Originally Posted by
4468
”Doctor” is generally a qualification. As in PhD. Corporal, Lieutenant, Admiral etc is an appointment. Once you retire you no longer hold that appointment.
People who cling to such things, having lived most of their lives through their ‘rank’ just look sad.
Though I accept my view may be influenced by my time in the Royal Air Force where many NCO techies could be better qualified than a fair few officers.
In a way, a knighthood or a peerage could be considered an appointment. After all it's not a qualification! If that tax-dodging poser Lewis Hamilton and overall dodgy bloke Philip Green can insist on the title of 'Sir'...then why shouldn't a retired officer (who has actually earned his rank) use it in retirement?!
As for Debretts snootily overlooking enlisted personnel using their ranks on retirement...they should use their own judgement and carry on anyway if they want to. It's a modern world after all, and nothing should stop a good ex-NCO using what leverage he can to get a job/role/position in the golf club!