CAC Cords

[AvroArrow]

3-8. Awards. During their term of office, primary representatives and CAC chairs may wear a shoulder cord.

I've been debating this with some fellow CAP members for some time...

Once you have officially served in CAC for at least one year, you are awarded a ribbon (with an attachment for Wing, Region, and National).
The cord is given during your service. I know you wear it during your term. But are you able to wear it after? I've heard it's the only cord SMs can wear as well if they were an eligible CAC representative/chairman back in their cadet days.

So, I suppose what I'm asking is, "Can you wear your CAC cord (once it's earned appropriately) indefinitely such as after your term and as a SM?"

[davidsinn]

No. In your quote it says during term of office. SMs may not wear cords at anytime.

[IceNine]

Cords in Civil Air Patrol are almost always used to denote current service whether that is colorguard, honorguard, or CAC.

There are no cords that are nationally recognized that are worn as an earned device for the uniform.  Currently nationally there are 6 cords that are authorized, and all of them specifically state something along the lines of "while actively participating in that capcity" this means for color guard, honor guard, and competition they are taken off as soon as that duty is complete, <NOT> that they are worn as long as you are a member of those teams.

For the CAC cords they are only worn during your term of service.  As soon as you are no longer the rep, you no longer wear the cord.

White- worn by cadets while competing at NCC or NCGC
Silver- While actively participating in a colorguard
Green- during service as CAC Rep to group
Red- During service as CAC Rep to wing
Blue- During Service as CAC rep to region
Gold- During service as CAC Rep to National

Any other cords are only authorized by wing commander's or higher. And I cannot speak to specific requirements.

[DC]

The ribbon you can keep forever, but you have to give up the cord when you leave the CAC.

[DNall]

White- worn by cadets while competing at NCC or NCGC
Silver- While actively participating in a colorguard
Green- during service as CAC Rep to group
Red- During service as CAC Rep to wing
Blue- During Service as CAC rep to region
Gold- During service as CAC Rep to National

I'm just going by memory here, but I believe Green is for Cadet Commander, red is worn for BOTH Wg & Gp CAC reps, white is for color guard/drill teams (only during the activity/duty, but not exclusively NCC/NCGC), and silver is reserved for HONOR guard (which requires Wg/CC letter of authorization to have).

[DC]

White- worn by cadets while competing at NCC or NCGC
Silver- While actively participating in a colorguard
Green- during service as CAC Rep to group
Red- During service as CAC Rep to wing
Blue- During Service as CAC rep to region
Gold- During service as CAC Rep to National

I'm just going by memory here, but I believe Green is for Cadet Commander, red is worn for BOTH Wg & Gp CAC reps, white is for color guard/drill teams (only during the activity/duty, but not exclusively NCC/NCGC), and silver is reserved for HONOR guard (which requires Wg/CC letter of authorization to have).

No. There is no uniform device for cadet commanders, though I believe the FLWG CAC is working on a proposal for a badge.

Green is worn by Primary Represetnatives to Group CACs, Red is worn by Primary Reps to Wing CAC (red is often confused as a color auhorized for Group CAC Chairmen, as the Wing Reps are often the Chairmen of their respective Group CAC). Blue is for Region Reps, and Gold for NCAC.

White is worn by Color Guards and Drill Teams during competition. I don't know about elsewhere, but in FLWG the current champions of the FLWG Cadet Competition wear white cords throughout their tenure.

[IceNine]

Everything I posted as far as which cords for what level is accurate on a national level with one exception.  Again I will not speak to local policy for other cords.

The Silver cord is authorized for Honor Guard.  simply a mistype my bad

White- worn by cadets while competing at NCC or NCGC
Silver- While actively participating in a colorguard
Green- during service as CAC Rep to group
Red- During service as CAC Rep to wing
Blue- During Service as CAC rep to region
Gold- During service as CAC Rep to National

I'm just going by memory here, but I believe Green is for Cadet Commander, red is worn for BOTH Wg & Gp CAC reps, white is for color guard/drill teams (only during the activity/duty, but not exclusively NCC/NCGC), and silver is reserved for HONOR guard (which requires Wg/CC letter of authorization to have).

