Red Service Ribbon Question

[Shuman 14]

I have a question about calculating my service time for the Red Service Ribbon.

So, I joined CAP back in OCT 2013, but I didn't renew my membership. I then rejoined in SEP 2021 and I'm still in today.

I understand that the Red Service Ribbon is for an initial 2-year period of service, but does the service need to be contiguous? Meaning, was it calculated OCT 2013 - OCT 2014 (1-Year) + SEP 2021 - SEP 2022 (1-Year) = 2-Years, or should it be calculated SEP 2021 - SEP 2023 (2-Years) = Red Service Ribbon?

Meaning, I was either due the award a year ago or it is due at the end of this month.

Also, who submits the CAPF 2-A for approval? Can an individual CAP Member submit for themselves?

Thanks in advance.

[tom22]

Service does not need to be continuous. 
So, 2018 equals one year of membership service
Sept 2021 to Sept 2023 equals two ears of membership service

First award of Red Service would be Sept 2022

subsequent award would be Sept 2025,  and from that point every 5 years thereafter.

You can fill out the 2A,  then get your commander to approve/sign  it.  After that, enter it into eServices as a "previously authorized ribbon"  and then your commander will validate it into your eServices records.

[tom22]

Typo, I wrote 2018, I should have wrote 2014

[SarDragon]

That's it in a nutshell. I have broken service, but had no difficulties when I put in for my 50 Year Award.

[Shuman 14]

Thank you!

[SARDOC]

You can fill out the 2A,  then get your commander to approve/sign  it.  After that, enter it into eServices as a "previously authorized ribbon"  and then your commander will validate it into your eServices records.

Per the regulation, the Wing Commander is the approval authority for the Red Service Ribbon.

Check the National Website to see if your wing has a supplement to CAPR 39-3, that extends this authorization to group or squadron commanders.   

[TheSkyHornet]

That's it in a nutshell. I have broken service, but had no difficulties when I put in for my 50 Year Award.

I personally find this to be the most bogus part of our recordkeeping.

I've known members who have left CAP, came back, and push this whole "I've been a member since (year), and so I'm eligible for (thing)." No, you haven't, and no, you're not. It's just faulty admin work by whoever fails to actually check the record for verification.

[SarDragon]

In the online personnel record, there used to be two join dates - Original Date Joined, and Most Recent Join Date. If they were different, it indicated broken service. I can no longer find the two different dates in my record, just the Original entry. It may have disappeared since I'm a 50 Year member. I am not aware of anyone else in my unit with broken service.

[jeders]

I have several people in my unit with broken service date, and none of them show a "Most Recent" join date, only the original. That's why I created a spreadsheet several years ago to track all of my members for this purpose.

[PHall]

Just checked my record in e-Services and yes it only shows "Original Join Date", but the date shown is the date I rejoined after my break.

[Shuman 14]

I can confirm that as well, it only has my original join date, but I can see my rejoin date by the date of rank, which is Senior Member, awarded on my rejoin date.

If I never get promoted, I'll have a perfect tracking system. 

[SARDOC]

i had a break in service of about 20 years and since I reaffiliated, my eServices record only shows my original join date

[Shuman 14]

Okay, I got the time adjusted and the proper award of my Red Service Ribbon is now annotated in e-Services.

Follow up Question, is there a certificate for the award, or just an e-Services notification and go spend twenty bucks at Vanguard for the ribbon and the mini-medal?

[PHall]

No certificates for the Red Service Ribbon, but there are certificates for 20, 30 and 40 years of membership.
Plus of course the whole package you get at 50 years.