Just a Lifesaving Award?

[Dragoon]

I think you did an incredible job to get the award approved in such short time.  Often these things take forever.

Based on the press release, the award seems like the right one. If the danger level was higher, it would make sense to write it up as such and resubmit, but if you do go for a BMV, please remember to revoke the lifesaving award, for 39-3 states

"Only one award will be made for a single act of
heroism, a single meritorious achievement, or one
continuous period of meritorious service."

[jimmydeanno]

ETA:  There just seems to be no pleasing this crowd

It isn't that at all.  We are all impressed by the maturity and quick thinking of this cadet that led to him saving lives.  All that is being said is to make sure the award fits the action.  If the action merits a SMV or a BMV then great I hope he recieves one.

I think most people are saying that the award that has been presented is the appropriate award for what he did, which was save lives, and that the act of herosim with probable threat to life is missing.

I think you are under the impression that we are questioning whether or not the cadet should get anything, which we aren't.  I think the questioning was to get more information to see if there was really justification to merit the next award (because we like to see people get awards, even though we don't award them).

You all did a great job getting the approvals and such.  I wish all awards for our members came through that quickly.  It makes the accomplishment seem a little less significant or that whoever awards them does it a year later.  So Kudos on that.

[IceNine]

You all did a great job getting the approvals and such.  I wish all awards for our members came through that quickly.  It makes the accomplishment seem a little less significant or that whoever awards them does it a year later.  So Kudos on that.

I'm sure it helps that the Region Commander was at the SARCOMP as mentioned before. 

On another note as we all know the award that is given will be a direct result of the quality of the writeup given to the national awards board.  Which let me review are members selected to distinguish the appropriateness of national level awards.  So if a Bronze Medal of Valor is warranted and the writeup shows that he will get it and kudos to him.

[Matt]

I think you did an incredible job to get the award approved in such short time.  Often these things take forever.

Based on the press release, the award seems like the right one. If the danger level was higher, it would make sense to write it up as such and resubmit, but if you do go for a BMV, please remember to revoke the lifesaving award, for 39-3 states

"Only one award will be made for a single act of
heroism, a single meritorious achievement, or one
continuous period of meritorious service."

Well, each were acting on their own free accord, thus, there are three separate, yet equal individuals who lended aid at risk to themselves, no?

[ddelaney103]

I think you did an incredible job to get the award approved in such short time.  Often these things take forever.

Based on the press release, the award seems like the right one. If the danger level was higher, it would make sense to write it up as such and resubmit, but if you do go for a BMV, please remember to revoke the lifesaving award, for 39-3 states

"Only one award will be made for a single act of
heroism, a single meritorious achievement, or one
continuous period of meritorious service."

Well, each were acting on their own free accord, thus, there are three separate, yet equal individuals who lended aid at risk to themselves, no?

Sigh...

What he means is a person can't earn a Lifesaving and a BMV for the same event.  It doesn't limit it to one person.  If they upgrade his award, they'll rescind the lower award.

[alamrcn]

From CAP News Online

Perron plans on earning his Spaatz Achievement Award and continuing as a U.S. CAP Senior Member.  "I want to teach other cadets what I've learned and to always be prepared," he said. 

You might have missed this, but I think it was one of the best parts of the story!
Obviously this is a high speed cadet, and we have pretty much groomed him through youth to go off into the world and do WHATEVER he wants to do... leaving Civil Air Patrol's contribution to his success a distant memory. I'm proud that he has chosen to do all the "civilian" things, past or future, and still continue to be a contributing part of the organization that essentially helped him get all those opportunities.

I agree, a Life Saving award it what is most appropriate here. Luckily, the conditions were not dangerous to the extent that might warrant a different award. Anyone who is involved in ES or SAR should only HOPE to be able to receive the same award as this cadet... it is after all, what we are ultimately working for - right?

A very quick little off-shoot story...

Several years ago I was working flight line at an air show. This sounds like a scene from a movie or something, but a little boy - maybe 3 or 4 years old - ran out from the by-standing crowd and into the path of an oncoming conventional gear (tail dragger) airplane. There wasn't really a chance to get the pilot's attention from where I was at, so I sprinted to the kid and almost tackled him out of the way.

A few people in the crowd saw what just took place, but no one in CAP. No cheers or applause, no one even thanked me. The mother just grabbed the boy by the hand after I escorted him back to the sideline and she proceeded to rip him a new one for the stupid thing he had just done. And that was it... no ribbons, no certificates. But I know, that if I was not in Civil Air Patrol and not there that day, that little boy might have ended up as boot chunks on the hard top. With that, I was pleased enough.

Coincidently, that VERY SAME weekend another member in my wing was out for a walk near his home in a Mississippi River town, when he spotted a young couple sitting in a boat just off of a loading ramp with no truck or trailer there to receive them. They were not well dressed and were shivering because it was a little chilly out. After visually determining that they might be becoming hypothermic, he contacted EMS. For this action, he received the CAP Life Saving Award. And kudos to him, he had earned it!

-Ace