Originally Posted by MLS-12D
Sigh ... I'll try again.
I do not believe that RAFVR(T) members are bad people, or that they have anything to be ashamed of. They help children learn about flying and the military, and I'm all for that.
I suspect that most people would agree with the following propositions:
(1) a PPL has a pilot license, but nowhere near the amount of knowledge, skill and experience as that of an ATPL;
(2) an RAFVR(T) member has a commission, but nowhere near the amount of knowledge, skill and experience as that of an RAF or RAuxAF officer.
There is an apparent double standard between an RAFVR(T) member wearing mess kit - which people seem to think shows commendable enthusiasm - and a PPL who wishes to wear eppaulettes - which people seem to think is completely beyond the pale. Personally, I think that both are rather pretentious, but (as I've said repeatedly) harmless ... anyone who wants to do either won't get an argument from me.
Hang on - a RAFVR(T) officer has his/her stripes presented to him/her on commision, by the Armed Forces. Yes, to spend evenings/weekends training kids, but they still have a commision. They are therefore required to wear their stripe/stripes/braid etc.
But a PPL doesn't get awarded any form of uniform, so therefore any PPL wearing stripes is doing so for their own reasons. Whatever they may be! They can wear whatever they want - but wearing lots of stripes to look like a 747 captain (or whatever) when in reality all you're doing is flying a Cessna 152, PA-28 etc strikes me as rather silly. Unless you're Polly Vacher, which a lot of people aren't.
As for mess dress - if you're in the mess, shouldn't you wear....mess dress? Most VRT officers have to buy their own DPM (green) kit, it's not standard issue
AFAIK and not mandatory. Would you therefore argue that a VRT officer on exercise, out in the fields, with his/her cadets, wearing suitable gear which is OPTIONAL is pretentious? They'd look silly in blues.
Hobbit (PPL, never with stripes, and ex-RAFVR(T)! - one small blue stripe with the chaos pin)