It took me almost three years before I was allowed to wear and keep my hard earned RAF pilot's badge. Pilots could not regard the badge as truly theirs until six months productive flying service on a squadron had been achieved (combat ready, in general terms). Before the six months the badge could be rescinded. One of my colleagues made it through the Operational Conversion Unit course but never made combat ready and had to give back the 'wings' badge. He later re-roled to another, non-flying branch.