No. There is no uniform device for cadet commanders, though I believe the FLWG CAC is working on a proposal for a badge.

Green is worn by Primary Represetnatives to Group CACs, Red is worn by Primary Reps to Wing CAC (red is often confused as a color auhorized for Group CAC Chairmen, as the Wing Reps are often the Chairmen of their respective Group CAC). Blue is for Region Reps, and Gold for NCAC.

White is worn by Color Guards and Drill Teams during competition. I don't know about elsewhere, but in FLWG the current champions of the FLWG Cadet Competition wear white cords throughout their tenure.

That's great, but it is <NOT> a national policy, that takes specific action by a wing commander or higher. 

[DNall]

k, thanks for clearing that up. I'll have to take a look at our current wing supplement. I know that we do currently have C/CCs in forest green cords, and all CAC at Gp level wears red. Not sure that's all in the supplement though.

[DC]

k, thanks for clearing that up. I'll have to take a look at our current wing supplement. I know that we do currently have C/CCs in forest green cords, and all CAC at Gp level wears red. Not sure that's all in the supplement though.

Someone needs to let the Wing King know then... Wing CCs can add cords for their wing, but not change ones created by National...

[caprr275]

Hope this clears it up. this is straight out of the manual.

Silver is for Honor Guard Accademy graudate and can be worn anytime. silver is also worn by unit honor guards WHILE PREFORMING ONLY.


http://www.ncac.us/glr.aspx

During their term of office, primary representatives and CAC chairs may wear a shoulder cord (see Figure 3-1). Shoulder cords must be of the same style and shade stocked for CAP by Vanguard Industries. Upon successful completion of their term of office, primary representatives and CAC chairs may wear the CAC ribbon, with the approval of the echelon's director of cadet programs and commander.


Appointing Authority      CAC Echelon              Ribbon Device                Shoulder Cord 
Regions                          National                     Ribbon with gold star     Gold 
Wings                             Region                      Ribbon with silver star    Blue 
Groups or Squadrons         Wing                         Ribbon with bronze        Red 
Squadrons                      Group                        Basic ribbon only           Green 

[IceNine]

k, thanks for clearing that up. I'll have to take a look at our current wing supplement. I know that we do currently have C/CCs in forest green cords, and all CAC at Gp level wears red. Not sure that's all in the supplement though.

If every Group CAC member is wearing RED then there is no such thing as a group CAC, and everyone in that council is a primary to wing.

IF there are for real group CAC's then only the primary from the group to wing will wear the red.

I read the quote below to read, colors will not be duplicated and here are the colors you cannot use.

Which means that FLWG cannot use white to denote the winners of the competion because it is specifically authorized During competition and not outside of it.  And DNALL your wing can't use green, for anything but squadron primary representatives to group CAC

The wing/region commander has authority to approve the following items for
wear within his/her wing: (a) Shoulder cords. Not more than one shoulder
cord will be worn at one time, and it will be worn on the left shoulder (see
Figure 5-2). Color to be determined by the wing commander, EXCEPT all
primary members of Cadet Advisory Councils will wear gold at the National
level, blue at region level, and red at wing level. (See CAPR 52-16, CAP
Cadet Program Management.) National Cadet Competition teams will wear
white shoulder cords. Honor Guardsmen will wear silver shoulder cords; (b)
scarves; (c) white gloves; (d) white and black belts; (e) helmet liners. Color to
be determined by wing commander except that helmet liners authorized for
wear by members participating in emergency services missions will be white
and will be worn with the decal depicted in Figure 6-20.

[IceNine]

Hope this clears it up. this is straight out of the manual.

Silver is for Honor Guard Accademy graudate and can be worn anytime. silver is also worn by unit honor guards WHILE PREFORMING ONLY.


http://www.ncac.us/glr.aspx

During their term of office, primary representatives and CAC chairs may wear a shoulder cord (see Figure 3-1). Shoulder cords must be of the same style and shade stocked for CAP by Vanguard Industries. Upon successful completion of their term of office, primary representatives and CAC chairs may wear the CAC ribbon, with the approval of the echelon's director of cadet programs and commander.


