USAF PME Ribbon

[Fubar]

The Air Force gives us money, and controls a third of our governing corporate body. And to be quite blunt, the military culture provides a source of inspiration for a huge number of cadets moreso than a lot of what kids get in their normal lives on a daily basis.

Col Lee would be a better source on this given his prior experience on the BOG, but if I understand what was explained to me, the Air Force doesn't "give" us any funding. Congress essentially writes the Air Force a huge check and then CAP lobbies congress to carve out some of that funding for CAP, Inc. I think we're around 70 million dollars now. So essentially the Air Force asks for a huge budget, congress gives them a certain amount, and then adds on a stipulation that you have to pass along some of it to CAP. The Air Force then has to decide what it's not going to spend 70 million dollars on because they've been ordered to give it to CAP. Sometimes the Air Force pushes back on that a bit, other times we've made the right people at the higher levels of the Air Force happy and it's not a big issue.

I should add that some parts of the Air Force does give CAP money out of their budgets, but it's small (but appreciated!) compared to the overall appropriation. That money is sometimes "left over" spend it or lose it money that the Air Force has to spend and CAP has used to buy vehicles (perhaps more than that, I only heard about vehicles). The Air Force also contributes to the Cadet Wings program, although all the PR suggests the Ray Foundation is covering a big chunk of that.

But we're not a line item on the Air Force's budget that they plan for or generously provide CAP. They don't "give" us money because we're a partner or due to being added to the Total Force doctrine. They are essentially a pass-through for congress to give CAP money. Plus they get ordered to monitor how we spend that money, but don't appropriately fund that oversight portion of the Air Force (ask anyone in CAP-USAF if they have enough people or money) because they want to use that money and personnel for putting warheads on foreheads.

Honestly, if you remove the military-like portions of our organization, you'll completely erase the cadet program, and therefore you'll erase at least half the reason the Air Force gives us money in the first place.

I don't think the 2023 report has come out yet, but for 2022 numbers, it looks like CAP spent 11.8 million dollars on the cadet program (about $370 per cadet). CAP spent about 46.3 million dollars on everything else.

So it's not money that the Air Force "gives us" and it's nowhere near half the expenditures CAP has. Plus they bill a lot of stuff against Cadet Programs that I'd love to get more information on. Such as $92,000 billed as "telephone" to Cadet Programs.

So what's my point? If we remove the "military-like" portions of our organization, we won't lose most of our budget. But I agree, we'd lose most of the cadets, probably to JROTC, which does not appear to be as robust of a program. Fortunately we can continue to be "military-like" while remaining the autonomous, volunteer organization we've been since congress incorporated us.

[Shuman 14]

To bring this thread back on track, it would be nice if someone at CAP National Leadership would seek clarification from the Air Force to confirm, or deny, that if a CAP NCO completes a USAF PME Course, they are eligible to be awarded the USAF/USSF PME Ribbon and if it will be given a different Order of Precedence, similar to the ASOEA, when worn by a CAP awardee.

[baronet68]

To bring this thread back on track, it would be nice if someone at CAP National Leadership would seek clarification from the Air Force to confirm, or deny, that if a CAP NCO completes a USAF PME Course, they are eligible to be awarded the USAF/USSF PME Ribbon and if it will be given a different Order of Precedence, similar to the ASOEA, when worn by a CAP awardee.

There are currently 448 NCOs in CAP.  They represent 0.6% of the total membership, 1% of all senior members, and 1.9% of senior members with grade. 

It might simply be that "the juice isn't worth the squeeze" because this situation applies to so very few people.  Those CAP NCOs who do complete the PME courses could literally be less than 1 in 10,000 CAP members. 

[Stonewall]

To bring this thread back on track, it would be nice if someone at CAP National Leadership would seek clarification from the Air Force to confirm, or deny, that if a CAP NCO completes a USAF PME Course, they are eligible to be awarded the USAF/USSF PME Ribbon and if it will be given a different Order of Precedence, similar to the ASOEA, when worn by a CAP awardee.

There are currently 448 NCOs in CAP.  They represent 0.6% of the total membership, 1% of all senior members, and 1.9% of senior members with grade. 

It might simply be that "the juice isn't worth the squeeze" because this situation applies to so very few people.  Those CAP NCOs who do complete the PME courses could literally be less than 1 in 10,000 CAP members. 

Additionally, of the current NCOs in CAP, how many serve/served in the Air Force and already earned the PME ribbon.

As example, my wife is a SMSgt (in the AF and CAP). She has the PME ribbon with a two oak leaf cluster. So she's not someone who would be impacted by this.

[Shuman 14]

Baronet and Stonewall, you both make very valid points.

I thought there had been discussion about opening up the NCO ranks to non-prior Service CAP members and/or opening up CAP NCO ranks to prior Service Enlisted personnel in CAP.

In those cases, there would be a limited expansion of CAP NCO grades and having clarification on wear/award of the PME Ribbon would be helpful.

[PHall]

Baronet and Stonewall, you both make very valid points.

I thought there had been discussion about opening up the NCO ranks to non-prior Service CAP members and/or opening up CAP NCO ranks to prior Service Enlisted personnel in CAP.

In those cases, there would be a limited expansion of CAP NCO grades and having clarification on wear/award of the PME Ribbon would be helpful.

The non-prior service NCO's never happened.

[SierraOneThree]

The non-prior service NCO's never happened.

Yeah, it's still being thrown around.

[PHall]

The non-prior service NCO's never happened.

Yeah, it's still being thrown around.

For about four years. Stick a fork in it, it's done.