Awards by the numbers

[Tim Medeiros]

Except that the Region Commander (and all the lower echelon commanders that would have to approve it) hasn't had a chance to evaluate whether the member writing the articles is truly "deserving"; the member already "earned" the award by merely getting the articles published.

Except that apparently the Region Commander feels that someone who gets 6 articles published in 6 different issues of the Region publication, a non-insignificant accomplishment, is performing at a level deserving a Commander's Commendation.

I'm not trying to start an argument here as this is his decision to make and no one else's.

That said, It's possible for someone to slack all year and do nothing for the unit, group or wing. Heck, it's possible for that member to even be a detriment to the unit. However, he/she can get a Region Commander's Commendation Award for writing six articles. I'm not minimizing the accomplishment; simply stating that that criteria should not be evaluated in isolation from the other accomplishments (or lack of) of the member. The overall performance of the member should be "clearly and unmistakably exceptional" in accordance with CAPR 39-1, which is a National (not Region) directive.

Simple fact of the matter is this.  We can each have our own opinions on this, however none of us are signatories on the award, so our opinion doesn't matter unless the region commander comes down and asks us.  Even then he can tell us to blow smoke.

You're absolutely correct, but that doesn't make it a good (or even the best) decision.

In your opinion that is.  In this case, it is the region commanders opinion that counts, he apparently feels it IS a good decision (otherwise he wouldn't have made it).

With all due respect, I quoted the criteria from regulation. That's hardly an opinion.

I'm not commenting on the regulation, I'm commenting on your opinion that the policy is not "a good (or even the best) decision".  That IS an opinion, one which the region commander obviously disagrees with.

[JeffDG]

I guess it made me feel itchy because it really leaves it up to the Region PAO to decide who is going to get this award since he has the discretion to both publish as many or as few articles from any PAO as he wants and can make the newsletter any size that he wants. 

That would be true if this were the exclusive way to earn a SWR AchAw or SWR ComCom.

This is merely one route to those awards.  Other service, through other channels, could get these awards.  If the SWR/CC decided "The only way to get a Commander's Commendation from me is to write articles for 6 newsletters", I'd be right with you...but that's not  the case here.

[Storm Chaser]

Except that the Region Commander (and all the lower echelon commanders that would have to approve it) hasn't had a chance to evaluate whether the member writing the articles is truly "deserving"; the member already "earned" the award by merely getting the articles published.

Except that apparently the Region Commander feels that someone who gets 6 articles published in 6 different issues of the Region publication, a non-insignificant accomplishment, is performing at a level deserving a Commander's Commendation.

I'm not trying to start an argument here as this is his decision to make and no one else's.

That said, It's possible for someone to slack all year and do nothing for the unit, group or wing. Heck, it's possible for that member to even be a detriment to the unit. However, he/she can get a Region Commander's Commendation Award for writing six articles. I'm not minimizing the accomplishment; simply stating that that criteria should not be evaluated in isolation from the other accomplishments (or lack of) of the member. The overall performance of the member should be "clearly and unmistakably exceptional" in accordance with CAPR 39-1, which is a National (not Region) directive.

Simple fact of the matter is this.  We can each have our own opinions on this, however none of us are signatories on the award, so our opinion doesn't matter unless the region commander comes down and asks us.  Even then he can tell us to blow smoke.

You're absolutely correct, but that doesn't make it a good (or even the best) decision.

In your opinion that is.  In this case, it is the region commanders opinion that counts, he apparently feels it IS a good decision (otherwise he wouldn't have made it).

With all due respect, I quoted the criteria from regulation. That's hardly an opinion.

I'm not commenting on the regulation, I'm commenting on your opinion that the policy is not "a good (or even the best) decision".  That IS an opinion, one which the region commander obviously disagrees with.

Fair enough.

[Storm Chaser]

Is not contributing to the newsletter not "outstanding service to unit, group or wing"?

No.  It's doing your job.  Nothing "special" about that.  You don't decorate people for doing their jobs,
unless for longevity or under duress or special circumstances.

Excuse me....but it is NOT my job to contribute to the newsletter.  If I were a PAO....you might have an argument.

And that is precisely why a blanket approval process stating that if you get six article published, then you get a Region Commander's Commendation Award is not a good idea.

If as a unit member you decide to write six articles for the "The Fly-By", then that could and should count towards credit for a Commander's Commendation Award. But the award still requires that your duty performance be outstanding where achievements and services [plural] are clearly and unmistakably exceptional. I doubt you'll have luck convincing many of us that writing a few articles meets that criteria in and by itself.

Now, because the criteria set by the Region Commander makes no distinction on who can qualify for this award, a Wing PAO that writes and get these six articles published would also get this Region level award for doing something that is part of his/her job. Can you honestly say that that meets the intent of CAPR 39-3?

yes

I guess will have to agree to disagree.

