New ribbon ideas?

[James Shaw]

If you could submit a new ribbon to NHQ what would you submit?

Thank you

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=19356.0

From a similar thread.

SNARK ALERT: I suggest you take a look at the image of the medal on this page and tell me if this would cause confusion.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/11/07/tom-cruise-testifies-katie-holmes-left-him-to-protect-suri-from-scientology

Mine looks better....... :clap: :clap: :clap: But I do see the color resemblance.

[Private Investigator]

I don't think it's a horrible idea.  There are a LOT of organizations that provide ribbons to civilian personnel that do not wear a uniform:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_government

I was watching a show about the FBI and one of the retired agents was wearing a ribbon rack on his suit coat. It looked out of place because you really do not see Americans wearing ribbon racks. The other thing is since I do not recognize the ribbons I do not know if he is an admin type with perfect attendance or a gunfighter 

Why would it matter?

In law enforcement you have sheepdogs which is about 20% of a department, the other 80% is just civil servants. Admin types tend not to pull children out of swimming pools, a woman out of a burning car or get shot at oh dark thirty on routine patrol, saavy? JMHO 

[Private Investigator]

SNARK ALERT: I suggest you take a look at the image of the medal on this page and tell me if this would cause confusion.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/11/07/tom-cruise-testifies-katie-holmes-left-him-to-protect-suri-from-scientology

You know what's amazing about that medal on Tom Cruise is that it's actually a regular size medal.  It just looks gigantic on his small stature

I bet it is for perfect attendance. 

[BuckeyeDEJ]

SNARK ALERT: I suggest you take a look at the image of the medal on this page and tell me if this would cause confusion.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/11/07/tom-cruise-testifies-katie-holmes-left-him-to-protect-suri-from-scientology

You know what's amazing about that medal on Tom Cruise is that it's actually a regular size medal.  It just looks gigantic on his small stature

I bet it is for perfect attendance. 

There's a special oak leaf cluster device for his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of psychiatry, which was presented after the couch-jumping appearance.

[flyboy53]

+1 on Buckeye's suggestion.

I would roll all the cadet program ribbons into ONE....Cadet Program Ribbon.  Wear OLCs to signify how far in the cadet program you get.
I would keep the membership ribbon but lose all the other SM PD ribbons.

Commander's ribbon...gone...they got a badge.
Crossfeild ribbon....gone...they get a badge.
Yeager ribbon.....keep it....it we make the Senior Aerospace Education Program a much tougher achievement to get.

Beyond that....we need a CAP Achievement, CAP Commendation, CAP Meritorious Service, CAP Legion of Merit and a CAP Distinguished Service Awards.  That would cover service and actions at roughly the squadron, group, wing, region, and national levels.

SAR/CD/DR/HLS ribbons get spit into a CAP Aerial Achievement, CAP Base Achievement, and CAP Ground Achievement awards.....don't care so much what sub mission you are doing.....just that you are doing missions.

CAC....gone
NCSA....gone
NCGC and NCC ribbons...gone......award them achievement/commendation medals if they deserve them.

Create the CAP medal for lifesaving in dangerous circumstances (aka the Airman's medal)
And finally create a CAP Cross for saving the world and getting the girl/boy at the end of the movie for those really really really rare occasions that we need something of that caliber.

Roll all of these up into an Air Force AFI and put them to good use.

Why not just restore thee old cadet ribbons: Red White and Blue Training Ribbons with the appropriate attachments. Have one senior member professional development award with devices to reflect achievement.

As far as a CAP Legion of Merit, can we keep things simple. Right now, the system gets very convoluted when you consider that there are awards with devices and even a special unit award at the national commander level. Why not just eliminate that stuff and keep things simple. After all, what difference does another ribbon or some special device in this case really make other than to clutter up a uniform and make money for Big V. We have too many ribbons now.

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

[DoubleSecret]

SNARK ALERT: I suggest you take a look at the image of the medal on this page and tell me if this would cause confusion.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/11/07/tom-cruise-testifies-katie-holmes-left-him-to-protect-suri-from-scientology

You know what's amazing about that medal on Tom Cruise is that it's actually a regular size medal.  It just looks gigantic on his small stature

I bet it is for perfect attendance. 

The plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room.

[Flying Pig]

The renaming of the exceptional service medal is to bring it into line with USAF terminology.

Why keep the wilson and leadership?   Same with the milestones of the cadet program.   

Redundant redundant.    Cadets get rank so they don't really need a ribbon for each step....even for the Spaatz.

I would keep the longevity (read service) ribbon...rename it and change the award criteria to one for every four years.
Same deal for the recruiting ribbon....just one....just one set of requirements.

Yeah but its a youth program.  JROTC, CAP, Boy Scouts, all get loads of ribbons.  Kids are motivated by bling.  But I could see the SM side trimming a few off. 

[Eclipse]

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

Would this ribbon have a dollar sign on it?
There are plenty of people who wrote checks for 25 years but didn't have anything near distinguished service.

[Flying Pig]

Problem with cutting down the cadet rank ribbons is that after a long "career" the average may end up with only 5-6 ribbons.

Recruiter, CAC, Encampment, NCSA, Red Service, Community Service, Mitchell, Earhart Spaatz and maybe a Commanders Commendation or Achievement.  Maybe toss in a Find for those cadets in squadrons who actually call cadets.

Spending age 13-18 as a cadet and punching out with maybe 9-10 max ribbons if you made it all the way to Spaatz?  Thats no fun.

[THRAWN]

Problem with cutting down the cadet rank ribbons is that after a long "career" the average may end up with only 5-6 ribbons.

Recruiter, CAC, Encampment, NCSA, Red Service, Community Service, Mitchell, Earhart Spaatz and maybe a Commanders Commendation or Achievement.  Maybe toss in a Find for those cadets in squadrons who actually call cadets.

Spending age 13-18 as a cadet and punching out with maybe 9-10 max ribbons if you made it all the way to Spaatz?  Thats no fun.

Might not be fun, but it is also not bad. The ribbons might mean a bit more, and will show a huge commitment in terms of time and training.

[THRAWN]

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

Would this ribbon have a dollar sign on it?
There are plenty of people who wrote checks for 25 years but didn't have anything near distinguished service.

On the other hand, there are plenty of eagles walking around with the medal that you could say the same thing about...

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

Would this ribbon have a dollar sign on it?
There are plenty of people who wrote checks for 25 years but didn't have anything near distinguished service.

On the other hand, there are plenty of eagles walking around with the medal that you could say the same thing about...

So many of our decorations have to do with being in the "right" place at the "right" time and knowing the "right" people.

That is one reason why I suggested AF Civilian Awards.

Yes, the process takes longer...but I think it would lessen buddies giving bling to buddies.

[Storm Chaser]

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

Would this ribbon have a dollar sign on it?
There are plenty of people who wrote checks for 25 years but didn't have anything near distinguished service.

On the other hand, there are plenty of eagles walking around with the medal that you could say the same thing about...

So many of our decorations have to do with being in the "right" place at the "right" time and knowing the "right" people.

That is one reason why I suggested AF Civilian Awards.

Yes, the process takes longer...but I think it would lessen buddies giving bling to buddies.

Except that the process to initiate these awards (i.e. through chain of command) would stay the same, with the additional layers on the Air Force side to get these approved.

I'm not opposed to these awards. In fact, it seems from the AFI that the Air Force could (potentially) award some of these now. What we lack right now is an internal process to initiate these. I'm also not opposed to eliminating or consolidating some of our current awards. But I don't think replacing our CAP awards with AF civilian awards is the answer since these would have to go all the way to National and then through the Air Force chain of command to the appropriate approval authority. I don't see the improvement over our current process. If you're not getting an award now, I doubt you would get it then.

[LSThiker]

I would say for the most part, leave the cadet ribbons alone.  The exception is where those ribbons are both cadet and senior (SAR, DR, etc) and the recruiter ribbon.

[Flying Pig]

Problem with cutting down the cadet rank ribbons is that after a long "career" the average may end up with only 5-6 ribbons.

