Cadet Community Service Ribbon

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 04:09:00 AM

I am currently working on the cadet community service ribbon. I have researched the ribbon's criteria, and it says nothing about volunteering in a specific environment. So, I volunteered at my mother's work. They help doctors, construction superintendants and dentists find places to work. Of course, they are not a non-profitable organization.

Basically, what I'm trying to get across is that I am confused as to whether my hours volunteering at my mother's work is valid for service hours. I've been doing clerical things (i.e. checking through files, inserting names in the computer, etc.) for about 2 weeks, acquiring a total of 51 service hours to date.

Can anyone please clarify whether my hours volunteering there is valid for this ribbon? Thanks you.

PS. I have read through CAPR 39-3 and read the community service criteria, and it has no environment criteria. I also checked on the NHQ website, and that has no specific environment as well. Trust me, I researched everywhere, but here, before I posted. Please help. Thanks.

Pylon · July 04, 2008, 04:21:10 AM

You're correct in that there is nothing that specifies the type, location, or venue for community service. Your service would meet the word of the regulation. Once you have 60 hours, I would get the person who has coordinated your volunteer service for the organization (or someone in the organization's management) to write a letter, on official letterhead, indicating that you have served them for more than 60 hours. It couldn't hurt for them to mention that they are a non-profit organization, and mention how your help assisted them in accomplishing their mission. Non-profits are often shorthanded, especially with administrative assistance, so your help around the office could certainly have gone a long way in helping them accomplish their mission.

The deciding factor, of course, is your approving authority. The Wing Commander (or his designee) must review and approve the award. They are not required to approve it, therefore a well-written letter would be advisable.

I'm a Deputy Commander for Cadets, and I would gladly sign for service such as what you described and pass it up the chain.

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 04:23:23 AM

That's what I'm worried about, though. I'm not volunteering in a non-profitable organization. However, would that be a problem?

RiverAux · July 04, 2008, 04:31:10 AM

I don't know anything about the specifics of this regulation, but find it hard to believe that we would award a ribbon for volunteering at a for-profit business. Thats not what I think of when I think of community service.

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 04:36:04 AM

That's the part I'm afraid of. $:-\$

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 04:39:14 AM

I've come to realize though that I am helping the community of medical and construction officials by organizaing their resumes. Out of the fifty clients that come in, only about four get jobs, therefor paying the company, whereas the others find the courage to locate jobs themselves.

This is only an amateur aspect, though.

Edit: It is currently 2143, so I will be heading off to bed. I will check all responses tomorrow morning. However, you may continue helping me solve my dispute. Thank you for your time.

RiverAux · July 04, 2008, 04:46:17 AM

So here are the criteria:

Quote
i. Cadet Community Service Ribbon. Awarded to cadets who complete 60 hours of community service. The service must be verified by a volunteer coordinator

Talk about vague. Well, if it were me, I wouldn't award it, but really, you need to talk to your leadership since how they interpret the so-called criteria for this ribbon is what is going to matter.

Either way, it was probably good experience for you.

PA Guy · July 04, 2008, 05:22:42 AM

How does volunteering at a for profit business qualify as community service? If you volunteered at McDonald's would you consider that community service? This is not the intent of the award. Volunteer at the Red Cross, community center, senior center, in other words a community service provider not a for profit business. If I were your sqdn CC I wouldn't approve it.

Hawk200 · July 04, 2008, 05:56:20 AM

Quote from: PA Guy on July 04, 2008, 05:22:42 AM
How does volunteering at a for profit business qualify as community service? If you volunteered at McDonald's would you consider that community service? This is not the intent of the award. Volunteer at the Red Cross, community center, senior center, in other words a community service provider not a for profit business. If I were your sqdn CC I wouldn't approve it.

I agree, and I wouldn't sign off either.

Judging from the posters signature block, and the comments in the original post, this is simply a case of a cadet working for an award, rather than being rewarded for work. The concern seems to be about the size of the ribbon rack, rather than how they can help others.

