New CAP Awards Being Proposed

James Shaw · November 14, 2006, 01:28:01 PM

Just a little note to let you folks know that there are some new awards going up for a vote through the development committee sometime within the near future. And a new qualification badge as well. The designs have been finished and the quals have been partially decided. They have to be approved by the committe and then voted on by the board and approved eventually by the Air Force. The "names" for some are preliminary and also have to be approved.

They are listed in order of precedence:

Distinguished Flying Service
Aerial Achievement
Border Patrol
Incident Commander Badge

JC004 · November 14, 2006, 01:41:33 PM

Do you have any pictures of the designs?

James Shaw · November 14, 2006, 01:53:35 PM

Yes I do have pictures of all of them but cannot release them until after I get permission from my boss!!

JC004 · November 14, 2006, 03:57:03 PM

ok. What ever happened to that HLS ribbon?

James Shaw · November 14, 2006, 04:23:22 PM

I have heard of it but I dont have anything to do with it directly. I am not sure of the status. It may be going up for review at the same time as the others.

arajca · November 14, 2006, 05:52:51 PM

What is the procedure for members submitting suggestions for new awards or badges?

James Shaw · November 14, 2006, 06:39:27 PM

Like anything else you have to go through the chain of command. Trying to get them to do another ribbon or anything else for that matter is extremely difficult. In most instances there are allready things that cover current categories. If you feel that you have a good idea for one and you do not see anything that currently covers it than you submit it through the chain of command. Most of the time it comes from a Regional Level member or NHQ. In the case of the current ones being proposed they came from NHQ and the National Commander. As far as the designing portion is concerned that first goes through the Historical Committee and we have people who specialize in Heraldry Design. All of the designers submit their suggestions and designs and the powers at NHQ decide on what represents the award better. They may take all or part of a design or mix them until they are satisfied with it. Then it goes through some committees and then to the Air Force for final approval.

RiverAux · November 14, 2006, 11:07:03 PM

Instead of coming up with our own Distinguished Flying Award and Aerial Achievement Award we should just use the Air Force awards, for which CAP members are eligible as civilians.

lordmonar · November 14, 2006, 11:44:46 PM

Quote from: RiverAux on November 14, 2006, 11:07:03 PM
Instead of coming up with our own Distinguished Flying Award and Aerial Achievement Award we should just use the Air Force awards, for which CAP members are eligible as civilians.

Except we will never be eligible for them because they are both combat medals.

[edit]Oops...we would be eligible for the Aerial Achievement and maybe the Air Medal...but the DFC is a combat award.

Another problem with getting USAF level awards is that we would have to show that the action contributed directly to the USAF mission....and being SAR ready (thus releasing pilots for combat operations is not enough).

RiverAux · November 15, 2006, 12:09:44 AM

If the action occured on an Air Force assigned mission I don't see how it could be said it didn't contribute to the AF....

James Shaw · November 15, 2006, 02:16:53 AM

When you have an award that is governed by the Air Force it also has to be approved by the Air Force everytime they want to award it. This type of award allows CAP to set the standard for the award and not the AF. That approach has allready been considered. Good thought though.

Major_Chuck · November 15, 2006, 04:03:59 AM

Quote from: caphistorian on November 14, 2006, 01:28:01 PM

Just a little note to let you folks know that there are some new awards going up for a vote through the development committee sometime within the near future. And a new qualification badge as well. The designs have been finished and the quals have been partially decided. They have to be approved by the committe and then voted on by the board and approved eventually by the Air Force. The "names" for some are preliminary and also have to be approved.

They are listed in order of precedence:

Distinguished Flying Service
Aerial Achievement
Border Patrol
Incident Commander Badge

Unfortunately they are four awards that are only going to be awarded to a very small segment of the CAP Membership. Distinguished Flying Service, Aerial Achievement and Border Patrol are all aimed at air crews and pilots. Border Patrol is only going to effect those in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas as well. Why do we need an IC Badge? We've already got an ES Qualification badge and most likely an IC would qualify with a Master or Senior Rating. In addition most IC's that I've run across are also pilots and wear wings.

RiverAux · November 15, 2006, 04:05:24 AM

Does anyone have all that much confidence in CAP's standards for awards? Just look at some of the recent awards for "herorism" that were highlighted in the Volunteer a few issues back. We gave out high honors to a certain MG for directing traffic around an accident site and others for providing some basic first aid. Worthy of an award, sure. But a heroism award?

I'd rather have the AF be in charge of issuing the awards just like the CG is in charge of issuing CG awards to the CG Aux. Same award, same issuing authority, same standard.

By the way, why do we need a "Border Patrol" award anyway?

