How Many Ribbons?

[Ned]

The National Uniform Committee met last night, and we considered some items referred to us by the National Board that would result in the creation of new ribbons.  As an example, we considered a proposal that called for the creation of a "PME Faculty Ribbon" for instructors at NSC and RSC.

The proposals are usually well written and logical, but as we were discussing them, one of the inevitable discussion points raised is often "CAP has too many ribbons already, should we be discussing how to consolidate some of them?"

And it occured to me that I didn't know how many ribbons CAP members can currently earn.  I thought I would try to leverage the powers of the CAPTalk Uniform Subject Matter Experts (CUSMEs) to arrive at what I hope is a discrete answer to the following questions:

1.  How many CAP ribbons can be earned/awarded to a senior member joining today?

2.  How many CAP ribbons can be earned / awarded to a cadet member joining today?

The question is phrased the way it is to avoid obsolete ribbons that may be worn but not currently earned like the WWII ribbons or a Falcon Award.  Also note that I am asking just about CAP ribbons and not other authorized ribbons that may be worn like military, ROTC, etc.  Just CAP ribbons.

Hopefully we can agree on the answers.


Extra Credit:

3.  How many AF ribbons can be earned / awarded to an AF member joining today?

4.  How many ROTC ribbons can be earned by an AFROTC cadet joining today?

Again, note that we are only talking about AF (or AFROTC) ribbons that can be worn, even though AF members may be authorized ribbons awarded by a sister service or foreign government.


Once we have answers, we then can move into the traditional CT discussions of whether there is a meaningful comparison that can be made.

Thank you in advance,

Ned Lee

Member, NUC

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Total for the Air Force active duty, not reserve or guard... So far I count 55, also not including NATO medals.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

12 awards by my count so far for senior members can be worn. Including the one award from the cadet program.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

32 awards for cadets, if they earn the silver and bronze medals of valor, and Spaatz, and go to IACE

[Garibaldi]

Cadets: 40.
Seniors: 30.

This is not including obsolete, WW2, AD, or ROTC ribbons. CAPM 39-1 table 5-1 and 5-2

[manfredvonrichthofen]

That nowhere near touches the Air Force count, and doesn't sound like too much, especially when the likelihood of warning them All is next to none. It can look like we award too much when people don't understand that some of us are wearing military awards along with our CAP awards, but that is their fault for not familiarizing themselves with CAP awards and relating it to... Oh those aren't CAP.

I don't think there are too many, my rack includes more awards than the senior member that hasn't been in the military can earn. And it's nothing atrocious either. It can be worn without complications or negating regulation of not extending above the notch on the collar.

Too many awards? Non issue to me, go ahead and add another.

[johnnyb47]

Seniors: 30.

Is that counting the National Cadet Competition and the National Cadet Color Guard Competiton ribbons too?
Seniors can earn those as well.

[James Shaw]

Army Chart has 52
Navy Chart 66
Marine Corps Chart 75

Not sure if they are all current or obsolete.

[spacecommand]

For Senior Members (joining today without prior cadet membership):
10 Decorations (Silver Medal of Valor to Unit Citation)
5 Professional Development Awards (level I - V)
2 Aerospace Education Awards (Yeager & Crossfield)
2 Service Awards (Red Service and Command Service)
14 Activity ribbons (this is counting the Disaster Relief Ribbon and Disaster Relief ribbon with V device separately, as they should be)
= 33 ribbons

Though the likelyhood of a SM receiving all those award in their CAP career is extremely rare, they must be a "Super Senior".

[Garibaldi]

Seniors: 30.

Is that counting the National Cadet Competition and the National Cadet Color Guard Competiton ribbons too?
Seniors can earn those as well.

I did not count AFROTC, AD, WW2 or obsolete ribbons so yes.

[abdsp51]

Sir,

Could you clarify on joining today? Do you mean a new SM joining CAP a new airman in thee AF or  conclusive amount total with time put in the program?

[johnnyb47]

The reason I asked is that I came up with 32 including those two ribbons, 30 without.
In some conditions seniors can also earn the NCSA ribbon and IACE as well.

