CAP Emergency Services Patch

[Eclipse]

OPS Quals, ES Awards.
All three ES Badges are listed with check boxes.
One would imagine that this is to force the same approval process as the GTM Badges or ES Patches.
Is it used now? Or just something in place for a future development?

Honestly, who knows?  Maybe it is a permanent award. 

I never really understood the point of having to "award" something which is self-actualizing, though in this case
I think it was mostly because of people who go dark for years but still wear the badge (as is correct).

Another place a simple sentence ends the conversation.

Seriously, don't the people writing these regs have discussions over pizza about what could come up down the road?

On a senior award given to a cadet, the first question I'd ask is whether it's permanent or not, and if >not<, then
what is required to get it back.

The problem is that things are awarded and changed from every angle, making it difficult to track all the vectors.

[a2capt]

I can't post the full text of the Tech rating from CAPP 213, because for some bizarre reason it's text-copy protected..

<OT Reply>It's not copy protected so much as it's probably one of those "reduced" versions they seem to like to publish now.. where it's actually not even text anymore, but graphics. They need to stop this. I've come across a few of these PDFs that the search function didn't work, and that was why. The ones that have 'reduced' in the goobbltygooked filename. Yay for crummy CMS's.</OT Reply Rant>

[Eclipse]

I can't post the full text of the Tech rating from CAPP 213, because for some bizarre reason it's text-copy protected..

<OT Reply>It's not copy protected so much as it's probably one of those "reduced" versions they seem to like to publish now.. where it's actually not even text anymore, but graphics. They need to stop this. I've come across a few of these PDFs that the search function didn't work, and that was why. The ones that have 'reduced' in the goobbltygooked filename. Yay for crummy CMS's.</OT Reply Rant>

No, it's actually copy protected, with a password, and has re-distill and text protection.

Ridiculous.

They must be worried that the US Ranger Corps will steal our plans.

[Storm Chaser]

CAPP 227 is >not< CAPP 213 or CAPR 35-6 and its information is irrelevant to how cadets earn the ES badge. Furthermore, the ES badge >is< recorded in eServices in the Ops Quals module under ES Awards and requires a separate approval process. That means that even when senior members earn a specialty track rating in ES, they must go through the entire approval process to be awarded the appropriate ES badge.

When you earn an award, badge or insignia as a cadet, you continue wearing it when you become a senior member unless prohibited by a regulation (cadet awards must usually be approved to wear as a senior member). So, if you can quote a regulation stating that cadets cannot wear the badge once they become senior members, then I'll stand corrected.

The badge and the rating are >not< the same. Senior members can earn the badge by completing the CAPP 213 requirements and earning the appropriate rating. Cadets can earn the badge by completing the CAPP 213 requirements without earning the rating, which they cannot earn as cadets. Ratings are required for professional development levels and promotions. The badges are not. They are related, but they're not the same; at least not for ES.

[Storm Chaser]

On a senior award given to a cadet, the first question I'd ask is whether it's permanent or not, and if >not<, then
what is required to get it back.

That is a valid question, unfortunately one that is not answered by current regulations.

[SarDragon]

It is >not< recorded in eServices, and for that matter, none of the specialty badges are recorded in eservices, only the
specialty-track level completion is recorded in the training section.

Wrong answer, sports fans!

Copied directly from the ES Awards page in eServices:
CAP Basic Emergency Services Qualification Badge
CAP Senior Emergency Services Qualification Badge
CAP Master Emergency Services Qualification Badge
CAP Basic Ground Team Badge
CAP Senior Ground Team Badge
CAP Master Ground Team Badge
CAP Emergency Services Patch

Each has a check box next to it for submission up the chain. When approved, the text is green, as above. (I copied it from my list.)

The cadet earns the badge, not the rating.

It is not analogous to a qualification badge like GTL, since they cadets eligible for the qualification, which brings with it the badge.

See this KB article:  http://capnhq.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/562/kw/cadets%20specialty%20track

Are Cadets authorized to wear specialty track badges? If so, what are the requirements for earning these badges?

Yes cadets can earn and wear certain specialty badges although they do not receive the technician rating until they complete the requirements as senior members. There are some positions which have age limitations which would prohibit cadets from holding certain jobs. See the regulations below for more specific details.