Appointing Authority      CAC Echelon              Ribbon Device                Shoulder Cord 
Regions                          National                     Ribbon with gold star     Gold 
Wings                             Region                      Ribbon with silver star    Blue 
Groups or Squadrons         Wing                         Ribbon with bronze        Red 
Squadrons                      Group                        Basic ribbon only           Green 

Show me where it says graduates may wear the silver cord...

Because I can say with relative certainty that you won't find it

[DC]

I read the quote below to read, colors will not be duplicated and here are the colors you cannot use.

Which means that FLWG cannot use white to denote the winners of the competion because it is specifically authorized During competition and not outside of it.  And DNALL your wing can't use green, for anything but squadron primary representatives to group CAC

The wing/region commander has authority to approve the following items for
wear within his/her wing: (a) Shoulder cords. Not more than one shoulder
cord will be worn at one time, and it will be worn on the left shoulder (see
Figure 5-2). Color to be determined by the wing commander, EXCEPT all
primary members of Cadet Advisory Councils will wear gold at the National
level, blue at region level, and red at wing level. (See CAPR 52-16, CAP
Cadet Program Management.) National Cadet Competition teams will wear
white shoulder cords. Honor Guardsmen will wear silver shoulder cords; (b)
scarves; (c) white gloves; (d) white and black belts; (e) helmet liners. Color to
be determined by wing commander except that helmet liners authorized for
wear by members participating in emergency services missions will be white
and will be worn with the decal depicted in Figure 6-20.

Hmmm. Here is the FLWG Supplement:

Gold Lanyard Wing's Outstanding Cadet of the Year (Phase IV).
Gold/Black cord Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III Cadet of the Year.
Green/White cord Group's and Squadron's Outstanding Cadet of the Year.
White cord Winners of the Florida Wing Cadet Competition (Drill and Color Guard).
White/Blue cord Members of Group/Squadron Color Guards.
Blue/Yellow cord Members of the Florida Wing Honor Society.
*Blue cord Wing CAC Chairman/Representative to the Region CAC.
*Red cord Group primary representatives.
*Green cord Squadron primary representative.
Red/White cord The Wing CAC Vice Chairman, Recorder and staff.

I don't know if maybe they were thinking it was okay because it isn't a real departure from its Nationally authorized use, but an addition to it....

[caprr275]

Show me where it says graduates may wear the silver cord...

Because I can say with relative certainty that you won't find it

CAPP 52-18 page 6

However, our National Board recently ruled that the Honor Guard cord may be worn at all times with any blue combination as long as the cadet is an active member of the Honor Guard. Only cadet members are authorized to wear the CAP Honor Guard uniform or cord.

[IceNine]

It is indeed a change.  The intended wear was for cadets DURING competition, anything that is not as written is a change.  Call it an addition, subtraction, variation whatever it is still a change.

Will anyone throw a fit about it on any level that will cause a change probably not.  But that doesn't mean that it is correct or authorized.

[DC]

CAPP 52-18 page 6

However, our National Board recently ruled that the Honor Guard cord may be
worn at all times with any blue combination as long as the cadet is an active member of the Honor Guard.
Only cadet members are authorized to wear the CAP Honor Guard uniform or cord. Commanders need
to be mindful of the expenses associated with these uniforms and may opt to start their Unit Honor
Guard with the "short sleeve combination" until the team is able to sustain the full "performance
combination."

CAPP 52-18 is the Cadet Physical Fitness Program... And pamplets are not regulatory, unless a regulation or manual makes them so.

[caprr275]

ok my bad

CAPP 52-8 (C1) Civil Air Patrol Unit Honor Guard Program

you still have to follow what is in the CAPPs you cant just choose not to follow it beacuse you want to

[IceNine]

He means CAPP 52-8 and it does say that, I would be VERY interested to see where that is listed in any minutes

BUT, you didn't say that active members of an honor guard


YOU said graduates of the NHGA, and they are not mentioned anywhere in that sentence

[IceNine]

i. "Pamphlets" are nondirective, informative, "how-to" type publications that may include suggested methods and techniques for implementing CAP policies

Which means that wear of the silver cord by members of active honor guards is a suggested practice, but isn't backed up in any publication with authority  (i.e. reg, manual, icl)

[MIKE]

Which has nothing to do with CAC cords, which has been asked and answered.