Recruiter, CAC, Encampment, NCSA, Red Service, Community Service, Mitchell, Earhart Spaatz and maybe a Commanders Commendation or Achievement.  Maybe toss in a Find for those cadets in squadrons who actually call cadets.

Spending age 13-18 as a cadet and punching out with maybe 9-10 max ribbons if you made it all the way to Spaatz?  Thats no fun.

Might not be fun, but it is also not bad. The ribbons might mean a bit more, and will show a huge commitment in terms of time and training.

Overall, I would say leave the cadet side alone.  Youth are motivate by things that adults arent. Or at least adults should be able to see past the bling a little more.  We had this debate back when I was a cadet.  In fact, many cadets at the time, at least where I was would not wear their rank ribbons after they became Cadet Officers. (Yeah, I know... that was made up and wasnt allowed in regs)  But we got to a point where we realized that isnt it just "assumed" that if Im a cadet Flight Officer, 2Lt, etc that I have all of the those other ribbons?  Yes.  I thought it was more impressive that I had a decent stack that didnt include any rank ribbons.  The Mitchell was the only one I wore.

However.............the young 13yr old C/SrAmn hasn't attained that level if enlightenment  

I wore:  Recruiter, Encampment, CAC,  NCC, Red Service, Find, Mitchell, Unit Citation and Commanders Comm topped off with Glider Pilot wings.   Personally, I thought I was pretty Bad to the Bone 

[James Shaw]

I am to big to wear the AF style uniform so that eliminates the main part of the argument for me. Once you hit more than 4 rows of ribbons on the Grey/White Combo, it looks like a little overkill with all of the Specialty Badges and Aviation stuff. I have worn mine a couple of times when my son was getting promoted.

I wear them proudly either way 

[MHC5096]

Another thing that should be in put in place is an automatic Distinguished Service Medal if you retire. Right now the award process for that medal is strictly political when it might be the only real CAP decoration that a member might receive during his or her career.

Would this ribbon have a dollar sign on it?
There are plenty of people who wrote checks for 25 years but didn't have anything near distinguished service.

On the other hand, there are plenty of eagles walking around with the medal that you could say the same thing about...

So many of our decorations have to do with being in the "right" place at the "right" time and knowing the "right" people.

That is one reason why I suggested AF Civilian Awards.

Yes, the process takes longer...but I think it would lessen buddies giving bling to buddies.

After 22 years in 2 branches of service I can tell you that same holds true for the vast majority of armed forces decorations. I don't think this change would address the issue at all.

[kwe1009]

The Air Force has their fair share of medals that should be eliminated.  The Air Force Good Conduct Medal is a good example.  This is a medal given to enlisted troops every three years for not getting in "too much" trouble.  It was actually stopped a few years ago but recently made a comeback.  I have a large amount of ribbons from my Air Force career but most are not much more than "participation ribbons."  Those can be greatly reduced for sure and the ones that are actually earned will take on a more prominent role.

[Private Investigator]

SNARK ALERT: I suggest you take a look at the image of the medal on this page and tell me if this would cause confusion.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/11/07/tom-cruise-testifies-katie-holmes-left-him-to-protect-suri-from-scientology

You know what's amazing about that medal on Tom Cruise is that it's actually a regular size medal.  It just looks gigantic on his small stature

I bet it is for perfect attendance. 

The plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room.

In 1986 that was so funny. Now you get written up for "hazing" people with that comment. 

[Private Investigator]

The Air Force has their fair share of medals that should be eliminated.  The Air Force Good Conduct Medal is a good example.  This is a medal given to enlisted troops every three years for not getting in "too much" trouble.  It was actually stopped a few years ago but recently made a comeback.  I have a large amount of ribbons from my Air Force career but most are not much more than "participation ribbons."  Those can be greatly reduced for sure and the ones that are actually earned will take on a more prominent role.

I think the Good Conduct Medal is a keeper. It has a 70+ year tradition. A lot of the awards lower than the National Defense Service Medal are the ones that should be eliminated. JMHO