Wear of NCSA ribbion by attending the National Character & Leadership Symposium

[viperred396]

Heres is my question.. as per CAPR 39-3 a cadet may wear the NCSA ribbion when they attend the actvivity

"Cadet Specialty Activity Ribbon. Awarded to
cadets and senior members who participate in the
national cadet special activities listed below"

and listed in the list is

"USAF sponsored Chapel Leadership Conference"

which I take to mean the "National Character & Leadership Symposium"

So my question is if someone goes to the Symposium on their own does that qualify them to wear the ribbion?
Now what if they went as part of a CAP activity?

[Sapper168]

I am not sure if they are the same activity, but the National Character & Leadership Symposium is listed on the NCSA webpage so i would assume you would be elgible to wear the ribbon if you attended.

[Flying Pig]

The way you asked is confusing?  Did you just show up on your own?  So by "attending it as part of an activity", I am understanding that you did not apply to, and were not accepted to attend as an NCSA?  You just went as a Squadron activity or something?  Going on your own or invited for some other reason does not qualify you.  You would have needed to apply to it as an NCSA and have been accepted to the program to be eligible.  I am not familiar with this specific NCSA, but I wasnt aware you could just show up on your own and attend the entire activity?

Also, there are pre-req's to the course:
CADET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Be at least 18 years old by 31 Dec 11

Be enrolled as a full time college student
Possess the Earhart Award at time of application
Possess a GPA of 3.3 or higher
COS, CLA, or IACE graduates preferred

Do you even meet these requirements?

[viperred396]

Sorry if it wasnt clear before..

Accoring to the regs you just need to go to be awarded the ribbion
so if a squadron went and attened the Symposium even though they didnt go through the NCSA application would they still be eligible to wear it?

[lordmonar]

Heres is my question.. as per CAPR 39-3 a cadet may wear the NCSA ribbion when they attend the actvivity

"Cadet Specialty Activity Ribbon. Awarded to
cadets and senior members who participate in the
national cadet special activities listed below"

and listed in the list is

"USAF sponsored Chapel Leadership Conference"

which I take to mean the "National Character & Leadership Symposium"

So my question is if someone goes to the Symposium on their own does that qualify them to wear the ribbion?
Now what if they went as part of a CAP activity?

No
If you did not apply and were accepted for the NCSA you did not "attened" in the context of the regulations.

A simliar example would be Blue Beret.....going to Oshkosh for the week is not the same thing as going ti blue beret.

[viperred396]

No
If you did not apply and were accepted for the NCSA you did not "attened" in the context of the regulations.

A simliar example would be Blue Beret.....going to Oshkosh for the week is not the same thing as going ti blue beret.

Just playing devils advocote: but couldnt the arguement be made that  blue beret is its own seprate event  from the Oshkosh Airshow but the Symposium is the NCSA?

[Pylon]

Not really.  The regulation's verbiage says the ribbon is awarded to members who "participate in the national cadet special activities" listed.  It specifically says participation in the NCSA.  You can attend the event, but the event is not the NCSA.  I would say any reasonable CAP commander would interpret that to mean only those who used the NCSA application process, were accepted, and participated satisfactorily under direction of the activity's command.

[Flying Pig]

Part of the event is making the cut.  Im sure there were cadets who applied who didnt get accepted.   So in your context, if you dont make the cut, just show up on your own? 

Again, did you even meet the minumum requirements to apply?

CADET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Be at least 18 years old by 31 Dec 11

Be enrolled as a full time college student
Possess the Earhart Award at time of application
Possess a GPA of 3.3 or higher
COS, CLA, or IACE graduates preferred

[viperred396]

Again, did you even meet the minumum requirements to apply?

No I dont meet the requirements to apply

My squadron has been alloted some slots to take some cadets to the Symposium

And this question has nothing to do with us trolling for ribbions, some of our cadets were just curious about if this would count or not

[lordmonar]

Again, did you even meet the minumum requirements to apply?

No I dont meet the requirements to apply

My squadron has been alloted some slots to take some cadets to the Symposium

And this question has nothing to do with us trolling for ribbons, some of our cadets were just curious about if this would count or not

NHQ is the place to ask then.

If you are infact attending as a participant....but are doing so outside the NCSA channels.....which is okay as far as that goes......then they are the ones to make the call.

As a CP guy.....I got question how your squadron get slots just for you and the rest of us have to send our cadets up to compete with the rest of the country.

