AFOEA

[Luis R. Ramos]

If you earned the AFOEA while a CAP member, you only have to worry about getting proof of it, not whether it is allowed wear on the CAP uniform. You should not ask CAP personnel on wearing it on your CG Aux uniform. You should ask CG Aux chain of command that since you earned the award while a member of CAP you want to wear it on the CG Aux uniform. Not Susie Parker since she is not in your chain anymore.

It should not matter what is the CAP policy. CAP is CAP, and CG Aux is CG Aux.

Do not base your decisions on what the CAP does, did, or will do.

[SARDOC]

Forgive the intrusion from probably very few CT habitues' favourite former CAP member.  No, I have not been successful at rejoining CAP but I am at last at a measure of peace with it - not completely there, but on the way.

I am back in the CG Auxiliary (and it's groovy, man) and a few weeks ago I e-mailed Susie Parker about this ribbon.  I was in CAP during the time eligible and I asked Ms Parker about wearing the AFOEA ribbon on my CGAux uniform.  CAP ribbons cannot be worn on the CGAux uniform but of course certain Air Force ones can.

Her reply was 'the Air Force has not yet made a decision on who can wear it and until they do I have to say "no, not at this time."'

So I will await with no great alacrity the decision of the brass of a sister service (fancy way of saying 'if they authorise it, cool; if not, life goes on.'

I suggest that my former CAP colleagues do the same, though I understand the significance of what is probably the first potential authorisation by the AF for CAP to wear an active AF ribbon.

Just as a historical note, there were those "Belligerents" who participated in aerial operations during WWII who were awarded the Air Medal.  That was a Military Award afforded to the Civil Air Patrol.   

[cnitas]

I believe there was also a provision to award members the Air Force Marksman ribbon to CAP members at one time in the past as well. 

[CyBorgII]

If you earned the AFOEA while a CAP member, you only have to worry about getting proof of it, not whether it is allowed wear on the CAP uniform. You should not ask CAP personnel on wearing it on your CG Aux uniform. You should ask CG Aux chain of command that since you earned the award while a member of CAP you want to wear it on the CG Aux uniform. Not Susie Parker since she is not in your chain anymore.

It should not matter what is the CAP policy. CAP is CAP, and CG Aux is CG Aux.

Do not base your decisions on what the CAP does, did, or will do.

I believe I understand where you are coming from.

However, I view this sequentially:

• For my authorisation to wear it at all, it would have to be authorised by the Air Force for CAP to wear it, since I would have earned it as a CAP member.
• If/when CAP is authorised to wear it, then I need to check the AUXMAN to find out if it is wearable under Coast Guard regulations.
• Failing a clear, unambiguous answer from the AUXMAN, which is usually clearer than CAPM 39-1 on such things, then I would ask my Flotilla Commander (who I would ask anyway, just as a courtesy/CYA gesture).  Example: I cannot wear CAP ribbons on the CGAUX uniform.  However, I was an Observer in CAP, and I still need to clarify whether or not I could wear my Observer wings on the CGAUX uniform, since the regulations only state that CAP ribbons cannot be worn; I have not yet found anything about aviation badges or other earned skills badges.
• Lastly, I do not believe Susie Parker is in anyone in CAP's chain of command; to the best of my knowledge she is an employee of the CAP Corporate structure.

But, as I said, I think I get where you are coming from.

Just as a historical note, there were those "Belligerents" who participated in aerial operations during WWII who were awarded the Air Medal.  That was a Military Award afforded to the Civil Air Patrol.   

You are, of course, correct.  I thought about it after logging off.  Mea culpa.

I believe there was also a provision to award members the Air Force Marksman ribbon to CAP members at one time in the past as well. 

I remember seeing one person in Indiana Wing wearing one.  He told me that he earned it at the KYANG base in Louisville, and that the Base Commander (I think) signed off on him being able to wear it.  Of course that was about 15 years ago and I don't remember the specifics.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Remember, always KISS. Start with your CURRENT COC. Did not work? Then expand. Go first to the CG Aux. They say no? Then go back to CAP.

[Mitchell 1969]

I believe there was also a provision to award members the Air Force Marksman ribbon to CAP members at one time in the past as well.

I wouldn't call it a common occurrence, but it was certainly a not unusual thing to see in the mid 60's to mid 70's. I got one and even wire it maybe a half dozen times. But then I thought about it and realized that in the USAF world it was a very minor ribbon, but had to be worn above all CAP ribbons - and I had a LOT of CAP ribbons that were harder to get, meant more to me and were more prestigious in CAP circles, so I tossed it.

[Mustang]

Even if Big Blue gets around to authorizing the ribbon for individual members, a large percentage will not be allowed to wear it without a change to the 39-1--which currently bars wear of military ribbons on corporate uniforms.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

A "large percentage" wearing corporate uniforms. I see what you did there!