See  CAPR 35-6 Aeronautical Ratings, Emergency Services Patch and Badges, and Ground Team Badges 17 Aug 2002.
This regulation defines the requirements and outlines procedures for the award of CAP Aeronautical Ratings, Emergency Services Patch and Badges, and Ground Team Badges.

Paragraph 2. Requirements for Award of Emergency Services (ES) Qualification Badges:
a. CAP Basic Emergency Services Qualification Badge: Complete all requirements of CAPP 213, Emergency Services Officer-Specialty Track Study Guide, Technician Rating. Note: Cadets can earn the Basic Emergency Services Qualification Badge as they can complete all of the requirements for this rating, though they cannot officially receive the Technician Rating until they become a senior member.

Also see  CAPR 60-3 CAP Emergency Services Training and Operational Missions 26 December 2012 .
This regulation prescribes concepts, policies, and standards that govern all Civil Air Patrol (CAP) supervisory, ground, and flight personnel in the training, qualification, and execution of CAP operational missions.

See also: http://capnhq.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1144

And the comment in bold below:

Change: CAPP 227  Information Technology Officer Specialty Track Study Guide
Cadets who serve as Cadet Information Technology Officers (C/ITO) are not eligible to earn the IT specialty rating. However, those cadets who serve in this capacity for a minimum of one year and complete the required duties may be authorized to wear the basic IT Specialty Badge for the duration of their cadet membership upon approval of their wing commander (authority may be delegated). The authority to wear the badge may be documented by completion of a CAPF 2a, Request for and Approval of Personnel Actions, and retained in the cadet's personnel file. The wear of the badge as a cadet does not translate to the earned technician rating once a cadet becomes a senior member. Cadets who become senior members will need to complete all of the requirements established at the time that they complete the training as a senior member.

All the quoting you just did does not disagree, in any way, with what has previously been stated. Simply restated: The cadet can wear the badge, but doesn't get the rating until he becomes a senior member and completes the training.

[Eclipse]

Yeah, pretty much came to that conclusion above.

[ol'fido]

BITD, you took the ES test, got qualified in something, and you put on the patch. No eServices, no 2a, nada. It wasn't that big a deal. You put it on or you didn't and no one really cared. Too much heartburn over a little thing.

[Storm Chaser]

BITD, you took the ES test, got qualified in something, and you put on the patch. No eServices, no 2a, nada. It wasn't that big a deal. You put it on or you didn't and no one really cared. Too much heartburn over a little thing.

You shouldn't wear the ES patch unless it's been approved. That said, you really can't compare the ES patch to the ES badge. Anyone qualified on an ES specialty can be approved for the patch, but there are many more requirements needed to earn the ES badge, including serving as an ES officer for a year. If we just look the other way when members wear awards that have not been officially approved or documented, it would be much more easier for members who have not actually earn them to wear them without no one questioning it. It is a big deal.

[Private Investigator]

Which do you prefer: the Goofy Dog, the Small Plane, or the Large Plane? I'm just wondering what people think, and please include why you think that way.

Goofy of course. In the world of Disney, Goofy came after Mickey but before "Planes" which should be in a theater near you in August.   

[ol'fido]

BITD, you took the ES test, got qualified in something, and you put on the patch. No eServices, no 2a, nada. It wasn't that big a deal. You put it on or you didn't and no one really cared. Too much heartburn over a little thing.

You shouldn't wear the ES patch unless it's been approved. That said, you really can't compare the ES patch to the ES badge. Anyone qualified on an ES specialty can be approved for the patch, but there are many more requirements needed to earn the ES badge, including serving as an ES officer for a year. If we just look the other way when members wear awards that have not been officially approved or documented, it would be much more easier for members who have not actually earn them to wear them without no one questioning it. It is a big deal.

Didn't say anything about the badge.. Like I said BACK IN THE DAY, it was a local approval. No eServices approval. No wing ES approval. Squadron commander approved it. You wore it. Not a big deal with getting it approved or wearing it. Today, it seems to be causing all sorts of heartburn.

[Storm Chaser]

I agree that the approval of the ES patch should be simpler. In fact, I'm in favor of the patch being automatically approved and recorded in eServices once wing approves the necessary qualifications. The same should happen for other ES awards such as ground team badges. Once wing approves a GTM3 qual, for example, the system should automatically approve the basic GT badge. I never understood why both have to go through the same, but separate, approval process.

