Cadet program Badge

[Turtle1]

Does anyone know if the different levels for the Cadet Program badge have been discontinued?  I looked on Vanguard and the Hock Shop and they only show the one badge, I had thought that they had different colored stars for Senior and Master level.  The specialty track itself still shows the three different levels.

[davidsinn]

Does anyone know if the different levels for the Cadet Program badge have been discontinued?  I looked on Vanguard and the Hock Shop and they only show the one badge, I had thought that they had different colored stars for Senior and Master level.  The specialty track itself still shows the three different levels.

You have to replace or repaint the star. I don't know which star you need to get though.

[IceNine]

It is a gigantic pita and one with no real good solution.

You have to pry off the press pin star that's on there (no easy task if you want to avoid scratching your badge)

And replace it with the silver or bronze (same as for the ribbons) that just have the bendable pins.  It doesn't hold as well, and will spin much more readily.

One note- When you get the pins through the hole and the star seated against the badge (again no easy task) clip off about a 1/8 before you bend them down.  Otherwise they will hang over.

Good luck.

[Eclipse]

Some epoxy or even elmer's on the prong will help this (not on the face as), but it's still a PITA, and the last round of stars I got from VG were not the correct size, so I used old silver star attachments from the bookstore and those looked better.

blue - tech (coem w/ badge)
bronze = senior
silver = master

[IceNine]

Epoxy only if you're a master?

I see that twinkle.  Don't try superglue it will turn out bad.  That stuff doesn't play well with the finish of the badge

[arajca]

Epoxy only if you're a master?

I see that twinkle.  Don't try superglue it will turn out bad.  That stuff doesn't play well with the finish of the badge

Solder.

[Pingree1492]

You can tap the old star out from the back of the badge, to avoid scratching the face.

I have two different "versions" of the badge- one where the pins from the stars actually fit through, and one where they don't. 

For the badge that the pins didn't go through- just removing the pins from the back of the new star, and hot-gluing the new star onto the badge worked really well for me.  You have to be careful not to make too much of a mess with the hot glue, but the good thing there is the excess can easily be removed without damaging the face of the badge.

If you can get the pins of the new star to go through the old hole, then I would suggest hot gluing the pins down to the back of the badge, which will prevent the star from spinning in place.

[SarDragon]

I used some stuff called "Goop", available from Home Depot. It's a clear, flexible when cured, adhesive that is easily trimmed from unwanted areas. I also used it to attach my Captains bars to my blazer nametag instead of messing with the two screw backs.

[RiverAux]

You guys are kidding about this, right?  They really don't have different pre-made badges for the various levels?   

Is this the case for the other PD badges?

[arajca]

AE, CP, and I think DDR do not have separate badges for each level. You merely change the star.

[Thom]

AE, CP, and I think DDR do not have separate badges for each level. You merely change the star.

And, this would be a really nice idea, IF the badges were designed to have the stars easily removed and replaced.

Off the top of my head, a screw back star with a 'keyed' post to prevent rotation probably wouldn't break the bank, and would eliminate the issues mentioned above about having to bend pins and use various kinds of glue.

I wonder if Vanguard and/or NHQ would consider changing the badges and stars if someone put forward the design work to support it?  Or, is the target market so small that it isn't cost-effective to change?

Thom

[SarDragon]

The size of the stars and the shape of the top of the badge make a screw back  impractical and too fragile. The badge I got in 200 had an easily removable star. It appears that someone decided to "improve" the badge and make the star more secure.

Also, someone mentioned soldering. This is also impractical, due to the materials involved. The plating is not solder friendly. In addition, the temperatures involved might discolor the enamel coloring. Stick with some sort of heavy adhesive.

[RiverAux]

Seems to me that there are two practical ways of addressing this issue:
1.  Just not have any special designators on the badge so that a single badge will cover everything.
2.  Make badges for every level. 

The process being described to customize them for the PD levels is just asinine. 

[jimmydeanno]

When I got my CP badge in 2003, the blue star came affixed to it.  It was a normal star, as found on our ribbons, with the prongs in the back.  There was a hole drilled through the badge for the prongs. 

When I got my senior and master ratings, it took all of 20 seconds each time to update it. 

For the master rating, I simply put a small drop of superglue in the hole. 

I've had it for six years now and no issues.

[SarDragon]

Actually, I don't think it's such a big deal. I'd rather spend a buck or two to change a badge than buy a whole new one each time I change my rating.

Perhaps a kind letter or phone call to Vanguard might help fix the problem.

[Pingree1492]

Actually, I don't think it's such a big deal. I'd rather spend a buck or two to change a badge than buy a whole new one each time I change my rating.

+1

It really doesn't take that long to do, you just have to be careful and have common sense.  It also makes more sense from a producer standpoint as well, as you just have to produce one type of badge for all three levels, thus making it a bit cheaper.

Seems to me that there are two practical ways of addressing this issue:
1.  Just not have any special designators on the badge so that a single badge will cover everything.
2.  Make badges for every level. 

The process being described to customize them for the PD levels is just asinine. 

Again, it's just not that much of an issue here.  The badges where this is a concern look neat (IMHO).  Besides, except for the AE specialty track, you really don't change ratings often enough for this to even be a concern. 

Keep the insignia we have, as it is right now.  The more changes we make "to make things easier" the more expensive they will be.

[Turtle1]

Thank you everyone, I will let you know how I make out with changing the star! :