Community service ribbon: ACTUAL qualifications and proof?

[Cadet Mac]

By order of CAPR 39-3, the community service ribbon is awarded for 60 hours of community service(for cadets, at least). However, I have met people who have the ribbon, yet say they have done only a couple of hours of community service. I notice that many high schools require students to do some community service, but other than a certificate, what kind of proof does a CAP squadron need, and does it absolutely have to be 60 hours of service?

[Eclipse]

The proof is entirely subjective to the commander approving the award, as is the criteria.

Some commanders require a plan be submitted in advance of the service, some accept service as far back as a person can
substantiate, including before they joined CAP.

Ask you commander what he expects.

[Private Investigator]

I wanted time, date, location and POC. 

i.e.

1000-1200 (2 hours) 2/2/13 Petticoat Junction Nursing Home Mrs Smith
0900- 1200 (3 hours) 2/3/13  Mayberry Senior Center Ms Jones

If it is documented like that it really happen. Cadet Wonderful claiming they did 60 hours last year does not cut it, IMHO.

[SARDOC]

I usually ask for a letter from the Volunteer Coordinator of the organization involved for a letter certifying at least 60 hours of community service.  Most are willing to comply.

[Walkman]

I usually ask for a letter from the Volunteer Coordinator of the organization involved for a letter certifying at least 60 hours of community service.  Most are willing to comply.

I've got the SM ribbon and two clasps for my work with the BSA (I put in lots & lots of hours). I had the Chartered Organization Representative for my troop write a letter on official stationery certifying all my hours for each award and I gave that to the CC.

[EMT-83]

To the OP - yes, 60 hours is required. There is no no provision in the regulation for fewer hours.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Walkman-

Are you a BSA scoutmaster or other adult leader? If so, who certified your work with the BSA? A council member?

I have two senior members who although have not requested so, they are adult leaders of a troop. So I am thinking they could request one as well.

Flyer

[Walkman]

Walkman-

Are you a BSA scoutmaster or other adult leader? If so, who certified your work with the BSA? A council member?

I have two senior members who although have not requested so, they are adult leaders of a troop. So I am thinking they could request one as well.

Flyer

Assistant Scoutmaster. There are several people in a troop that can write that kind of letter. Anyone that is in a position of authority really. Our troop is chartered through our church, so our minister is the "Charter Organization Representative", he wrote the letter for me. Scout Master, Troop Committee Chair, or even employees of the council could certify the hours.

[C/MSGT Montez]

For my ribbon, I volunteered at my local church doing landscaping and all that jazz. When me and the pastor calculated my total, I had at least 60 hours. So he wrote a letter stating I had completed 60 hours of volunteer service doing (x), then signed it.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

This is something I have long been in a quandary about.

I do a fair bit of volunteering at my church, and under CAP regs that qualifies for the CSR.  I asked my CC.

However, I feel like it would somehow be immoral to ask for a medal for doing something that is part of my faith.

I wish I could ask a CAP/military Chaplain about it, but there aren't any locally.

[johnnyb47]

This is something I have long been in a quandary about.

I do a fair bit of volunteering at my church, and under CAP regs that qualifies for the CSR.  I asked my CC.

However, I feel like it would somehow be immoral to ask for a medal for doing something that is part of my faith.

I wish I could ask a CAP/military Chaplain about it, but there aren't any locally.

If your church gives you a certificate of appreciation for the volunteer work you do you will gladly frame it and put it on the wall, yes?
Wear the ribbon... for the same reason you would frame and hang the certificate.
"For his glory, not yours."

[Walkman]

This is something I have long been in a quandary about.

I do a fair bit of volunteering at my church, and under CAP regs that qualifies for the CSR.  I asked my CC.

However, I feel like it would somehow be immoral to ask for a medal for doing something that is part of my faith.

I wish I could ask a CAP/military Chaplain about it, but there aren't any locally.

Think of it this way: one of our core values is Volunteer Service. There are many in CAP who show up and grab the benefits, but do not always truly embody the spirit of the core value. I would say that by allowing yourself to be recognized for really living in accordance with that value, you serve as an inspiration to others to step up and do more. Being an example of doing it right goes a lot further than most people realize.

[Eclipse]

Sorry, that other organization is already giving you whatever accolades they normally do.

It's not uncommon to get the CSR for things like this, but I'd never sign one.

IMHO they should be activities you would not be doing as a matter of the normal course of your outside CAP life.

It's a subjective award and other commanders feel otherwise.

[spaatzmom]

Sorry, that other organization is already giving you whatever accolades they normally do.

It's not uncommon to get the CSR for things like this, but I'd never sign one.

IMHO they should be activities you would not be doing as a matter of the normal course of your outside CAP life.

It's a subjective award and other commanders feel otherwise.

