Commander's Commendation award to a unit?

[CAPfan]

Hi Folks,

Our squadron was recently awarded a Commander's Commendation Award from Wing. According to CAPR 39-3 this doesn't seem to indicate that this is an allowable award for a unit as a whole. Am I missing something and has anyone ever heard of this award being given to a unit as a whole before instead of one of the Unit Citation awards?

If it is something that can be done, can anyone in the unit during the time outlined in the award citation wear it as a permanent award like the other unit awards?

Thanks in advance.

[Eclipse]

No, they weren't, and someone is confused, either the requester, or the receiver.

The Comm Comm is an award for members, not units.  The Unit Citation would be the nearest equivalent.  Different ribbon and usually
different criteria.

The Comm Comm is a gold/red/white ribbon, with a certificate presented to the recipient.

The Unit Citation is a green ribbon with a certificate presented only to the unit CC, and a red/white streamer for the flag.  UC's have to go through NHQ
in order to procure the streamers.   The F120 for a UC can list individual names, or be inclusive to "anyone who was a member".

Its conceivable that all the members were awarded Comm Comms, in which case the properly approved F120 would reflect their names.

[arajca]

I haven't heard of that. Have you seen the actual CAPF 2A to determine the actual award? It may be a National Commander's Unit Citation award.

[RiverAux]

I could see a situation where a whole bunch of people within a unit might do something to each deserve individual commanders commendations, but not EVERYBODY in the unit.  If the action was of enough importance a unit citation would be the way to go and that would go to everyone in the unit whether or not they had anything to do with the action for which the award was given.

[adamblank]

I just transferred to a new squadron and saw a CCA written to the squadron with the certificate hanging in the office.  I think if it was to be done...it would have to specify "who" in that unit qualified....otherwise anarchy 

[JC004]

wth?!  Sometimes there are confusions.  I have known of two instances of unit-wide use of a ribbon that was incorrect but in both of these I understood them to be the UNIT commander who was confused.

One was an entire unit wearing Lifesaving ribbons because a couple aircrew members from their squadron participated in a organ transport like a long time ago.

The other was an entire unit wearing Commander's Commendation ribbons because they had been told it was the unit citation ribbon.

I did verify these stories with several members of the units to verify that it wasn't just confusion that THEY were passing on to me.  Both of these occurred at encampments on graduation day when I noticed the unusually high number of cadets wearing either of those ribbons.  When you've got 12 cadet airmen and junior NCOs walking around, hanging out together with Lifesaving or Commander's Commendation, you know something is probably up.

[Eclipse]

The other was an entire unit wearing Commander's Commendation ribbons because they had been told it was the unit citation ribbon.

I've mentioned before that I had one with the whole unit wearing a UC because they had a Squadron of Merit streamer on the flag.  An SoM, btw, that predated nearly everyone in the unit...