Wright Brothers Award Numbering

[kd8gua]

I'm currently waiting for NHQ to process my paperwork to reinstate my membership and all of those good things, and I had previously mentioned that I received the Wright Brothers Award shortly after it came out.

At my parent's house for Thanksgiving, I went into the attic to dig out my old CAP cadet items. I found my Encampment certificate (which is good to prove I attended Encampment) and I also found my Wright Brothers Award.

Of course, remembering that my former squadron was not always on top of things, my Wright Brothers Award certificate is neither numbered nor dated. Surprisingly the Squadron CC did remember to sign it though. Seeing as though my certificate has no information on it aside from my name, will NHQ even have it on file, or is there a chance that it nmay not even have been put on record at NHQ?

[Eclipse]

The answers to your question(s) is "yes".

And you won't know until you are reinstated.

NHQ is very good about restoring things to your records that you can substantiate.

[kd8gua]

That is excellent news. I can finally put a date on my Wright Award then

[LtCol057]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Wright Brothers certificate are not numbered. At least, not numbered by NHQ.  It's issued by the local squadron, not NHQ. 

[Pylon]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Wright Brothers certificate are not numbered. At least, not numbered by NHQ.  It's issued by the local squadron, not NHQ.

NHQ issues an award number at the national level.  The local unit imprints the stock certificate with the number issued by NHQ.

[Spike]

NHQ issues an award number at the national level.  The local unit imprints the stock certificate with the number issued by NHQ.

Do you perhaps have a template for the Award certificate?  On that same question, does anyone have templates for CAP Awards that are presented at the local level (appreciation etc.)??  I only ask, so I don't go inventing something everyone already has.  PLUS I already have been to the Texas wing site and none of thier templates match up to the certificates for me. 

[Eclipse]

Do you perhaps have a template for the Award certificate?  On that same question, does anyone have templates for CAP Awards that are presented at the local level (appreciation etc.)??  I only ask, so I don't go inventing something everyone already has.  PLUS I already have been to the Texas wing site and none of thier templates match up to the certificates for me.

You're better off just making your own specific to the printer.  They all vary, even between versions of the same machine.

A finished template may get you close, but probably won't be spot-on anyway.

[jeders]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Wright Brothers certificate are not numbered. At least, not numbered by NHQ.  It's issued by the local squadron, not NHQ.

NHQ issues an award number at the national level.  The local unit imprints the stock certificate with the number issued by NHQ.

They number them now that they're considered true milestone awards.

[kd8gua]

I suppose I should ask this then: When did the Wright Awards start being numbered? Was it 1 April 2003 or some point after?

[SarDragon]

AFAIK, it started immediately.

[LtCol057]

I checked some of ours last night, earlier ones were not numbered.  Seems that only the ones issued within the last year or so have numbers.  Again, I could be wrong, and I'm sure someone will let me know.   

[PHall]

They started numbering them as soon as the Wright Brothers Achievement became the Wright Brothers Award when the current version of the 52-16 took effect.

[Майор Хаткевич]

They started numbering them as soon as the Wright Brothers Achievement became the Wright Brothers Award when the current version of the 52-16 took effect.

Aaand people actually sent in the proper paperwork. Otherwise, the numbers, like mine end up being around the same time. So someone who got his WBA around my WBA# wasn't eligible for the Mitchell for some 10 months, while I also got my Mitchell # at that point.

[kd8gua]

So it's possible, if my squadron really wasn't on top of paperwork, that they just gave me a Wright Award certificate and put my name on it and never actually gave the paperwork to NHQ? Since all other promotions after until the Mitchell are only recorded at the Squadron level, it seems entirely possible that I might not even have a Wright Award on file.

[PHall]

So it's possible, if my squadron really wasn't on top of paperwork, that they just gave me a Wright Award certificate and put my name on it and never actually gave the paperwork to NHQ? Since all other promotions after until the Mitchell are only recorded at the Squadron level, it seems entirely possible that I might not even have a Wright Award on file.

