At the risk of fuelling the debate rather than just letting it stale out perhaps a little balance is called for.
First a disclaimer - it wasn't my idea, I have never had anything to do with the Dress Regs Committee.
But I have had lots to do with promoting the good name of the RAF in the public eye and one of the constant bugbears has been getting them to realise that not everybody in combat kit is a soldier. The evidence is compelling: Foot & Mouth was clearly only dealt with by the Army; During FRESCO we went to extra lengths to paint Royal Air Force on the Green Goddess so that we could take our share of the public's grateful pride in their Armed Forces. This initiative isn't about being recognised by Rupert from the Wegiment or by Abdullah or, heaven forbid, by some baccy chewing red-neck Spam. Its all about promoting an image of a Service and reminding the folk out there that not only the Army are involved in operations and assistance to the community.
I too have been mistaken for an RAC man - an illusion instantly dispelled when my own car failed to start having been turned off during a refuelling stop at a Service area on the way back from a meeting with ........... you guessed - the Army. (nice chaps but I wouldn't want to breed from them)
