I know the feeling couldn’t even get my 90+ year old chairman anything despite 70 years of service and despite claims from above that they would help still nothing achieved.
It is frustrating when you see a BEM handed out locally for running a community cadet scheme (non-Mod). Particularly when it was their full time job to do so.
Not saying they aren’t valuable to society or that they don’t work hard. But they are rewarded for their service with money and time off.
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Last year a missive came out from Wing, I’ll paraphrase but the jist was “we’re looking for nominations for the meritorious service to the ATC certificate, if you haven’t been awarded one before, tell us and you’ll get one”.
To me, that rather defeats the purpose.
The only one of these that means anything is the Lord Lt one.
The rest are internal certificate (I.e. cheap) which are meaningless outside of the organisation & don’t particularly mean much with in.
Normally these sort of things are good but for paid staff who will list it on their annual appraisal & gave it make up the patchwork that is their career performance.
Unfortunately for volunteers, there has to be an emotional connection to the award not just a general appreciation as otherwise the reward & recognition need is not being satisfied. It’s also why you so many Mutleys as they psychologically connect with the medals & not the bits of printed paper.
Rather than certificates an engraved trophy such as a person used glass paperweight. It requires thought & it requires effort & as such it is valued a lot more than the big of card created be using a mail merge & hitting print.
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100% this.
While those who receive such awards are deserving and I wouldn’t want to belittle their achievements deep down are they worth the paper they are printed on? As you say if you are in the RAF such things are great to put on your CV but as a volunteer they aren’t the same thing.
An LL commendation or a BEM are things that everyone understands and can appreciate, an AOC commendation isn’t the same thing.
For me it’s like a Commendation at work, it means lots to me professionally, it would mean a lot less to a Special.
A coronation or a Jubilee Medal aren’t a BEM or and MBE, but they are tangible and something that everyone understands.
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Did anything come of the FOI early in the years on this 
Someone asked for details of applications from Wing upwards, but nothing heard.
I doubt they’d have released any info. Honours are exempt from FOI
So 18 
wonder how many of these were ratified!
I have a DCLA. It’s a very nice letter but doesn’t really say much.
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But can never figure a DCLA, good egg award
I’m told it’s “Up there” but it’s a framed letter from a civil servant saying what I did was appreciated by the defence council. Very nice. 
I have a Lord Lieutenant’s Commendation
Just sayin’ 
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This.
Its in your name sake…
I do also agree, but wouldn’t call it cheap. Just ‘unofficial’ in terms of external recognition.
In 10 years as a CFAV and 5 as an Officer, I’ve had 2 RC Commendations and a Lord Lieutenant Commendation.
I think the first RC one was the one that means the most, at the time I was pushing an activity forward for the wing, but I wasn’t doing it for an award I did it as I enjoyed it.
Now, as an OC, comments from parents are much more valuable to me, I’m not putting the commendations on my CV (should I be??)
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No, I wouldn’t put a RAFAC commendation on my CV. But I might put a LL award on there!
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Funny how some are saying how they value a Lords Lt Commendation; wasn’t long ago when quite a few didn’t want anything to do with one!
It’s the top end of paper awards…
A medal. Even bem… is worth a billion more.
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