[JeffDG]

I agree that the approval of the ES patch should be simpler. In fact, I'm in favor of the patch being automatically approved and recorded in eServices once wing approves the necessary qualifications. The same should happen for other ES awards such as ground team badges. Once wing approves a GTM3 qual, for example, the system should automatically approve the basic GT badge. I never understood why both have to go through the same, but separate, approval process.

Me neither...it's not like the approvers have discretion to decline to approve an otherwise valid request...that said, I can't tell you how many Master GT Badges I've had to disapprove at Wing level after making it through Unit and Group approvals when the guy didn't have a GBD.

The Basic ES Badge for Cadets may have to have an approval, because the requirements aren't recorded in eServices (like for a senior:  Technician=Approved), but otherwise, they're basically check a box and you're eligible.

[Storm Chaser]

...I can't tell you how many Master GT Badges I've had to disapprove at Wing level after making it through Unit and Group approvals when the guy didn't have a GBD.

That wouldn't happen if the Master GT Badge was automatically approved in the system once GBD was approved by wing.

The Basic ES Badge for Cadets may have to have an approval, because the requirements aren't recorded in eServices (like for a senior:  Technician=Approved), but otherwise, they're basically check a box and you're eligible.

Agree. This particular ES award makes sense the way it's set in Ops Quals. Yet, they could program the system to approve the badge for senior members once the appropriate specialty track rating is approved in eServices.

[flyboy53]

...I can't tell you how many Master GT Badges I've had to disapprove at Wing level after making it through Unit and Group approvals when the guy didn't have a GBD.

That wouldn't happen if the Master GT Badge was automatically approved in the system once GBD was approved by wing.

The Basic ES Badge for Cadets may have to have an approval, because the requirements aren't recorded in eServices (like for a senior:  Technician=Approved), but otherwise, they're basically check a box and you're eligible.

Agree. This particular ES award makes sense the way it's set in Ops Quals. Yet, they could program the system to approve the badge for senior members once the appropriate specialty track rating is approved in eServices.

Guess I should one day look at the qualifications for the ES Badge to see what I would have to do to qualify for it.  Although I agree with you about the way the approval process is accomplished in e-services, I understand why it is that way.

I'm of that era where BITD the approval for the ES patch was a local commander's option. I hold the patch because of my ES ratings, but the E-services process evolved largely because of so many individuals who would just put the badges on without the ratings to back them up. Unfortunately, the practice still exists today, which sometimes makes it interesting at a mission when someone shows up wearing the GBD and master observer badges and has no proof that he was ever even entitled to wear the basic badges.

Personally, I don't really wear the ES patch even though it is among my qualifications; largely because it amounts to flight suit bling and should really be one of the optional patches for the right shoulder. The current oval T-34 patch is great for a baseball cap but looks like a gas station/airline emblem on a flight suit or utility uniform.

Goofy the Dog is a historical patch that was once worn (even on a baseball cap) by the CAP's Owner Pilot Service, I don't believe it really looks professional or reflects our missions today.

As far as the patches go, my favorite was an orange T-34-type patch that was round and came in two sizes back in the 60s or early 70s. I'm not sure why it was changed of if it can still be worn today. Either way, I know I still have at least one, but there again, the T-34 is no longer in our inventory.

[Hawk200]

... you really can't compare the ES patch to the ES badge. Anyone qualified on an ES specialty can be approved for the patch, but there are many more requirements needed to earn the ES badge, ...

Starting to think that there needs to be an equivalent specifically for the utility uniforms (which I'm including anything other than dress type uniforms such as BDU, BBDU, Flightsuits green and blue, and the jumpsuit, etc.)

Communications and Safety, for example, both have specifically equivalent patches for the utilities. For ES, give it an "associated" shape and placement so people can tell it's specialty related and not just an ES qual.

It may not be a popular idea, but someone at an incident site or SAR-EX ought to have a role similar to a training manager. Someone would review the quals of anyone coming in, and pair those with lapsed or about to laps quals with someone who is current. The individual needing currency would be supervised by someone knowledgeable. This would separate those just wearing patches from those that are competent.

I'm thinking that this kind of thing should probably be included in the ICS system as well. CAP can't be the only organization with currency lapses that should be addressed.