he can put the application in in a months time - nothing stopping that. it does tend to be a 12 month turnaround though until it is received (particularly if you’re in a Wing who like to present it at a Wing event) 
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i shall offer the a summary of a longer post (found here)
I get where you’re coming from, although as a CI i can’t see it changing things much.
I have been a CFAV longer than I haven’t (ie more than half my life) and have been active at Wing level (in (lead) support of activities rather than a WSO) I am sure there are people in the Wing who don’t know my name let alone could put a face to it!
I had my CFM “presented” to me at a Wing event in front of my peers, but half of those I didn’t know and im sure they’d never heard of me prior.
I only wear No1s a few times a year, and 99% of the time with the Unit so not as if anyone off Squadron sees me wearing the medal (short of some large Wing parade event).
i think for some people, they’ll never “get” the idea of being a career CI and tarnish the role by its “weakest link”* rather than the individual stood in front of them as an individual on merit
*by this i mean the CI who does the lesser roles, perhaps who is happy looking after Canteen and is all they do, but is still a welcome part of the Squadron team
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Hahaha fear not I won’t be. Maybe I might really upset the uniform aficionados by wrapping a chocolate coin in tin foil and pinning it too my number ones.
It always chucks it down for any parade I’m on so wont have to worry about it melting 
I asked the question as I’m due imminently. I was informed the processing time for paperwork to Medal delivery is about 12 months
I doubt anyone would notice.
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Yeah I put in for my bar back in November if I get it before 2021 I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
That is shocking. Truly shocking.
Email arrives at HQ requesting medal.
Quick check of your records to determine eligibility
Send on request to medal office
Someone grabs a CFM from the drawer {and sends to engraver.
Engraver does it and send back to medal office} are they even engraved?
Medal office send it to either Wing/TEST Staff (if presentation requested) or to recipient (if no presentation requested on order form.)
I know there are hundreds of extra steps involved but there is no need for them.
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Your service is valued - not!
Zero excuses for that timescale, even if the Ivory Towers have to wait a month or so to get several sent off for any engraving. If no engraving, should be less than a month from flash to bang.
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To hell with it. l volunteer as HQAC Medal Officer ( it will have to be a Wg Cdr post though ). I’ll process claims in my spare time and will endeavour to get that timescale reduced. In fact, just give me a load of medals and I’ll buy my own engraving equipment.
In all seriousness I’m only half kidding. If the delay is down to a manpower shortage I’m seriously willing to step in and try to clear some of the backlog - that’s where electronic submission of claims for medals, travel and VA would help.
That was very well put.
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CFM is not individually engraved.
Once due, if desperate just buy one on ebay.
There are loads on there.
errrm…it is…
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Nope, the RAFAC system should not be so dis-functional that it cannot cope with such a simple process.
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Yeah agree completly
Ah no, right you are. Not sure why I thought that.
Jubillee Gizits weren’t so maybe that confused you.
For whatever reason HQAC’s history record keeping is all but non-existent. When I took over the sqn I’m OC of currently, I wanted to have a list of past OCs to create a board for the main hall. I sent a 4A to HQAC, nothing doing, I contacted Wing they had some and then after speaking to old sqn members and finding a ‘history’ written by one of the old OCs filled the gaps, but this took 18 months to piece together. So the fact we have to apply for anything time-based hasn’t surprise me. But they are soon to tell you if a time restricted ‘qualification’ or similar runs out, so there is a ‘clock’ somewhere being used for some things. This shouldn’t need anyone doing a special job, especially in this electronic era. It’s just laziness in some areas on HQAC’s part.
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Probably.
A what?
We used to have carbon paper duplicate pads called a Form 4A that as I recall came in small and large. At one time no 4A nothing happening.
Today we have email which get ignored in equal measure. Needless to say that unlike now you only sent things where there was a necessity, as it cost someone money for the postage. If email was treated like they were a 4A or anything that came via the post, email in-boxes would have tumbleweed blowing through them.