WhenUrHappy
Sadly, the FCO man was probably right to insist. A lot of ME countries are very elitist about wings - if you're not aircrew they will hardly engage with you on some issues. I've seen guys go to meetings in short sleeve dress (without wings) on one day and be almost completely blanked - only to go back the next with brevets on and get welcomed like a long lost brother (with words like "we didn't realise you were aircrew").
So I guess there are 2 choices - either give out wings to everyone like the US do or give these types of jobs to aircrew only...
LJ