CAP Talk

I posted this posibility in the thread about Uniform Changes.  I just wanted to see what the feelings here were about this issue.  Now I don't mean all the ribbons just like former CAP cadets who are now senior I'm only talking about a few of them.

ummm....I thought CAP Officers who once were CAP cadets are limited on their choice of which CADET ribbons to wear.  Such as HIGHEST CADET AWARD..........

Also, why just JROTC, lets also include ROTC.  I would love to add like 12 more ribbons to my CAP uniform (Just kidding, right?)

If a former CAP cadet cannot wear all of the ribbons they earned within the CAP program as a senior member, why should a former JROTC (or ROTC) be able to wear all of the ribbons they earned in an out of CAP cadet program?

I never said all.  I think what's fair is fair.  So a former JROTC cadet like myself should at least have the option to wear some of ours too.

Can I wear my Boy Scouts merit badge sash?  What's fair is fair...

Well if it was a gov't run program I think that would be a fair argument.  >:D

How about this?

We wear CAP ribbons on CAP uniforms, and leave everything else off.

How you seen how many ribbons some JROTC units give out?

It doesn't matter that you think that you're unit didn't give them out like candy, but many of the units do.

Do you still wear your high school letter jacket too?

Quote from: JThemann on November 15, 2007, 09:18:11 PM
Do you still wear your high school letter jacket too?

That so reminded me of Billy Madison when he shows up to school (1998ish) wearing a REO t-shirt, denim jacket and driving a 1982 Firebird t-top! HAH!  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SvyjXXZqRI

I was going to say that I thought you were a new Senior from the cadet side, but your profile shows your 26 years old.  What possible relevance do your High School JROTC ribbons have to do with your life now?

When I became a Senior, the only cadet specific ribbon that transfered over was my Mitchell ribbon.  All the others are ones that can be issued to Seniors as well.  My Red Service, Encampment, Commanders Comm, Unit Citation.  Then my USMC ribbons.

As far as JROTC ribbons, if you did well in JROTC, then great, spend a few $$ and make a shadow box.  I will be honest with you, the comment JThemann made about "Do you still wear your Lettermans jacket", hit it right on the head.  Good job in JROTC,  but sometimes in life,  things need to be left where they are.  Close that chapter in your life and move on.   JROTC ribbons on a Senior member uniform are going to show everyone you are still a kid, and thus you will be treated like one.  I have seen Seniors who just cannot leave their youth behind them, and it can be very sad to watch.  Dont let your past achievements become an anchor preventing  your future progress in the program.

Keep in mind every service has JROTC, and have their own specific ribbons.  We would end up with a jumble of ribbons that mean nothing to anyone in CAP and have no relevance to our program.  I dont know hat I want a program full of 30-something-year-old Senior Members walking around with JROTC ribbons.  On several occassions I have been asked by military members who are curious about my ribbons.  They see my military ribbons but dont recognize the others.  I would be slightly embarrassed to get to the last couple rows and say "and when I was in Junior ROTC in High School, I got......"

I'm both a former C/FO from CAP and a former C/Lt Col from AFJROTC.  I'm very proud of what I did in that program and proud of the MOA, VFW, etc., national medals that I got every year, but I'd say it's stretching it a bit to have that carry over into CAP.

I could see them being appropriate for senior ROTC and the CAP cadet program, but kinda far removed from the CAP senior program.  I'm glad that I get to wear my encampment, red service, mitchell, and unit citation from my cadet days and am glad that those all carry a little weight and relevance now.  I was also happy to see all of the items that the NEC just passed for former cadet officers to receive credit for already doing.

AFJROTC is just a little too far removed from our senior program in CAP.

One thing to consider is whether or not the person actually has any proof that they earned the ribbons from these other organizations.  CAP members should be able to proove that they've earned any ribbon that they wear whether it came from CAP or not. 

When I was in ROTC I earned a ribbon or two that I may still have laying around somewhere.  I have no clue as to what they were and I know for a fact that I never received any paperwork when I got them. 

To my recollection, up till the early 70's ROTC ribbons, any and all of them, were authorized on the senior CAP uniform. We make fun of those with lots of ribbons today, but I remember an encampment Tac officer, a Combat Nam vet with all his CAP, Army and ROTC ribbons! Wow

Bob

Quote from: RiverAux on November 15, 2007, 10:42:03 PM
One thing to consider is whether or not the person actually has any proof that they earned the ribbons from these other organizations.  CAP members should be able to proove that they've earned any ribbon that they wear whether it came from CAP or not. 

When I was in ROTC I earned a ribbon or two that I may still have laying around somewhere.  I have no clue as to what they were and I know for a fact that I never received any paperwork when I got them. 

Thats another good point. The only paperwork I have from my JROTC ribbons is the citation for my AFSA Medal. Other then that, ribbons were simply issued.

Theres nothing to stop be from picking up a AFJROTC Gold Medal of Valor ribbon and making up a story about it.

I have AFJROTC and AFROTC ribbons, but I don't think they have any place on the SM uniform.  I do, however, think that cadets should be allowed to continue to wear JROTC or ROTC ribbons even once they're out of the program (but only because that can't be for too many years once they're out of either program).