PLAQUE

[N6RVT]

"An ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event."

Why is CAP so enamored with these?  How many people actually take these home and hang them on the wall somewhere?

For me they always seemed like the consolation prize you got when they thought an achievement award was too good for you.  I have gotten ridiculous ones like "Step it up award" and "Above and Beyond" that I personally thought were actually humiliating to even receive.

And these things are not cheap to make either.

[etodd]

I'm with you. But as others here remind me:  None get a paycheck. The certificates, plaques, and ribbons are a way to show appreciation. It makes the leadership feel good to dole them out, and most members like the fact their efforts are noticed. If you want to "file 13" them afterwards like I do, thats fine too.

[Eclipse]

They aren't cheap, but they are easy, at least in as much as they require zero higher HQ approval
or effort in writing a narrative.

There's a place 15 minutes from my house that can make most of their awards
same-day, so for those who "can't be bothered" it's a quick way to have
"something".

I think for the most part you have to be of a certain vintage to appreciate
that sort of thing at the levels the presenter think you will.

[Hawk200]

Might be because some people believe that the awards would be too hard to process, so they do something else.

Procedures for awards are different in each wing, so it may be true in some.

[Eclipse]

One of the things I've never understood is why the Comm Comm
requires Wing approval.

If I'm a Commander, and I want to commend someone, why do I have to justify that?

At a minimum there should be a level of decoration specific to a Unit CC that can be presented
without any further justification.

Would some Unit CC's hand them out with an eyedropper and others have a fishbowl full of them by the door to
take as you walk in to a meeting?  Sure.  But that happens now anyway.

[Hawk200]

There is the Achievement Ribbon. Don't think it requires Wing King approval.

I have one. Got it in the mail for completing some safety survey. Wish I could find that paperwork.

[Spam]

Could be worse. A certain segment of people just live for papering their "Love Me" office/den walls with stuff like that, and there are parts of DoD that overfeed that impulse.

I invite you to do an internet search on "air force anime swords". There's a hilarious ongoing discussion about the regrettably nerdy USAF trend to hand out outrageously silly presentation swords in honor guard serious situations. It really is worth a laugh or ten.

Cheers,
Spam

CHECK the expression on her face: "OH my God, please get me out of here".




"Who needs a sixth gen fighter or hypersonic missiles when you have... THIS, to hang on your den wall".

[Eclipse]

There is the Achievement Ribbon. Don't think it requires Wing King approval.

Must be approved by Group CC or higher.

[GroundHawg]

Coins are the modern day plaque. Totally worthless and easy. I sold all of mine on ebay.

[N6RVT]

Coins are the modern day plaque. Totally worthless and easy. I sold all of mine on ebay.

Even the US Army did that to me.  And thank you for the disposal suggestion, I'll do that.

[N6RVT]

There is the Achievement Ribbon. Don't think it requires Wing King approval.

Must be approved by Group CC or higher.

The achievement award was added some years back when the actual armed services all came out with the same thing.

I got several US Army Achievement medals, I think they were Battalion Commander level awards which would also roughly equate to a CAP Group Commander.

At the event I was referring to, eight people were put in for achievement awards, seven were approved and right after those were awarded I got a "step it up award" plaque.  I would have been fine with being passed over and receiving nothing at all, but getting that after the preceding seven members got actual awards was a humiliation that made me disappear for about a year.

[Eclipse]

Like "step it up" as in "do better"?

That's straight up bizarre.

[RiverAux]

Well, plaques are really about the best that can be done for a lot of annual-type Wing awards.  I think those do mean something, but some sort of random one-time only plaque doesn't mean a lot. 

Frankly, some of the CAP plaques I got mean more to me than the majority of the official ribbon awards since I have no idea what most of my ribbons mean.  Once they're in the proper order I tend to forget them. 

[Eclipse]

Well, plaques are really about the best that can be done for a lot of annual-type Wing awards.

Man I'd like to flush all those annual "of the nominated awards" at every level.

[Simplex]

Anybody remember a post from December 2016 by Prodigal Jim about finding an 'Official CAP  Sword' in the Vanguard catalogue? Apparently that idea had been floated around some other time in the past. I'm glad that never went anywhere. Maybe the AF could name that sword "Goliath" hook it onto an A-10, and drop it (ceremonially, of course) on some unsuspecting enemy! 

[Holding Pattern]

Anybody remember a post from December 2016 by Prodigal Jim about finding an 'Official CAP  Sword' in the Vanguard catalogue?

It still exists. It just isn't a uniform item.

[Eclipse]

Apparently that idea had been floated around some other time in the past. I'm glad that never went anywhere.

https://www.vanguardmil.com/products/civil-air-patrol-sword-etch-with-civil-air-patrol-words




http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2870.0

[NovemberWhiskey]

hand out outrageously silly presentation swords in honor guard serious situations

I especially want the "honor guard" that's giving out the absurd anime sword to be dressed in ABUs with black gloves, berets and ... ascots?

[arajca]

hand out outrageously silly presentation swords in honor guard serious situations

I especially want the "honor guard" that's giving out the absurd anime sword to be dressed in ABUs with black gloves, berets and ... ascots?

They're called "scarves".

I actually had cadets asking for these for our unit color guard. My response was show me where it says CAP color guards can carry swords. Never was asked again.

[Eclipse]

The (apparently) still in draft CAPM 36-2203 prohibits their use.

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/CAPM_362203_A720814DCFDCA.pdf

I mean, it's only been what? 5 years?