The fax machine is your friend and you need to monitor your own paperwork.

[wacapgh]

And not having a number assigned to a WBA (or any milestone) can cause trouble later on.

I took on Leadership Officer as a 5th or 6th "hat" (or is that 7th or 8th?  ) a few weeks ago and, submitted a completed 52-2 (Phase II/Mitchell Award). To my suprise, NHQ held processing it as there was no WBA certificate number on file.  That delayed processing a week until I could get access to and send in a copy of the 52-1.

The reports in Cadet Promotions will show a completion date, but that does not necessarily mean that NHQ has processed the milestone and assigned a certificate number. It may have been entered via the "Administration" module. To find certificate numbers, you have to exit Cadet Promotions, go into Member Search and individually check each cadet's training record.

I have submitted a feature request that milestone certificate numbers be added to the reports in Cadet Promotion and possibly "flag" any instaces where there is a completion date but no certificate number.

[Майор Хаткевич]

And not having a number assigned to a WBA (or any milestone) can cause trouble later on.

I took on Leadership Officer as a 5th or 6th "hat" (or is that 7th or 8th?  ) a few weeks ago and, submitted a completed 52-2 (Phase II/Mitchell Award). To my suprise, NHQ held processing it as there was no WBA certificate number on file.  That delayed processing a week until I could get access to and send in a copy of the 52-1.

The reports in Cadet Promotions will show a completion date, but that does not necessarily mean that NHQ has processed the milestone and assigned a certificate number. It may have been entered via the "Administration" module. To find certificate numbers, you have to exit Cadet Promotions, go into Member Search and individually check each cadet's training record.

I have submitted a feature request that milestone certificate numbers be added to the reports in Cadet Promotion and possibly "flag" any instaces where there is a completion date but no certificate number.

That still happens?

I received my Mitchell in March 2006, but I also joined right at the change, so I had both 52-1 and 52-2 sent.

[Pingree1492]

(...)The reports in Cadet Promotions will show a completion date, but that does not necessarily mean that NHQ has processed the milestone and assigned a certificate number. It may have been entered via the "Administration" module. To find certificate numbers, you have to exit Cadet Promotions, go into Member Search and individually check each cadet's training record.

I have submitted a feature request that milestone certificate numbers be added to the reports in Cadet Promotion and possibly "flag" any instaces where there is a completion date but no certificate number.

That is incorrect.  You cannot enter the Wright Brothers Award or anything past the Mitchell Award into the Cadet Promotion Application using the Administration mode. 

Also, if you have correctly processed and entered awards at National, they will show the award number in the Cadet Promotion Application.  If you are not showing award numbers there, then they don't exist.

I should note, that it is possible to enter a cadet for the Feik, skip over the Wright Brothers, and then enter in the Lindbergh (Achievement 4, C/TSgt), and have the system accept it.  Or at least it used to be... maybe they've fixed that since they released it, I don't really want to pick a cadet and try it tonight to verify. 

And, it's been my experience that even if National delays processing for whatever reason, they will backdate the award to the date on the form you sent in.  I had a Mitchell that was delayed in processing because there were some problems with encampment paperwork being processed that year (not on National's end).  It delayed processing by a couple of weeks, but when the award was finally entered, it had the correct date from the form I sent in.  So while a delay there may set back a promotion ceremony, it shouldn't delay a cadet's advancement if you have a fast-burner.

[wacapgh]

I can't say how or why it happened, but I have documentation and communications from NHQ confirming that it did happen. The database showed an approval date, but there had not been a certificate number assigned. This may have been the only instance in the entire database, but it there it was.

[kd8gua]

Just wanted to give this topic a bump with some new information.

Now that I'm a full member again, I talked to NHQ about my cadet records, and somehow they have no record of me ever completing the Wright Brothers Award. So my non-numbered, non-dated certificate is in fact null and void, and I never even made it past C/SrA, unless I can find my cadet records at my old squadron. Apparently they did not feel it important to turn in my Wright Award to NHQ...

[Spike]

Apparently they did not feel it important to turn in my Wright Award to NHQ...

