Achievement Ribbon

[RiverAux]

well, technically it relates back to the federal law regarding unauthorized wear of US military uniforms. 

[MIKE]

All this for a li'l bitty ribbon.

[davedove]

All this for a li'l bitty ribbon.

That's a good point.  Does CAP have to get approval for each and every ribbon worn on the AF uniform, or did they at some time get approval for "CAP distinctive" ribbons as a group?

It would make a lot more sense if they just got approval for all CAP ribbons, maybe with AF having veto power over any particular ribbon.

[O-Rex]

All this for a li'l bitty ribbon.

Napoleon once said that he could send men to certain death for simple pieces of ribbon.

Here men beat subjects to certain death over simple pieces of ribbon.



Back to the subject: what actually IS the ribbon and what is the award criteria?

[DC]

The general idea is an award that is more than a Certificate of Appriciation, but less than a Commander's Commendation. It is to be approvable on the group (or in the case of a wing without groups, wing) level.

[DNall]

Actually, just as a point of order, you have that backwards. The NB/NEC have ONLY the powers explicitly delegated to them, and only at the pleasure (subject to approval/veto) of the BoG. The BOG has all powers over CAP not expressly granted to the AF (in this case appvl of items on the AF-style uniform, but it would also include issues with real property, federal funds, financial tracking, etc).

Not quite: 

The NB has exclusive powers of its own:

The National Board shall have the exclusive power to:
a. Elect the National Commander and National Vice Commander.
b. Adopt regulations governing the removal of the National Commander and National Vice Commander.
c. Establish, increase, and lower national dues for all categories of membership.
d. Confirm the appointment of the National Chief of Staff, National Legal Officer, National Finance
Officer, National Controller, National Inspector General, and National Chief of Chaplain Service.
e. Approve Hall of Honor nominees and grant Life Membership.

Okay, narrow area, but again that is being expressly delegated to NB by BoG thru the vehicle of the constitution/bylaws over which the BoG has sole authority.

And that Napoleon quote is "A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon." Just as CAP members will take open book tests, and show up to SaRExs & sit thru boring training, etc for the same bit of otherwise meaningless bling.

[Flying Pig]

OK, so......its not availble to buy, and we havnt established the criteria.

[DNall]

or order of precedence, and isn't quite yet authorized for recommendation or award.

gist being... be patient, it's on the way.

[sjtrupp]

<Bump>

Any update as to if the ribbon is available?  Can the Certificate be ordered?

[AlphaSigOU]

<Bump>

Any update as to if the ribbon is available?  Can the Certificate be ordered?

Not yet... reportedly the first batch of ribbons got canned because the colors weren't right. I'm certain that the certificate has been designed and is ready to go, but they are holding up until stocks are ready at VG. They'll have to redesign CAPF 120 to include the National Commander's Unit Citation and the new Achievement Award; not to mention the National Commander's/Region Commander's Commendation.

[TankerT]

The Ribbon is Available via telephone, as is the mini-medal from Vanguard.  (I ordered some last week.)

I have a stack of 150 certificates in front of me.  Same size as the Commander's Commendation award, but the paper is more of a glossy stock than the parchment look to the CCA.

[ol'fido]

Instead of debating when something becomes authorized or who can authorize it, why don't we all wait until it comes out in writing( at least electronically in the online 39-1 or icl. Is everybody that anxious to get another ribbon? I've got enough or maybe too many and don't need anymore.

[cnitas]

Is everybody that anxious to get another ribbon? I've got enough or maybe too many and don't need anymore.

No, but I am anxious to start recommending people for this award.  We have long needed an award like this to commend people for things done on a local level.

[Pylon]

No, but I am anxious to start recommending people for this award.  We have long needed an award like this to commend people for things done on a local level.

Like the Commander's Commendation, the new award will quickly be curtailed and reserved for awarding to only those on the "inside" while hard-working squadron staffers continue to be denied any recognition whatsoever, making it just that much harder for us to retain our most valued volunteers for our units.

[cnitas]

Not an optimist are ya?

[DC]

^ He is not too far off base. I have seen Commander's Comm and even things like Meritorious and Exceptional Service Awards handed out for the most trivial things, while people who have really gone the extra mile to do something get a 'good job' and maybe a certificate of appreciation at the end of the year.

[Eclipse]

Like the Commander's Commendation, the new award will quickly be curtailed and reserved for awarding to only those on the "inside" while hard-working squadron staffers continue to be denied any recognition whatsoever, making it just that much harder for us to retain our most valued volunteers for our units.

I have never seen a properly prepared Comm Comm denied.  What I have seen is a lot of commanders who won't take the time and effort to write one, because a certificate can be whipped out on your PC and you can get a plaque at the mall on the way to the holiday party.

A Comm Comm takes preparation, effort, and probably at least a month to push through.

[Pylon]

Not an optimist are ya?

Just a realist with a big enough pile of denied CAPF 120's (many with several pages of lengthy detail) to know that the only recognition I'll ever be able to get for my volunteers is something I can approve at the squadron level.  So for now, unfortunately, my hardest working volunteers get Certificates of Appreciation and I make a big deal out of it, put together an awards banquet once a year, and hope that it's enough recognition on top of the regular "thank yous".  Thankfully, the good volunteers aren't in it for the recognition anyways -- just sucks that I can't give them appropriate-level recognition whether they want it or not.

I have never seen a properly prepared Comm Comm denied.  What I have seen is a lot of commanders who won't take the time and effort to write one, because a certificate can be whipped out on your PC and you can get a plaque at the mall on the way to the holiday party.

A Comm Comm takes preparation, effort, and probably at least a month to push through.

You want to see properly prepared 2 to 4-page CAPF 120's that were denied?  Email me.  You can have you pick of examples.

[Eclipse]

You want to see properly prepared 2 to 4-page CAPF 120's that were denied?  Email me.  You can have you pick of examples.

No thank you.  We've all got stories where CAP life was unfair.  Sorry it sucks so much by you.   

I will grant that if my CAP universe were similar to some of what I hear about from other states, my CAP career would have likely been a lot shorter.

[Larry Mangum]

I personally know of several commander commendations that were turned down in MAWG, that were denied on the basis, that while the individuals might be worthy, the unit wanted to many of them, so some were denied.