Non-Member Award for Outstanding Contributions

[THRAWN]

There might be a need to consider an award for an individual and an award for an organization.

So maybe Tim Smithers, the SVP for Ops for Flight Safety spearheaded some kind of grant/activity/ongoing support arrangement for an NCSA, but at the end of the day, it really is Flight Safety that might be actually footing the bill and providing corporate resources for this activity or event.  So maybe its actually an award to Flight Safety International, not Tim Smithers.

there are any number of organizational-level thank yous that a non-profit wants to make, and not just to people but to other organizations. Cessna, maybe. Boeing.  AA. Frontier, etc.  "industry partners" is one aspect, but that only goes so far.   Its one thing to recognize a "partner" from a marketing, branding, support or awareness standpoint. Its entirely another to single them out for praise and accolade for a specific thing.  We spend a lot of dollars with Cessna, for example, so they're a "partner" so to speak, but if they did something like did all the legwork for getting an STC for sensor ball installation and helped fund that for the entire fleet (or offered to do the mod at the factory for the cost of parts) that might rise to the level of an actual "holy cow, look how Cessna went out of their way to do a solid for CAP!" award.

Probably a good idea. Looking at the awards programs of the various federal agencies, this is the typical pattern. Awards are made to both individuals and groups/teams. Having a wing/region/national level award and recognizing individuals and groups seems to fit the intent.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

And the AEPSM fails again...

It's a ribbon test...

[THRAWN]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

And the AEPSM fails again...

It's a ribbon test...

In some places. Some others actually teach some of the material that is on the test. It aids in passing.

[Storm Chaser]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

Camber = the amount of curvature of an airfoil.

Aviation folks would get that right off.

From Wikipedia: Camber

[Майор Хаткевич]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

And the AEPSM fails again...

It's a ribbon test...

In some places. Some others actually teach some of the material that is on the test. It aids in passing.

Right...So...A ribbon test...

[THRAWN]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

Camber = the amount of curvature of an airfoil.

Aviation folks would get that right off.

From Wikipedia: Camber

Since we don't deal in ships, roads, bikes or musical instruments, which of those definitions do you think would apply?

[Alaric]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

and a major character in a series of books by Katherine Kurtz 

[Storm Chaser]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

Camber = the amount of curvature of an airfoil.

Aviation folks would get that right off.

From Wikipedia: Camber

Since we don't deal in ships, roads, bikes or musical instruments, which of those definitions do you think would apply?

Does it matter? You're making the assumption that all recipients would be familiar with this term. Besides, even if they were, why would you want to name an award for significant contribution to CAP after "the amount of curvature of an airfoil", which by the way is not inspirational at all nor has anything to do with the proposed phrase in that acronym. Passed.

[Eclipse]

For most people, the only time they ever hear the term "Camber" is when some oil change place
is trying to upsell-them on an alignment they don't need on their car.

With that said, I would think people helping CAP would be more inclined towards aviation and understand the
meaning.

Otherwise there are initialism and jargon generators you can throw words into to make something up.

"the amount of curvature of an airfoil", which by the way is not inspirational at all

I would say that depends on your viewpoint, literally.

If you're inside an aircraft with an airfoil of the wrong curvature, or one which has recently been
forcefully adjusted, things could get quite "inspirational" quickly.

"CAMBER" is a good start, though there are plenty of other words in the language and lexicon.

[THRAWN]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

Camber = the amount of curvature of an airfoil.

Aviation folks would get that right off.

From Wikipedia: Camber

Since we don't deal in ships, roads, bikes or musical instruments, which of those definitions do you think would apply?

Does it matter? You're making the assumption that all recipients would be familiar with this term. Besides, even if they were, why would you want to name an award for significant contribution to CAP after "the amount of curvature of an airfoil", which by the way is not inspirational at all nor has anything to do with the proposed phrase in that acronym. Passed.

It is an aviation term. And in this case it is an arcing structure that holds up, or supports, the organization. Have another suggestion?

[Eclipse]

How about the "Four Forces Award" for "Increasing Lift, & Thrust" or "Reducing Gravity and Drag" (etc)?

