Originally Posted by mgdaviso
RAFAux or RAAuxF - The RAF's TA
Would I be right in thinking you mean the RAuxAF? (Royal Auxiliary Air Force)
Not quite the "RAF's TA......" although I know where you are coming from with that statement!
RAFR - Usually (but not always) retired or ex-RAF people, employed as (I think) J class reserve. Civil servants, limited call up liability - NOT, by any stretch of the imagination the "real" RAF
Again a little bit of confusion here.
The RAF Reserve (RAFR) is made up of many different classes which dictates the call up liability for those serving in the reserve. This ranges from the "regular Reserve" which are those who have completed their regular service engagement and are transferred to the reserve but still have a full call up liability; Sponsored Reservists (such as the Mobile Met Unit), who work for an MoD contractor (such as the Met Office) but are required to deploy on full call up liability as part of their contract; Some reservists employed by the MoD in the Military Support Function in Full Time Reserve Service on Home Commitment (ie no overseas deployment) that includes the old J class, now known as the RAFR (Civilian Component).
I think that your statement "
NOT, by any stretch of the imagination the "real" RAF." for those guys and gals of the RAFR that are serving in Basra, Kabul, Kandahar, Oman, Bosnia et al is maybe a little off target.