COMMENDATION AWARD

[PhoenixRisen]

That's a really bad idea.

I've noticed that a lot of the guys on this website love to say 'Well, we should change all the patches to match Air Force standards.'
But you don't consider the fact we'd have to change fifty thousand plus patchs, ribbons, etc etc.

And aparrently you didn't consider the fact that I put a "disclaimer" on my statement? 

I said it in my post, and I'll say it again.  I know that's not going to happen.  Sheesh.

I know the design of a medal's not important - it it was merely a suggestion / idea.  Give it a rest.

[SAR-EMT1]

What I want to know is: Instead of designing a CAP award equal to USAF awards, why in the heck cant we just get authorization to award the actual USAF
ribbon/ device/medal ??

Lets start here: From now on, issue the USAF Achievement Medal/Ribbon in place of a "CAP Achievement Ribbon"

[PA Guy]

What I want to know is: Instead of designing a CAP award equal to USAF awards, why in the heck cant we just get authorization to award the actual USAF
ribbon/ device/medal ??

Lets start here: From now on, issue the USAF Achievement Medal/Ribbon in place of a "CAP Achievement Ribbon"

Let me get this straight.  You want CAP commanders to have the authority to award CAP personnel an USAF award?  Yeah, right. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Laugh if you want.

Why not authorize AIR FORCE commanders to award Air Force medals to CAP personnel on Air Force missions?

[RiverAux]

There are quite a few AF awards that can be granted to civilians (us). The obvious approval route would be through CAP-USAF. 

[mikeylikey]

Laugh if you want.

Why not authorize AIR FORCE commanders to award Air Force medals to CAP personnel on Air Force missions?

That would be nice, but do you really think it would ever happen?  The biggest mobilization of CAP personnel in over 50 years for Katrina, and the AF recognizes us with one article. 

I could count numerous instances where an AF award would be super-appropriate, but the AF wants little or no contact with us.  It has become all too apparent. 

The VSAF program will be the real test.  IF the AF awards anyone anything that will be the time and place.  I bet certificates will not even be given out!  Isn't that sad, but I figure it is the truth!

(Yes I am being super-negative, sorry)   

[DNall]

Laugh if you want.

Why not authorize AIR FORCE commanders to award Air Force medals to CAP personnel on Air Force missions?

That would be nice, but do you really think it would ever happen?  The biggest mobilization of CAP personnel in over 50 years for Katrina, and the AF recognizes us with one article. 

I could count numerous instances where an AF award would be super-appropriate, but the AF wants little or no contact with us.  It has become all too apparent. 

The VSAF program will be the real test.  IF the AF awards anyone anything that will be the time and place.  I bet certificates will not even be given out!  Isn't that sad, but I figure it is the truth!

(Yes I am being super-negative, sorry)  

CG routinely awards real CG decs (mil & DHS) to CGAux members. AF routinely awards mil decs to civilians. Has nothing to do with deployments. Saw an ariel ach mdl awarded to a civilian contractor for sustained performance fixing electrical systems for two years. That's typical.

The issue with doing it is the apvl auth to award AF decs to civilians is CSAF's office. That's unreasonable for what would be routine awards within the AF & should be for instances within CAP. All that needs to happen is two lines in the AF reg to remind AF that CAP is auth XYZ awards, and apvl auth is state dir/RegLo/CAP-USAF CC as appopriate to AF apvl levels. And note the process for recommendation to/thru the CAP-USAF chain.

It's a really easy fix with lots of precedent & supporting evidence. We're not actually changing anything, just asking them to make it easier for them to approve at their own discression.

I would note at this point, not all AF decs are awardable to civilians (including CAP). Ach, commendation, meritorious service, etc are in that mil only list. Getting that changed would be a bigger deal & is above my paygrade.

[PA Guy]

Laugh if you want.

Why not authorize AIR FORCE commanders to award Air Force medals to CAP personnel on Air Force missions?

I'm fine with an Air Force commander awarding a CAP member an Air Force award.  I just can't see CAP members awarding Air Force awards to other CAP members.

[SAR-EMT1]

Laugh if you want.

Why not authorize AIR FORCE commanders to award Air Force medals to CAP personnel on Air Force missions?

I'm fine with an Air Force commander awarding a CAP member an Air Force award.  I just can't see CAP members awarding Air Force awards to other CAP members.

It would of course be an AF Officer awarding the item to the CAP member in question.
I was thinking someone like the SD or an appropriate person  from the nearby AF Base.

I know we discussed this a bit in the past, but what items other then the ComCom could CAP be awarded by the USAF?
Would any criteria need to be changed?
I always thought that the Lifesaving, Vollunteer Service and Humanitarian Service Awards would be the easiest for us to obtain.

[mikeylikey]

The Air Force Civilian Achievement Award closely resembles the Air Force Achievement Medal and will recognize civilian personnel "who go above and beyond the call of duty for a specific act that supports the unit's mission and goals."

"Skilled and dedicated civilian professionals have always been part of the total force," Johnson said, "but until now, we haven't had an appropriate way to honor their service for a very specific achievement."

CAP members participating in VSAF should be eligible for this award!  All CAP members should also be eligible for all AF or DOD civilian awards. 

