Originally Posted by
ExAscoteer
I joined my UAS as an APO in August 1981 and had no letter in my Service Number. By late 1981 / early 1982 I had a letter suffix added to my Service Number. At the same time the Cadet Pilots had a letter prefix added to their Service Numbers.
I was told it was something to do with the Pay Computer.
FWIW, the old man had a 6 digit number as NCO aircrew which was then changed to a completely new number when commissioned during the Second World War, no letters involved. Mind you, he also had to change his Stalag Luft IVb prisoner number when he swapped places with a fusilier in Stalag IVd so that he could escape, and at 91 he can still remember all of them!
You know you're getting old when you remember that you didn't have a service number: Naval Officers were only issued them in times of hostilities and the cold war didn't count.