If it was actual community service, I'd probably have to admit that even though it was being done for the sole purpose of getting a ribbon, the community still received a benefit. But, it just doesn't seem to be an example of "selfless service" to me.

Hawk200 · July 04, 2008, 06:03:42 AM

Quote from: 356cadet on July 04, 2008, 04:39:14 AM
I've come to realize though that I am helping the community of medical and construction officials by organizaing their resumes. Out of the fifty clients that come in, only about four get jobs, therefor paying the company, whereas the others find the courage to locate jobs themselves.

This is only an amateur aspect, though.

Seems more like rationalization than realization. You talk of clients and payment to a company, those aren't really community benefit programs. What have you done to serve the community? Because working for free so you can get a ribbon isn't service.

Duke Dillio · July 04, 2008, 06:55:56 AM

The cadets in my last squadron used to gain their hours by participating in the squadron's road clean up day. Every month, we would go walk a portion of highway which we were assigned by the "Adopt a Road" program. Since it was like 6 hours every time and they did other projects for the community, it didn't take long for them to earn the ribbon. I'm with the other guys in saying that this service for a profit corporation is not community service.

lordmonar · July 04, 2008, 08:11:03 AM

For profit/not for profit...is not nearly as important to me as how much of the community is helped.

My rules are.....they do not get paid.....and it is not tied into any sort of punishment.

In this case I would be asking the cadet why he was volunteering to help out his mother's work place?

James Shaw · July 04, 2008, 03:06:13 PM

I ran this program for Cadets in my area at one time. The key to this is "non-compensated work". You cannot get financially compensated for the work. You can get like a free lunch or something but no money. Other than that you should not have a problem.

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 03:14:03 PM

I'm back, and I thankn all of you for your help. There are negatives and positives for this ribbon, but I will contact my Squadron Commander, poerhaps my Wing Commander as well.

I would also like to get a couple things straightened out. Sure, I am working for the ribbon, but not for the size of my rack. I just wanted to assist in getting some infinished work done around the office. It's true, I am NOT getting paid, just soley for service hours. In concerns for why I'm volunteering there: last time I went there before I volunteered, their office was a mess. I asked them "Need some help cleaning the place up," and from there on, here I am.

Again, I would like to thank all of you.

ED: You may continue with suggestions, though.

Eclipse · July 04, 2008, 03:32:03 PM

I've had to address this myself, same situation, and no ribbon was awarded.

I think anything that is going to be considered for a CSR should be discussed in advance to insure its not simply a check box for something the cadet would be doing regardless, and certainly not involving a for-profit corporation.

The corporation issue especially is a very slippery slope - you start giving CSR's to cadets who are basically just working for free in a regular job, and soon you'll be getting calls from small companies all over the neighborhood looking for slave labor.

IMHO, the CSR should be a situation similar to an Eagle Scout project, etc., discussed in advance, specific to the award, and within some reasonable common sense.

It should also not be awarded as an "value-added-ribbon" as I have seen in the past (i.e. as another ribbon attached to ES activity, etc., because "that is community service". ES has its own ribbons and awards).

Since the award is almost entirely subjective and awarded at the unit level (at least in my state), YMMV.

At the end of the day, if the service fits the core values and isn't just another jelly bean, I wouldn't argue with one of my commanders who made a valid justification that didn't fit the above 100%.

MIKE · July 04, 2008, 03:34:48 PM

Quote from: Sqn72DO on July 04, 2008, 06:55:56 AM
The cadets in my last squadron used to gain their hours by participating in the squadron's road clean up day.

This is another no-go. Linky. "Squadron activities" should not count.

356cadet · July 04, 2008, 03:45:40 PM

Yeah, I was about to comment on that.

addo1 · July 04, 2008, 03:45:57 PM

I recieved my ribbon awhile back. I was told it could not be relatd to any CAP activity, but without that I still ran up 80 something hours.

Also, I have a question. I heard that you can get a star for it or something like that after 125 hours or something. Is that correct?

MIKE · July 04, 2008, 03:49:31 PM

No it's not.

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