I can see civilian medals and awards being awarded more than military ones. 

[Hawk200]

A lot of folks want some AF decs. Anyone sent the idea up the chain yet?

[davedove]

The Air Force Civilian Achievement Award closely resembles the Air Force Achievement Medal and will recognize civilian personnel "who go above and beyond the call of duty for a specific act that supports the unit's mission and goals."

"Skilled and dedicated civilian professionals have always been part of the total force," Johnson said, "but until now, we haven't had an appropriate way to honor their service for a very specific achievement."

CAP members participating in VSAF should be eligible for this award!  All CAP members should also be eligible for all AF or DOD civilian awards. 

I can see civilian medals and awards being awarded more than military ones. 

We have to be careful here.  This is an award for Air Force civilians, as opposed to the general public.  Just as there some awards that only go to military, there are some that only go to Civilians employed by the Air Force.  Then there are some that can be awarded to anyone.

I'm not sure where CAP would fit into that.  We're not really Air Force civilians, yet we're not just the general public.

[CAPSM]

GOOD JOB!

[ZigZag911]

I like both ideas:

1) AF officers approving AF awards, where appropriate, for CAP personnel will permit AF who work with us to give recognition where they think it is due

2) I've long felt we needed an 'attaboy' award (below corporate officer approval level) that was more meaningful than a certificate of appreciation

[SAR-EMT1]

Just so long as this new Group Commendation medal doesnt look like all the rest:  a small bronze disk with Civil Air Patrol and maybe the word "Commendation"  ... I absolutely HATE that al of our 'medals' are generic.

[ColonelJack]

Just so long as this new Group Commendation medal doesnt look like all the rest:  a small bronze disk with Civil Air Patrol and maybe the word "Commendation"  ... I absolutely HATE that al of our 'medals' are generic.

I wonder if NHQ or the uniform committee would be receptive to an idea to redesign the gongs?  They do suck.

Jack

[PaulR]

What I want to know is: Instead of designing a CAP award equal to USAF awards, why in the heck cant we just get authorization to award the actual USAF
ribbon/ device/medal ??

Lets start here: From now on, issue the USAF Achievement Medal/Ribbon in place of a "CAP Achievement Ribbon"

The only way that would even remotely be a possibility is if a CAP member made significant and direct contribution to an Air Force Operation(if this is even possible).

For example... please consider this analogy:

Members of the Coast Guard Axillary CAN be awarded CG unit awards and even decorations(Achievement Medals and etc) for significant contribution to a CG Operation.  I do know that the two organizations are completely different(CAP and CGA), but it illustrates that an axillary volunteer branch can get service based awards.   With that being said, I have noticed that the CG Axillary works A LOT closer with their parent branch than the CAP/AF(Standing radio watches in Comms Centers, Vessel Safety Boardings, Public Education, sea and beach patrols, and etc).

The CG Axillary does have their own Medals and Ribbons, but the CG does recognize significant/direct support provided to ongoing Active Duty Operations by occasionally awarding CG awards.  It is rare, but I have seen it more than once or twice(especially with unit awards).  I have only heard of one senior ranking Axillary member getting a CG Achievement Medal(for deeds that might have gotten him a Meritorious Service Medal if he were Active Duty), but this proves that it does happen.

[RiverAux]

The only way that would even remotely be a possibility is if a CAP member made significant and direct contribution to an Air Force Operation(if this is even possible).

Every Air Force Assigned Mission is an Air Force "operation" by definition and any CAP action on an AFAM should potentially be eligible for an applicable AF award that is open to award to civilians. 

It is routine for CG Auxiliary members to get "real" CG awards and not just the ones that go to everybody in the Coast Guard (Presidential Unit Citation, 9/11 Ribbon, etc.) and not necessarily just for actions that were done in direct support of the CG, though that is typical. 

[PaulR]

Hi River Aux,

Not everyone in the CG got the 9/11 Ribbon(although it seems like it!).  What AD decorations(Achievement and higher) have you seen bestowed on Aux members?  This is a very interesting topic.  I have only seen the Achievement Medal awarded to an Auxiliary member(and he definitely deserved it, if not more) and it was treated as a very big deal. 

I dont understand how an Auxiliary member(off topic alert...sorry) could be eligible for a AD Decoration when the citation data was not from direct AD Support.  Isn't that why the Axillary has their own awards system?  I am not an Admin Geek nor am I an Auxiliary member, but it does not make sense.

(Back on topic) After all that has been said,I feel that if the AF assigns the CAP to a mission, then the directly participating members should be eligible to AF awards.  I am surprised that there is not some sort of provision yet.

[DNall]

Don't get confused talking about AD missions. There is no such thing. There's a total force made up of AD, res, guard, auxiliary, civilian employees, and even contractors. They all together share one mission, and that's it. Any mission that comes down to CAP from any part of the federal govt is an AF mission, just as if it'd gone to any other AF unit. AF personnel are routinely awarded decorations for things done in or out of combat, in or out of the country. The AF also awards those same mil decorations to civilian employees & contractors on a regular basis. CAP is the ONLY piece of that puzzle that isn't routinely recognized. The reason for that is primarily the lack of exposure, not the performance.