Sorry, but many many organizations do not award anything for your endeavors.  You frequently paint this and other regs with an extremely narrow optic.  The CSR is written to be quite vague so that all outside organizations can be used toward the CSR.  Given that hours within CAP cannot be used, how else could one possibly achieve the CSR if you will not even entertain the concept?

[lordmonar]

Sorry, that other organization is already giving you whatever accolades they normally do.

It's not uncommon to get the CSR for things like this, but I'd never sign one.

IMHO they should be activities you would not be doing as a matter of the normal course of your outside CAP life.

It's a subjective award and other commanders feel otherwise.

So who determines the "normal course" of your outside life?
Cadet A is a member of a religous sect that promotes good works.
Cadet B is a Boy Scout Member who is required to peform community service that benifits outside organisations.
Cadet C is in a high school that requires community Service.
Cadet D has parents that are out feeding the poor every weekend.
Cadet E got sentanced to community service for vandalism.
Cadet F is non of these things.

If they all do 60 hours of community service as defined by CAP regulations.........who is actually eligible for the award?

The only scenerio that is IMHO aruguable as not eligable woudl be Cadet E.....but even then I don't know it is supported by regulations.

Bottom line is.....CAP is trying to promote community service OUTSIDE of CAP....i.e. it is not a squadron event and not benifitting CAP.    It should not matter if other oragnisations are also trying to promote community service or that other organisations also reward you for your service.  That is just icing on the cake AFAIAC.

Instead of trying to be a hard ass about these things....think about WHY we have them in the first place.   Member X does 60 hours of community services and show the documentation to prove it.........sign the CAPF2 and give him his ribbon and chance to shake and take, then move on.

Making up local subjective rules based on personal interpetation only means that somone is going to get bent out of shape when you don't approve his 60 hours of church work.....but someone elses work doing the same thing...but not related to a church.

[Eclipse]

No one is getting "bent", because I made it clear what my expectations were, and I think it borders on ribbon trolling to
get credit from more then one organization for the same act or activity, or worse, submit things from your days before you were
even a member (See that, denied it, others approved the same nonsense).

If you wake up one morning and submit a new project or activity to your commander and ask if it will qualify for credit, that's one thing.

But if you wake up one morning ad realize that activities you're already doing as a matter of obligations to another organization
would qualify for a ribbon? No.

As you say, NHQ has left this 100% subjective, and commanders have to sign with their conscience.

And frankly, I don't "know" why we have these things, except probably to model the military in yet another lane where it
doesn't make much sense.  CAP service >is< community service, in and of itself, so encouraging activities with other organizations,
just like having CAP donate to another 501(c)3, seems counterproductive to me.

[a2capt]

The way I interpret the meaning is "in addition to" the normal expectations. You joined CAP, rather, you volunteered for CAP, that's excellent. Why should you get "credit" from the BSA for it?

Like wise, you volunteered for the BSA, and why should CAP recognize it?

Now, if as part of those duties you've volunteered for, you organize a Habitat for Humanity event, or you make your cadets available to a local air museum for an event, that's where community service comes in.

CAP recognizes you already for serving. The Red Service Ribbon and add on devices. I hope the BSA has a similar means of recognition.

That's what you show for the weeks, hours, etc. that you put into the meeting and in-house unit activities.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Well, I don't get any other "recognition" other than occasionally someone on the church staff saying "thank you," which is quite enough, don't get me wrong - and it's BECAUSE my faith is such an integral part of my life that I have this cognitive dissonance.

I could volunteer at the local food bank...but by Eclipse's standards that would not be good, as my church already actively supports the food bank.

The thought of submitting something from the days before I was even a member has never entered my mind.  My CC would rightly say, "you did WHAT in 1990 and want a ribbon for it?!"

It is not an "obligation" that I do what I do for the church.  I do it because I want to.

Sorry to open the can of worms...but I do see other CAP members doing the same thing (volunteering at religious organisations) and having a CSR with several clasps.

This is going to sound like whining, but I haven't earned a ribbon since 2006 (CommComm) and I haven't been promoted since 1997 (for reasons many of you, including Eclipse, know about), while I see (as I've said before) SMWOG's and 2nd Lt's with multiple CommComm's mostly for knowing the "right" people.

[lordmonar]

I guess we just have to agree to disagree.........I will say that I am so glad I was never in your squadron.....I would have walked out of CAP years ago.

[Eclipse]

I guess we just have to agree to disagree.........I will say that I am so glad I was never in your squadron.....I would have walked out of CAP years ago.

I highly doubt it, because your overall experience would be so great.

CSRs are the kind or peripheral nonsense people thumb through when they are not fully engaged in actual CAP-centric activities,
or see other people with fuller racks and are trying to add whatever they can.  Members with a chest-load of SAR, Encampment, Find,
PD, and Commendation ribbons don't generally care too much about CSRs, if for no other reason then their free time is fully accounted for
with meaningful CAP activities.