[Eclipse]

and listed in the list is

"USAF sponsored Chapel Leadership Conference"

which I take to mean the "National Character & Leadership Symposium"

This is incorrect - these are separate activities with different missions. 

Accoring to the regs you just need to go to be awarded the ribbion

You need to satisfactorily complete the requirements of the activity, not simply attend.  It's entirely possible your unit is getting some courtesy slots because it is local to you, and someone thinks it might be good exposure, but if you don't qualify to actually participate, you won't likely get a ribbon.

[SKI304]

Also keep in mind that according to CAPR 39-3, these are the only NCSA's that make you eligible for the ribbon:

Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course
Pararescue Orientation Course
Advanced Pararescue Course,
Air Force Space Command Familiarization Course
Air Force Computer Orientation Program (no longer offered—must have attended prior to 1995)
Blue Beret Activity
Senator Jennings Randolph Soaring School
USAF sponsored Chapel Leadership Conference
Hawk Mountain
National Flight Academy – Power Track
National Flight Academy – Glider Track
National Emergency Services Academy
Space Camp/Aviation Challenge
Jacksonville University/Comair Academy
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Orientation Course
Cadet Officer School
National Honor Guard Academy
Advanced Technologies Academy
National Military Music Academy
Aerospace Education Academy at CAP Education and Training Facility, Oshkosh
Experimental Aircraft Association's Aerospace Education Academies
Aircraft Maintenance and Manufacturing Activity
Civic Leadership Academy

Unfortunately, a good number of our current NCSA's are left off of that list. 

[lordmonar]

Once again....NHQ is the people ask.

[Eclipse]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=14689.msg265137#msg265137

[Shotgun]

In a nutshell, if you can't document a ribbon with with the appropriate paperwork, you shouldn't have the ribbon on your rack.

[Shotgun]

Here is another way to look at it.

The leadership of every NCSA (as well as encampment) is required to file an activity report at the conclusion of the activity.

That report contains a summary of the training and a list of all the cadets and officers who participated.
It is often included in a packet given to the participant during out-processing. The activity report is the documentation of a member's participation and should be included in their personnel file.

In addition, when the report is processed at NHQ, your eServices record will be updated to reflect your participation.

So, do you have a copy of the report with your name listed?
Is the activity included in in you eServices account?

If the answer is "no" than you should not wear the ribbon.

[Eclipse]

The updated, official NCSA list as of this morning:

http://capmembers.com/cadet_programs/activities/ncsa-ribbon-list/

Current Activities that Earn the NCSA Ribbon

Attending (cadets) or serving on staff (senior members) for the following National Cadet Special Activities qualifies the member for the NCSA ribbon:

Advanced Pararescue Course
Advanced Technologies Academy
Air Force Space Command Familiarization Course
Aircraft Maintenance and Manufacturing Activity
Cadet Officer School (also qualifies cadet to wear silver star on Mitchell ribbon)
Civic Leadership Academy
Civil Engineering Academy
Cyber Patriot (team must participate in the Cyber Patriot Finals to qualify)
Engineering Technology Academy
Experimental Aircraft Association's Aerospace Education Academies
Hawk Mountain
MKS Business Academy
Model Aircraft and Remote Control Flight Academy (new for 2012)
National Blue Beret
National Character and Leadership Symposium (must be selected by NHQ to represent CAP)
National Emergency Services Academy
National Flight Academy – Glider Track
National Flight Academy – Power Track 
National Honor Guard Academy
Pararescue Orientation Course
Space Camp/Aviation Challenge
Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course

Historic Activities that Earned the NCSA Ribbon (no longer offered)
Aerospace Education Academy at CAP Education and Training Facility, Oshkosh
Air Force Computer Orientation Pro-gram (must have attended prior to 1995)
Air Force Weather Agency Familiarization Course
Airline Careers Exploration
Engineering Technologies - Neutral Buoyancy Lab (offered in 2009 only)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Orientation Course
Jacksonville University/Comair Academy
National GSAR School
National Military Music Academy
Senator Jennings Randolph Soaring School
USAF sponsored Chapel Leadership Conference

National Activities that DO NOT Earn the NCSA Ribbon
IACE (earns the IACE ribbon)
NCC (winners earn the NCC or NCGC ribbon)

That bit in red above is part of the original list, likely in response to this, or similar conversations.