Originally Posted by
PingDit
The guys were definitely RAF as I know the local station well. I also asked them questions about their trade which left me in no doubt that they were indeed serving. The pony tail was very short, bunched on top of his head and I guess he could remove the lip rings for work. It just seems that standards have slipped so much.
That's more correctly called a 'topknot', rather than a ponytail. It doesn't take particularly long hair to be able to have that style (though it does take a certain absence of sense), so I have little doubt that the guy would be able to abide by QRs when in uniform.
As for the lip ring, if the piercing is pre-existing to his time in uniform, then it's a permanent hole. Again, when not in uniform he can do what he likes with that.
Standards have slipped? Or perhaps the modern RAF is more inclusive and puts more emphasis on what a person can do in their trade, rather than looking pretty for a parade?