On Friday 11 July 2008 around 5,000 guests have been invited to the private event at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford where the new Queen's Colours will be presented to both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Air Force Regiment.The ceremony will begin with a Royal Salute and a flypast by four Typhoons from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and will also include a mass flyby of around 90 aircraft from throughtout the history of the Royal Airforce.This event will be the largest staged since the Queen conducted a Silver Jubilee review of the RAF at RAF Finningley in south Yorkshire in 1977 and is taking place the day before the main public two days at RAF Fairford where tens of thousands of people are expected to show up.
Group Captain Tony Barmby, the RAF project officer for the Queen's Colours presentation event, said: "For most RAF personnel, involvement in such a parade is a once-in-a-career experience.
"It would be easy to let the ceremonial aspects of the day eclipse the direct and hugely important link to current operations. As the historical rallying point in battle, the Queen's Colours represent that link.
"I'm very proud to have the chance to play a part," said Group Captain Barmby.
Proj O 'named and shamed' in open source on Wikipedia & BBC.co.uk (underlined for the slow-uptakers). Why can't we, as RAF Officers, let our JOs and SNCOs (the majority of them are Standard Bearers and Escorts) be responsible for their behaviour - if they f@ck up then nail them to the wall, but don't treat them like children before they've proved they are not worthy of this trust. Close supervision and a bit of leadership needed methinks...It's all too easy to impose "2 can" rules and confine them to barracks...Jeeezzz!
