Many guys who work in the joint environment want to know that you are aircrew if you have some kind of direct liason in which your expertise is important to them. Most people will apportion variable credibilty to advice depending on the person and their level of knowledge. It was put to me very succinctly in a conversation where some gentlemen said "How am I supposed to know who you are and what you do, you're just another blue-suiter to me!"
The Paras wear wings, and they are proud of it. The Marines wear daggers and the regiments (and now the RAF) wear flashes and are proud of it. Many air forces (RAAF, USAF etc..) have got badges to wear on blues, they are obviously proud too! Of course, there are times when wearing them would be foolish, like if you are prone to capture, but in general they are to be worn because it is who we are. The problem is the RAF is so fluffy-wuffy that the chaps without wings get terribly put-out when someone is around who is wearing a set. I make no apology for the fact they are a status symbol - it is part of our history.
We've worked our socks off to get our wings. Either get some yourself or stop whineing.
Rant over.