[LSThiker]

You still have to meet the award criteria at the end of your tour to qualify for the award and not everyone qualifies for the same awards.

Depends on the command.  Most of the commands, that I have been under, never have an award criteria.  I have seen commands where the policy is:

E-1 through E-3:  COA
E-4 through E-6:  AAM
E-7 + Officer:  ARCOM

If you royally screw up, then drop one level. 

The same goes for the End of Deployment Awards.  There are already Campaign Medals.  Seriously, at the end of the day, PCS and End of Tour awards are just an award for doing your job. 

[Eclipse]

In your opinion that is.  In this case, it is the region commanders opinion that counts, he apparently feels it IS a good decision (otherwise he wouldn't have made it).

True enough, but irrelevant to whether it's a good idea.

Where are the actual PAOs?  Publishing articles and pushing news is their job, not for the least of the
reason that they should be the respective echelon CC's voice >and< filter.

Likewise, it should be up to each click of the chain to decide if a story has merit to be forwarded up.

If Region isn't getting enough stories, it should push on the chain to do their jobs, not going VFR direct to
the membership. 

Why do we even have a chain if everyone is just going around it?

[lordmonar]

I guess the hang up is.....our differing judgements of the value laden terms of "outstanding" and "exceptional".

In the USAF it is semi-policy to consider members for decorations at the end of their tours of duty.......and when ever they perform a significant achievement during their tour of duty.

Nothing is automatic.

For end of tour medals....they do look at the whole person and the whole tour of duty.   Don't have firewall 5s.....some units would not award you with a medal or if you were being considered for a higher award they my down grade it.

Which medal you get is based on rank....but that is not ironclad.

If you are a MSgt doing MSgt duties in a manner that is worthy of a medal you are probably going to get an MSM.  A SSgt doing SSgt duties....an AFCOM.   An A1C doing A1C duties an AFAM.

But I have seen SrAs get AFCOMs and SMSgts get AFCOMs.

This is the basic rule for end of tour service decorations.

Achievement Decorations will almost always be based on the significance of the achievement and your role in making that happen.

Let's say getting ready for an Operational Readiness Inspection.     The wing does really well following a long period of recovering from sub-standard performance.  Some could get MSM, a few more get AFCOMs and whole lot may bet AFAMs.


Now translate that into CAP talk and the reality of CAP as we know it today.

"you should never get a medal for just doing your job"......okay to a point I will agree with you.  I will however throw out a few things for you to think on.   1)  Not everyone has a "job" in cap.  2) In some cases just doing the job is a major accomplishment (such if the unit is way way below par when you start).  3) We have no way of rewarding people for doing things in CAP beyond ribbons and decorations.

So.....let's take an example.   Encampment.   I would not think it too outside of the box to have a general policy.....if you serve on encampment staff you are going to get a CAM, for the top exceptional performers a CCC, and for the commandant and maybe his number 2...and MSM (or is ESM next?).

At the squadron level I don't have a problem with awarding a medal for completing a tour of duty as a staff officer. 

And this is because I am comparing specific members with the rest of CAP.

I got a CAP unit of 40 people....20 people are usually empty shirts, the next 10 spend all their time just floating around drinking coffee, or helping out when specifically asked (i.e. I'm there for the SAREX, but not a staff officer).

So the person who shows up each week and does the paperwork in an efficient manner....that is meeting the regs and getting the job done....is almost by definition OUTSTANDING.

So.....now lets look at this "submit 3/6 articles" situation.

No one is submitting articles.   So now we have an incentive to do so.
Sure maybe this guy is a total screw up in his real job or he is one of those coffee drinking SAREX guys.....but we have a win/win here.   Guy sends in six publication worthy submissions....and we award him a CCCM.    I don't see the down side.

If we did it more we may help with the command climate problems we keep talking about.   People want recognition for their efforts.  let's not be stingy on those...they cost us almost nothing.

And if we were ever to get "reward saturation" we can always cut back.

[RiverAux]

Likewise, it should be up to each click of the chain to decide if a story has merit to be forwarded up.

The PAO program is a bit different  in that even squadron PAOs are allowed and encouraged to direct submit articles even up to the national level. 

[Public Affairs Guy]

This is true here in South Dakota Wing. However, as the Wing PAO I ask that the squadron PAOs submit their item(s) to me for review before sending it off to NHQ/PA. This is not to censor what they are sending but to check grammar, syntax, spelling, and correct usage of the AP style in writing. It also gives me a record copy for my files for when it comes to decided to PAO-of-the-Year awards. 

[Public Affairs Guy]

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[Shuman 14]

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The syntax was just lost on me.