Sounds very similar to me, I’ve moved around so much I’ve been on units in 4 of the 6 Regions, and at a very rough guess I’m probably ~ the same age (although didn’t bother with ACO stuff while at uni)…
My clasp was signed-off and authorised back in late February. Still no sign of it but that is obviously down to the Covid situation.
Is that the ‘norm’ in your Wg? Or is it a local foible on the part of your OC Wg whereby medals are received and stockpiled for a suitable presentation occasion? I don’t know if this is a HQAC thing but in the RAF, I was told I had a number of options open to me in relation to receiving my medal:
- get handed it as soon as it arrived.
- Opt for a formal presentation.
- Have it presented\handed over by the CO.
I opted for No.1.
I applied for my CFM in the February and after a little time spent educating HQAC staff in relation to qualification criteria, I picked it up off my desk around May\June time. There’s absolutely no reason why it should take 12 months under normal circumstances.
[pedantic] It’s actually laser engraved [/pedantic].
Up until 2003\4, medals were impressed but from that time, all medals were laser engraved. This is why you can see the dark-coloured ‘inset’ on the letters and numbers.
Exactly. I’ve been banging on for years about the medal entitlement needing to be ‘flagged’ by an HQAC system when the number of qualifying years have been met. Then a quick check of the old ‘P’ file and if worthy, e voila! the application is authorised and forwarded to the medal office. This way, recipients don’t have to apply for it themselves.
At least that’s how I got my long-gong in a previous life.
@james_elliott - anything you can do to create this with your wizard programming skills?
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I have no such ability unfortunately - but I know a group of ninjas that do.
This might be something that is covered under the Volunteer Portal and Admin Portal in the future where there is automated flagging of people due awards etc.
No reason it can’t be done, but we are working to a strict Minimum Viable Product on both VP and AP so it def wouldn’t be in the initial release.
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i’d suggest the “norm”
My anniversary month was April, and optimistically hoped by Novmeber (Remembrance) I’d have it for my No1s, and maybe even sooner for September (BoB) - it wasn’t to be.
I got it early the following year, along with 3-4 others, I get the impression the medals were held on to as it was a Wing event we got them at, and so stock piled for the event
Wings seem to like to do that…
When I was finally told that mine had arrived at Wing after the best part of two years of faffing about for it I was given the option of having it presented at a Wing event 5 months later in the year, or at the Wing dinner the following March.
“Can you not just stick it in the post please?”
Apparently not.
I guess that would be “too insecure”, despite that fact that it must surely have made its way to Wing via the post - I think the HQAC Medal Courier position was retired in 1876.
In the end it made its way to me being passed from one person, to another person, and then finally to me in about 4 weeks. 
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Wg HQ: “we can’t post the medal to you as that’s not a secure method of transfer despite HQAC posting it to us. Instead we’ll give it to one person who will give it to another person who will give it to you. Much more secure that way, eh?”
You couldn’t make it up.
When will some individuals in this organisation get it through their thick skulls that not every CFAV wants to have their medals presented on formal bloody parades?! I’m sure some do and that’s their choice but for God’s sake, let those who want it handed over quietly, get it handed over quietly.
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Quietly and quickly!
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At approximately a year since the report was published for the CFAV attitudes survey (I think) has anything been done with the recommendations either locally or nationally? Obviously Covid will have had an impact but I’m curious.
You mean other than brushing it under the nearest carpet?
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Yes! 
I’m not aware of anything being done which is a shame given it was about our views and seemed fairly comprehensive.
One commandant left with other issues occurring, one joined with those issues still occurring.
I think the standard 12 months might need some grace…
I also said we need a RAFAC version of the RAF commissioned warrant officers course…
I completely understand the impact Covid has had, I was just curious as there were recommendations for CFAVs themselves as well as HQAC. There are certainly a few bits I’m keen to do.
Can you give some examples?
I skimmed the report when it came out but that was about me 
@Paracetamol did you think it would be anything other than completely ignored.
The chums on the ACMB weren’t furloughed or their nice little jobs in any danger so had plenty of time to have umpteen meetings to discuss and come up with ways forward based on the findings and then look to implement them. But this would mean doing something to benefit the volunteers and IMO in this period they have shown themselves for what they are and the total disregard they have for people who volunteer, trying to carry on delivering to cadets when many would have been experiencing the whole gamut of things related to the virus.
