the "V" as silver and accommodate multiple awards?  McChord does not.

This is one of the best rack builder websites that I have found:  http://www.medals.pl/us/

It will even configure your military and CAP ribbons in the right order along with all the attachments.

The only thing I don't like is that my Mitchell Award is not followed by my Wright Brothers Award in real life...

I would say it is an outstanding rack builder, though.

Excellent rack builder. I wish it would allow for clasps on the Community Service Ribbon.

[James Shaw]

url=http://www.medals.pl/us/]http://www.medals.pl/us/

I wish it would automatically allow you to have multiple "ribbons" of the same type. I have 6 specialty tracks I am rated in and it wont allow you to do that. Overall it is great though.

[DBlair]

url=http://www.medals.pl/us/]http://www.medals.pl/us/

I wish it would automatically allow you to have multiple "ribbons" of the same type. I have 6 specialty tracks I am rated in and it wont allow you to do that. Overall it is great though.

I'm in the same boat with the Community Service Ribbon.

[Hawk200]

url=http://www.medals.pl/us/]http://www.medals.pl/us/

I wish it would automatically allow you to have multiple "ribbons" of the same type. I have 6 specialty tracks I am rated in and it wont allow you to do that. Overall it is great though.

I could probably do the same, but I wouldn't want to. Got plenty of ribbons as it is.

[DBlair]

url=http://www.medals.pl/us/]http://www.medals.pl/us/

I wish it would automatically allow you to have multiple "ribbons" of the same type. I have 6 specialty tracks I am rated in and it wont allow you to do that. Overall it is great though.

I could probably do the same, but I wouldn't want to. Got plenty of ribbons as it is.

As far as actual wear, I stick to the max on a single ribbon.

[Major Carrales]

The "Disaster Relief" Ribbon began its life as the Civil Defense-cloth version (1970), which is of the same pattern only it had a "CD" device on it...



My recommendation to replace or supplement the Red Cross classes with FEMA ones are rooted in CAP History.  The "Disaster Relief Ribbon with a 'V'" is more directly a Disaster Relief award, the function of the ribbon without the device deals more with training.

Odds are, and I am only speculating, someone though that taking an award like the WWII era "Missing Aircraft Search (1942)" ribbon and combined it with the Civil Defense ribbon.  Might have made since to the CAP officers of the late 1960s...but today it seems like an awkward ribbon in wear and awarding.   Is it a ribbon for "training" or an award for participation in an activity?

Funny,  Eclipse, that you question me on this when so many here in other posts have made more outlandish suggestions for CAP awards and decorations that, to me, have no gounding in CAP tradition or history.

[Eclipse]

I still don't see how there is a linage from "CD" to "DR" - they are completely different animals (one being combat related, one being force majeure), and the ribbons look nothing alike.  Thankfully we have not needed CD for decades, but sadly now need HLS.  That ribbon would certainly have more linage than the DR.

Funny,  Eclipse, that you question me on this when so many here in other posts have made more outlandish suggestions for CAP awards and decorations that, to me, have no gounding in CAP tradition or history.

I have no specific interest in "tradition", per se, in regards to our decorations and awards.  Either they fit today or they don't.  Let those who earned ye olde ribbons wear them, but keep the decoration stack current and "live" as things change.

[ltcmark]

url=http://www.medals.pl/us/]http://www.medals.pl/us/

I wish it would automatically allow you to have multiple "ribbons" of the same type. I have 6 specialty tracks I am rated in and it wont allow you to do that. Overall it is great though.

The medals.pl site will do mutiple awards.  I have 30 clasp for my Search and Rescure ribbon, it figures all the silver clasp on one and the balance of the silver and bonze on another.


From what I read in the 39-3, once you get 3 silver on the Leadership ribbon, you are done with that one.  It does not matter how many Master Ratings you end up with.

I will contact Lukasz Gaszewski  to see if he can update the website to reflect the clasp on the Community Service ribbon.  Other than that, I think he has done an outstanding job on the site.