Chapter 11: AWARDS

Purpose. The awards program was designed to recognize achievement at encampment. Each staff member should remember that the mission of encampment is training CAP members, not to win awards. To this end, staff members are reminded that the training program and schedule must be followed at all times. The encampment commander is not required to use any of these awards listed. This award list is to be used as a guideline.

Flight Awards and Criteria.

Each day before the evening formation, the Stan/Eval team will add up their results, placing them on a summary sheet. Flights will be ranked in each inspection category, based solely on score. The flight with the highest total points will be the honor flight for the day. Drill, uniform, general knowledge, and barracks are scored on a standardized scale. The Stan/Eval team can observe and, along with inputs from the command staff, add pre-determined bonus points for the following areas:

Flight motivation- jodies, chants and general spirit, especially during sports and PT.

Performing acts above and beyond the normal without help from the flight staff, such as extra submissions to the cadet newspaper, cleaning the common use areas outstandingly, demonstrating better physical fitness, knowledge, or talent in some other area, etc.

The Stan/Eval Team will report their results to the C/DCC. She/he will immediately inform the C/CC and the COC of the result. (Before the evening formation begins.) The C/CC determines what reward (or privilege) honor flight will earn ahead of time. Examples include eating first at meals (if transportation and chow hall arrangements permit), allowing them to talk during meals, a candy bar for each member, lunch with the Cadet Commander, etc. As long as the flight perceives it as a reward, go with it. A streamer (like a unit citation streamer) will be presented to the honor flight to display on their guidon pole.

Honor Flight - Encampment.

The Group (or squadron) commanders and Command staff (CC, DCC, XO, and Wg 1st Sgt) will make the decision. Group Commanders will actively solicit Tactical Officer input prior to the meeting where flights are compared. The decision will be based on ranking the flights by total score for the whole encampment. Stan/Eval will tally the results for the entire encampment, appropriately weighting formal ("Class A") inspections (ex: double or triple the normal score), and provide a list of the top 25-40% of the flights by score to the reviewing panel. The panel will weigh the differences in score, along with these outside factors (these offer good factors to consider if there is a tie, or two very close scores):

The Cadet Commander has final say in who is the honor flight. A streamer will be presented to the honor flight during pass-in-review and plaques or trophies will be presented to the flight staff (also the cadets in the flight if budget permits).

Encampment Volleyball Competition. A streamer may be presented to the flight that wins the volleyball competition (if there is one) to display on their guidon pole.

Emergency Services Awards. At an ES themed encampment, awards can be presented for land navigation skills, ground team skills, flight line supervision, survival skills, etc.

Aerospace Awards. At an aerospace themed encampment, awards may be presented for best model rocket design, highest rocket flight, longest time aloft for a paper airplane, etc.

Daily Inspection Categories. A streamer may be presented to the first place winner in each daily competition category to display on their guidon pole. Barracks, Uniforms, Knowledge, and Drill are the categories.

Individual Awards and Criteria.

Encampment Honor Cadet. Selection of the Encampment Honor Cadet must be done carefully and without prejudice. The basic criteria for selection follows:

The Honor Cadet should be the "best" cadet that the encampment has produced. It is important to remember to factor age in the decision. A 17-year-old will be maturer than a 12-year-old will. A C/MSgt knew more than a C/A1C when he arrived at encampment. The flight staff should look for the individual that has gained the most from encampment, while being a team player and motivating the flight to excel. The encampment must have been a positive and challenging experience for the individual that is selected.

After consultation with all members of the flight staff, the flight commander selects a cadet to be interviewed by the Group Commander’s Review Board (in squadron level encampments, there is no group review—skip directly to (4), the cadet commander’s board.)

The Group Commander invites at least one additional cadet staff member (preferably the executive staff) and an impartial Senior to interview cadets recommend by each flight. The review board uses the same criteria listed above and recommends one cadet to be interviewed by the Cadet Commander’s Review Board.

The Cadet Commander’s board will consist of the Encampment Commander, Commandant, Cadet Commander, and the Deputy Cadet Commander. The criteria are the same as previously listed.

Award for Academic Excellence. Awarded to the cadet with the highest final exam scores. In lieu of the exam, the encampment commander may choose other criteria for the award, or not use it at all. In the event of a tie, the board outlined in paragraph 4 above will interview the cadets.

Honor Staff Officer. Awarded to the cadet officer that demonstrated outstanding leadership skills during the encampment, along with any other appropriate criteria. The Encampment Commander, with input from the COC, C/XO and C/CC, selects this individual.

Honor Staff NCO. Awarded to the cadet NCO that demonstrated outstanding leadership skills during the encampment, along with the criteria above. The COC and Cadet Commander select this individual.

Award for Senior Leadership. Awarded to the Senior member that sets the best example for the cadet and senior staff. They exhibit good uniform practices, exemplary customs & courtesies, good training techniques, superior mentoring skills, and showed signs of improvement. The selection committee will include the Encampment Commander, Deputy Encampment Commander, and the Executive Officer.