Other suggestions:

Tailwind Award.

Silver Wings of Volition

[ProdigalJim]

1.  Is this worthwhile?  Will it add value to CAP?

Yes, very worthwhile; it will add value to CAP in many ways, not least of which acknowledging sustained contributions made on a wide scope by those who have even less incentive to serve than members themselves. It will also, selfishly, offer PR value; recipients are often quite pleased and proud to have won an award, and companies will often highlight that award in multiple ways. Which gives us a shine and also potentially attracts more help from more corners.

2.  If this is a good idea, what should we call it?

Not a fan of the Legion of Merit or Medal of Freedom, esp Medal of Freedom. I like the CAMBER idea earlier in the thread, but it feels a bit marketing-y, but a great direction. I'd work along those lines.

3.  Should it have multiple levels, corresponding to wing, region, and national-level support?

Yes, but no deeper than Wing. I disagree with the notion of making this a squadron-level award. If the service is important enough to warrant more than a Certificate of Appreciation and a squadron mug or plaque, then it's probably by definition at least Wing in scope.

4.  Would it mean the end of the Certificates of Appreciation?

No, not at all. They can be used for lesser achievements, and for squadron-level awards. Conversely, there's nothing in the regs today stopping a squadron from doing something nicer than a Certificate of Appreciation.

5.  As an alternative, should we simply change the reg and allow the Meritorious, Exceptional, and Distinguished Service Awards to be presented to non-members?

Absolutely not. These are the only true "decs" our members are eligible to earn, and giving them outside the organization diminishes them.

[ZigZag911]

Unit or Group (maybe even wing) levels I agree, limit to certificate, coin or plaque.

This award should be limited to region or national (I'm open to discussing wing).

And it should be for either some single instance that truly rises to the spectacular, or a 'lifetime" recognition for strong, consistent support over a significant number of years...five to ten, at least.

[Private Investigator]

I don't like the idea of an award named after an acronym who most prospective recipients will not be familiar with. Besides, Camber has multiple meanings to include being the name of a place in England and the name of corporation in Huntsville, AL.

And the AEPSM fails again...

It's a ribbon test...

In some places. Some others actually teach some of the material that is on the test. It aids in passing.

Right...So...A ribbon test...

I agree with THRAWN; some units teach AE and do a exception job at it. Other units think they are "too cool for school" and are rangers or some other uber ES or CP types, JMHO YMMV 

[Private Investigator]

... the "LaGuardia Trophy for Outstanding Assistance to the Civil Air Patrol,"

Now that sounds good to me on the National level.

CAMBER? Not even close to LaGuardia, or the Gill Robb Wilson Trophy, Jimmy Stewart and/or Bob Hope "tanks for the memories" Trophy! 

[jeders]

One issue you set yourself up for with structured awards is that they have "criteria" and need approval.
Which means they can also be disapproved on a whim.

Then you're in the same boat as many members find themselves in "Hey, thanks for burning a
week a year for a decade flying cadets on on your nickel.  We put you in for a Laguardia, but Region said "no".

I think the best way to handle this issue is to consolidate approval for the CAMBER (I like it, so there) Award at either the National Awards Committee (I assume there's a permanent one of those) or the BoG. Every request goes direct to the approving authority without going through multiple levels of approval. That way, the same award criteria are being applies by the same people.

[lordmonar]

The La Guardia Award is beginning to grow on me.

It has significance to CAP......La Guardia was instrumental to CAP's formation.
It has significance to Outsiders......La Guardia is famous at least for having an airport named after him.
It has relevance to the award.....La Guardia was instrumental to CAP while not actually being a member of CAP.

I hate CAMBER....because it is too much like Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division or Airborne real-time cueing hyperspectral enhanced reconnaissance.

[Storm Chaser]

+1. The La Guardia Award has much more significance and conveys a much stronger message.

[James Shaw]

I am sure CAP could get permission from the LaGuardia Foundation to do that. They would probably like the association.

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[LSThiker]

Which raises the question why LaGuardia among other important CAP figures never had awards named after them in the past?  We have a Wilson Award for level 5, but LaGuardia was not used.