No doubt any OTC will want a full parade with banner and cake and the finest caviar.
A lot of those we see on the remembrance parades etc had to apply for their medals. My father in law was given ribbons and told he would have to apply for the medals after WW2 and never ever claimed them, as he said to me, he’d earned them and then said he felt it was a massive insult. It was only when my wife wanted to do the box on the wall display for him and his dad from WW1, did she claim them and now they hang on the wall in the dining room. When I asked him why he didn’t have any medals, I knew he’d served in Italy and Greece, and he told me, I was quite shocked and I’ve thought twice about claiming my bars, but the inner sod thought make some clerk do some work and get my 0.01p worth of metal in the 0.5p box to stick on the medal and ribbon.
I imagine making people claim them is a way of saving a few quid.
Or it was a huge admin task to achieve.
It’s a Cadet Forces medal. It’s like the jubilee. It’s a chocolate medal. If you want it, apply, if you don’t, then don’t.
HQ doesn’t know or keep a record of previous service or how much years of a previous service you want to put towards it.
It would not be out of the question for Bader (or another HR system) to raise a flag and alert that somebody may be eligible for a CFM. Initially that could be askew due to prior eligible service but once it is issued then keeping an accurate count of eligibility for subsequent clasps ought to be simpler.
The accuracy of the record-keeping precludes automatic issue but does not preclude notification.
Regardless, medals should ALWAYS be offered to an eligible individual and they should ALWAYS be given the opportunity to decline.
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well they do if you have put your previous service they go through it.
so its not too difficult a job to put it into the system
I reel at this comment every time and more often than not it is by a regular or ex-service individual who has made the comment.
I respect their opinion, in comparison to the (potential) worth of the ribbon on their chest, yes it is worth very little. but to the CFAV it is worth something, it is in some small way recognition for commitment above and beyond what most (“civilians”) do.
I am not saying all CFM holders are role models of a CFAV, neither am I saying they are the nicest people you will meet, but they have taken 12 years out of their life, away from their personal life, their own family and/or career to commit to the the organisation.
ok so it means little to those who have put their lives on the line, by those who have been shot at, who have been under fire and in a state where real bravery and courage is required.
But for the youth leaders on the street who give up 12 hours a month or more for 12 years (1,728 hours minimum)
for those CFAVS who put up with PITA admin requests from HQAC/WHQs,
those CFAvs who put up with jumped up WSOs and OCs wanting to run their to their exacting standards because THEY have the time to do so,
those CFAVs who have to deal with child protection issues (or worse) with very little training or support, deal with angry parents for faults not our own (and in some cases not even of the organisation!)
or simply give up time with their own family to support and assist the community for some they are not even local to, a little bit of ribbon and shiny metal means more than some clipart special wordart fonted certificate which gets hidden on a shelf for no one to see.
It may well suit the walts who claim it is more than it is, but for some of us, it is something which has universal recognition - commitment to a cause.
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If they want the thing, perhaps. To me it is worthless and I’d actually prefer a chocolate medal
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A lot of people volunteer for a lot of things or do things without expecting a medal or a song and a dance.
If you meet the criteria and want it. Then go ahead and get it. That’s the whole point.
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The fact that it may be regarded as a chocolate medal is neither here nor there. It IS, however, an award sanctioned by HMQ and those who have qualified have an entitlement to it. All I’m saying is that it shouldn’t be down to the volunteer to claim it.
A LSGC or VRSM could also fall into the ‘chocolate medal’ category but the difference is that they don’t have to be claimed - they are automatically triggered by someone or something (system). I know of a lot of regular and reserve personnel who value their LSGC\VRSM more highly than other awards they may have.
As Incubus says, medals should always be offered and those who aren’t interested in receiving it can decline it if they so wish.
I have certainly never been of the opinion that any ACO staff who have the CFM, are automatically walts. That’s like saying that all reservists who have only the VRSM, are automatically walts too.
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Well that just goes without saying… 
No, the whole point is that it’s a little token of recognition for hard work.
It’s like the equivalent of buying Valentines flowers for your other half, or telling her to go and get them herself but keep a receipt and then you’ll pay her back.
End result is the same, but somehow the means rather sours the gesture.
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You’d be a braver man than most to do that.
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Oh how I wish you could have told my father in law that.
The fact he was told what he was, degraded his service as far as he was concerned. He was proud of what he did and felt the Army / govt at the time and after were a shower of crap and not worthy.
No it’s not. Firstly V day is a load of tosh anyway. Your not getting anyone anything for recognition, your doing it because everyone else is doing it. So it’s still a token empty effort.
If you’re volunteering for medals, you are in it for the wrong reasons.
If it’s recognition of hard work, are CIs eligible to apply?
If you meet the criteria. And you want it? Apply for it. Simple as. If you don’t want it, then don’t bother. It’s not rocket science.
If you had a mic, you shoulda dropped it.
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Well i can’t speak for your father in law, what happened? Did he fill out the CFM form wrong and not get it?
You don’t join the military for medals or awards. If you do, then I wouldn’t want you in my Section.
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My father in law served in the DLI in Greece and Italy 1944 on, so somewhat more than a CFM.
It’s not a case of joining for medals/awards etc, but during conflicts you would expect those eligible to get the medals due and presented as a matter of course.
But perhaps in your father-in-law’s instance, it was a major conflict and there were quite a lot of people eligible for a number of medals (~8million served throughout WW2), perhaps they were not equipped to readily issue campaign medals etc?
Easiest option would be to ask people to apply for them, to save costs etc as well as to turn them around slightly quicker.
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This is a long standing bone of contention and I personally don’t see why all staff shouldn’t get it, as the wearing of uniform in the Corps is not central to what we are or do, it’s a bit of costumery to appease others. if the uniform was central and essential we’d never have had CIs.
You could turn up in a onesy and do exactly the same thing.
There will be those who will say are you really in the ATC and jump on the we are in a uniformed cadet organisation ya-di-ya as a but when you do AT especially everyone wears what they want so no uniform dress at all and the job still gets done, sports night no uniform and the task is achieved and similarly if you have a scruff night for cleaning the job still gets done and not a uniform in sight.
I’ve become convinced we only wear uniform so some ex-RAF Officers can still wear a uniform, play do you know who I am and get a salute, rather than turn up and get an “alright mate, what do you want”.
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