[spacecommand]

For senior members without prior cadet experience:

SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR
BRONZE MEDAL OF VALOR
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AWARD
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
COMMANDER'S COMMENDATION
CAP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
LIVESAVING AWARD
NATIONAL COMMANDER'S UNIT CITATION
UNIT CITATION

WILSON AWARD
GARBER AWARD
LOENING AWARD
LEADERSHIP AWARD
MEMBERSHIP RIBBON

CROSSFIELD
YEAGER

COMMAND SERVICE
RED SERVICE

FIND RIBBON
AIR SEARCH AND RESCUE RIBBON
COUNTER-DRUG
DISASTER RELIEF
DISASTER RELIEF "V"
HOMELAND SECURITY
ORIENTATION PILOT
COMMUNITY SERVICE
IACE (AS SM ESCORT)
NAT CADET COMPETITION
NAT COLOR GUARD
NCSA
ENCAMPMENT
SENIOR MEMBER RECRUITER

= 33

Again to get all of those, you'd got to be a "Super Member" or something.  We have to look at which one's are realistic, for example, most of the general membership is not sporting the Garber and Wilson awards.

[johnnyb47]

For senior members without prior cadet experience:


DISASTER RELIEF "V"

Ya got me. I forgot about that one.
Although this opens the doors to devices on the Commanders Commendation per level of approval, the modifications to the lifesaving award for particular actions and modifications to the Search Find ribbon for particular actions to be considered as well.

[spacecommand]

Devices on the commander's commendation award does not make it a different award, just the awarding authority is different. 
Eg region commander bronze star and silver star if awarded by the National commander.

The criteria to receive the Disaster Relief Ribbon and the Disaster Relief with V device are completely different.

But you are right, living saving Ribbon for blood/organ transport vs life saving ribbon for actions etc.

[johnnyb47]

I only considered the ComCom because the level at which it is approved would likely dictate the scope of impact.
You're right, though. The work being recognized is probably the same just at different levels of the organization. Otherwise there'd be no need for the Distinguished/Exceptional/Meritorious service awards.

[johnnyb47]

I counted 52 AFROTC ribbons.

[NCRblues]

For Cadets joining today potential

1-1 CAP Silver Medal of Valor
1-2 CAP Bronze Medal of Valor
2-1 CAP Distinguished Service Medal
2-2 CAP Exceptional Service Award
2-3 CAP Meritorious Service Award
3-1 CAP Commander's Commendation
3-2 CAP Achievement
3-3 CAP Lifesaving Award
4-1 CAP National Commanders Unit Award
4-2 CAP Unit Citation Award
4-3 CAP Gen Carl A Spaatz Award
5-1 CAP Ira C Eaker Award
5-2 CAP Amelia Earhart Award
5-3 CAP Gen Billy Mitchell Award
6-1 CAP Neil Armstrong Achievement
6-2 CAP Dr Robert H Goddard Achievement
6-3 CAP Gen Jimmy Doolittle Achievement
7-1 CAP Charles A Lindbergh Achievement
7-2 CAP Cpt Eddie Richenbacker Achievement
7-3 CAP Wright Brothers Achievement
8-1 CAP Mary Feik Achievement
8-2 CAP Gen Hap Arnold Achievement
8-3 CAP Gen J F Curry Achievement
9-1 CAP Red Service
9-2 CAP Search -Find-
9-3 CAP Search and Rescue
10-1 CAP Disaster Relief
10-2 CAP Cadet Community Service
10-3 CAP IACE
11-1 CAP National Cadet Competition
11-2 CAP National Color Guard Competition
11-3 CAP Cadet Advisory Council
12-1 CAP Cadet Special Activities
12-2 CAP Encampment
12-3 CAP Cadet Recruiter

Missing any?

[spacecommand]

^ Disaster Relief with V device is counted as a separate award from the standard Disaster Relief Ribbon (which how current regulations are written is difficult to get without substitution of classes that no longer exist.

[Walkman]

Again to get all of those, you'd got to be a "Super Member" or something.  We have to look at which one's are realistic, for example, most of the general membership is not sporting the Garber and Wilson awards.

Agreed, especially with ES awards. There are many who are in units/areas where the opportunities for missions are slim to non. I'm speaking from direct experience.