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USAFA Cadet Prior Service Ribbon Rack


DutchInfid3l
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DutchInfid3l

I had seen this photo posted on Reddit yesterday; the caption being "I work at the Air Force Academy. Yesterday we got new recruits, this photo says it all"

While it's a humorous photo, my eyes went straight to his prior service rack and asked the question "why does he have two OLC on his BMT ribbon, I've only ever seen 1 for prior enlisted with officer training. Also, why is he wearing a star on his NDSM? To be eligible for admissions to the academy you cannot be older than 23 and based on this cadets rank he is a firstie so he would be no older than 27, thus being born about 1990.

Am I missing something? Thoughts?

 

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DutchInfid3l

I meant prior enlisted, not prior service. Sorry. I've had someone mention that he must've received each of the OLC from BMT, prep school and the academy training. Prep school? That's a first hearing for me and doesn't make sense, I can't say I know much about the academy prep school but for what little I DO know is that it's just a prep for those that haven't been in a school environment in a while and to get you more college inclined.

An OLC yes; BMT for the ribbon and an OLC for the academy BMT.

 

If you're prior enlisted you can get an OLCon your BMT ribbon for academy, ROTC and OTS.

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DutchInfid3l

The Air Force Training ribbon (basic training ribbon=BMT ribbon)... the blue ribbon with two yellow and one red stripe, for completing AF basic training/officer training.

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uniformcollector

The Air Force Training ribbon (basic training ribbon=BMT ribbon)... the blue ribbon with two yellow and one red stripe, for completing AF basic training/officer training.

Stupid question, but don't you technically show that you have completed basic training by wearing an Air Force uniform? Do they really need to add a ribbon for that?

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Stupid question, but don't you technically show that you have completed basic training by wearing an Air Force uniform? Do they really need to add a ribbon for that?

The Army does the same with the "Army Service Ribbon". Utterly absurd clutter that is completely meaningless. Really wish they'd do away with all these useless ribbons.

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firefighter

Stupid question, but don't you technically show that you have completed basic training by wearing an Air Force uniform? Do they really need to add a ribbon for that?

I have said the same exact thing. A needless ribbon. But that's a different thread.

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The Air Force Training ribbon (basic training ribbon=BMT ribbon)... the blue ribbon with two yellow and one red stripe, for completing AF basic training/officer training.

Thank you for the explanation.

 

Chris

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Not meaningless. Not useless.

 

When the Air Force Training Ribbon was created back in the 1980s, it represented those of us who volunteered for service during the All Volunteer Training Concept.

 

Consider this, you have to complete the training to earn it as opposed to serving one day on active duty to earn a National Defense Service Medal under the current state of affairs. Which has more or less meaning? Certainly the Army has the Army Service Ribbon, but the Marines award the globe and anchor device for the same purpose.

 

This Air Force ribbon was created about the same time that the Air Force Overseas Long and Short Tour ribbons were created. They originally represented overseas service during the Cold War. Now, obviously, the criteria has expanded. The training ribbon is awarded for completion of things like BMT, OTS, AF Academy, Medical Officer or Legal Officer Orientation, and there are some Desert Storm veterans who only earned an AF Overseas Ribbon for being in or near the theater of operations because it is mostly awarded for those overseas tours that are not represented by a service medal.

 

Oak leaf clusters are awarded for completion of additional accession training programs. He could have completed basic training in another service before coming to the Air Force and repeating it. I had prior service members of other services in my BMT flight back in the 70s.

 

The cadet obviously is prior enlisted. The badge means he was at one point an air traffic controller. He earned a Commendation Medal, two AF Outstanding Unit Awards and an AF Organizational Excellence Award. The star on the NDSM means Desert Storm and Global War on Terrorism.

 

My guess is that this cadet had an interesting career leading to the Academy and that this photo is probably about a decade old.

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One other comment. A little Air Force humor.

 

The colors of the Air Force Training Ribbon: the blue represents the color of the service we joined, the yellow is the streak up our backs from the TI and the red represents the blood shed on the obstacle course.

 

If you learn nothing else from military service, you got to have a sense of humor.

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firefighter

One other comment. A little Air Force humor.

 

The colors of the Air Force Training Ribbon: the blue represents the color of the service we joined, the yellow is the streak up our backs from the TI and the red represents the blood shed on the obstacle course.

 

If you learn nothing else from military service, you got to have a sense of humor.

LOL!! Never heard that one. I got one back in '82. But I stil think its a needless ribbon, but that's my opinion. The one thing I remember from BMT is, How Many New Air Will Get Sex First. Does anyone remember what it means? That and 241's, still have my original one.

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