Major_Chuck · November 15, 2006, 04:12:11 AM

Quote from: RiverAux on November 15, 2006, 04:05:24 AM
Does anyone have all that much confidence in CAP's standards for awards? Just look at some of the recent awards for "herorism" that were highlighted in the Volunteer a few issues back. We gave out high honors to a certain MG for directing traffic around an accident site and others for providing some basic first aid. Worthy of an award, sure. But a heroism award?

I'd rather have the AF be in charge of issuing the awards just like the CG is in charge of issuing CG awards to the CG Aux. Same award, same issuing authority, same standard.

By the way, why do we need a "Border Patrol" award anyway?

Just thinking here....

If you are in a state that does a lot of flying missions for the state department of highways or transportation you can be awarded the "Highways and Byways Medal".

If you are in a state that flies missions looking for mountain lions you can be awarded the "Tony the Tiger" Medal.

If you are a surviving Wing or Region Commander perhaps the "Cobra Commander Award of Merit" should be awarded to you.

arajca · November 15, 2006, 06:12:42 AM

Quote from: CAP Sergeant on November 15, 2006, 04:03:59 AM
Unfortunately they are four awards that are only going to be awarded to a very small segment of the CAP Membership. Distinguished Flying Service, Aerial Achievement and Border Patrol are all aimed at air crews and pilots. Border Patrol is only going to effect those in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas as well. Why do we need an IC Badge? We've already got an ES Qualification badge and most likely an IC would qualify with a Master or Senior Rating. In addition most IC's that I've run across are also pilots and wear wings.

The ES qual badge is a specialty track badge, not an ES skill identifier. As an MRO I can qualify for the ES badge without being an IC. Also, the ES badge has no bdu/bbdu/flightsuit counterpart.

Which is why I proposed and sent up the chain an ES badge specifically for es qualifications. The highest level would only be worn by IC/AL qualified members.

lordmonar · November 15, 2006, 06:48:10 AM

Quote from: RiverAux on November 15, 2006, 12:09:44 AM
If the action occured on an Air Force assigned mission I don't see how it could be said it didn't contribute to the AF....

It does contribute....but not enough to justify a medal.

On active duty....it takes 100's of flying hours to get an Aerial Achievement Medal and usually (but not always) someone shooting at you to get an Air Medal. I just don't see a situation where you could convince some USAF Wing Commander what we do in our daily mission is anything nearly deserving of an AAM or AM.

With that said....by the letter of the regulation would could be eligible....so if we ever save the world in our C-182 (it could happen) I'm sure we would get an Air Medal for it.

What we do need is similar awards that match the USAF awards but with scaled down criteria.

James Shaw · November 15, 2006, 09:09:09 AM

Before starting on this project I had to do some researchof my own. Here are some of my "findings". All branches of the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard have similar criteria for their awards so they wont be redundant. They also have branch specific additional requirements because of location, type of mission, and congressional mandates. Here are some comparisons to think about.

According to recent order of precedence charts the:

Navy Has 74 ribbons/awards available
Air force Has 68 Ribbons/awards available
Marine Corps Has 67 Ribbons/awards available
Army Has 64 ribbons/awards available
Civil Air Patrol Has 44 ribbons/citations available

CAP is trying to adjust to its expanded missions and feedback from members current and those that have left. Is it a shame to try and recognize an individual for their work. There are awards that cover larger situations and those that are "campaign" type specific. The active military adds a new one for each new "campaign/mission". As far as being segregated from a "award" due to geographical location.....maybe someday you may move. Personally I dont question to any great extent if I feel someone earns an award they are given. If I weren't there how can I be sure that they dont disurve it. I am sure that the sentiment of those people who were helped and given first aid would be different on their disurving of an award for stopping and helping. Whether it was to direct goose neckers, and other crazy drivers trying to get a glimpse of it around an allready bad situation or to render aid to someone who has a small injury that could become a big one if not caught early. After all they didn't have to stop.....but isn't that what we are about.....helping our fellow citizens in time of need.

BillB · November 15, 2006, 12:01:16 PM

Jim the 44 awards that CAP has on the current order of presidence, doesn't even include awards noi longer given and not worn. Such as the ECI ribbon and others I can't think of.

James Shaw · November 15, 2006, 02:09:26 PM

BillB

I know the ones you are talking about. Most of those were replaced with modern day equivelants so there is really not that many. Thanks for the reminder.

RiverAux · November 16, 2006, 12:11:06 AM

If you take a look at the example of how to write an Air Medal citation in the AF awards manual (bringing in a crippled plane without injury to the crew or damage on the ground) you will see that much the same thing could happen to a CAP plane while on a AF assigned mission. Why would the CAP pilot's achievement not be as worthy of the same medal for the same reason as an AF pilot might get -- especially since the Air Medal can be awarded to civilians?