That is a Cadets responsibility to mail/fax/ email milestone paperwork. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

Unless the unit doesn't even let a new cadet know there is anything to submit prior to the Mitchell...

[Spike]

Unless the unit doesn't even let a new cadet know there is anything to submit prior to the Mitchell...

But the form has to be signed by the CADET.  If the Cadet does not take the time to read what he or she is signing, it is no fault but the Cadets.  Now, if after signing the form, the CAP Officer says "I will send this in for you, don't worry", that is a different matter entirely. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

Again, unless the cadet (as was I) is simply taking the Wright Achievement 4 test instead of the Wright Brothers Award, and doesn't get the paperwork done UNTIL he transfers to another unit on the eve of his Mitchell.

I had both of my Phase I & II forms submited at the same time. They backdate the Phase I, but the number I received was the same as those who actually got C/SSgt when I had my C/2d Lt.

[davidsinn]

It's all a moot point now. You should be using the cadet promotions module and you will get an instant response on the Wright Brothers number. I really hate having to send things to Maxwell. I don't understand why more things aren't in eServices.

[Al Sayre]

It also depends on when you got it.  Squadrons were printing the WB awards without putting the numbers on them for quite a while, and they weren't always numbered IIRC.

[kd8gua]

Well, I just hope I can get in contact with my old squadron and pray they still have my cadet file. Then I can figure out what on earth happened.

Obviously something went way wrong, because if it was in fact me who screwed up, I should have never been presented a Wright Brothers Award certificate since it can only be presented AFTER the award posts. If my file is complete, it should still have my completed Phase I and half complete (ended at Doolittle) Phase II 52-1s. It shouldn't have my Phase I since that was supposed to be mailed.

If I can get this sorted out, my Wright Award would be processed with the next current number, correct? This would put a (hopefully) back-dated Wright Award from 2003 with a number of around 13000 or so. Perhaps, for my own curiousity, once I get a date of completion on the Wright Award, I can get a rough guess of what number mine actually is.

[jimmydeanno]

Well, I just hope I can get in contact with my old squadron and pray they still have my cadet file.

If it's 2003, you'll be lucky - you're right at that point where they start throwing stuff away.  I don't even have my income tax return from 2003 

[davidsinn]

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Wright Brothers

13349

14 Jan 2010

That's my flight sergeant so you'd be somewhere after that.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Wright Brothers    5378    31 Dec 2003
Billy Mitchell       54586    31 Mar 2006
Amelia Earhart    13815    30 Mar 2007

My Wright Brothers was issued same time as my Mitchell, so my 5378 Number puts it right at April 2006, some 2.25 Years AFTER I earned it.

[RiverAux]

Assuming you're a senior now, does it really matter if NHQ has a record or not?  NHQ doesn't have anything of my 1980s cadet days in the computer and it hasn't hurt me in 13 years or so as a senior. 

[kd8gua]

Does it hurt anything? Not really, but I wouldn't mind having my records set straight for once. Just for my own curiousity I suppose.

[kd8gua]

So I thought I'd give the latest update to my paperwork randomness.

I received my cadet file from my former squadron, and after very careful examination, I discovered a few items:

1. I took, and passed, my written Achievement 3 test on 31 March 2003. This means I earned the Wright Brothers Achievement, but was instead awarded, incorrectly, the Feik ribbon.

2. My Wright Brothers Award was completed on 28 July 2003. However, I still had the original 52-1, so my Wright Brothers Award, and any subsequent achievements, are null and void until I get a copy of this information to NHQ. All of this just so I can wear my Doolittle ribbon on my blues as a senior and finally get a number for my Wright Brothers. Granted my award will be at least 12,000 numbers off, better late than never.

3. I have a number of form 2a's, for a squadron transfer I completed, as well as for Encampment and Red Service ribbons. However, only one of the 4 forms is complete (one of the transfer forms). The rest were either not signed by the commander, or filled out on my behalf and tossed in my file, without either the commander or myself signing!