New RAF Uniforms
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Great Britain
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langleybaston - not gaiters, but anklets.
The same as worn by RAF Coppers: https://wyedeanstores.com/products/s...r-force-police
Anklets. Anklets are supplied in five sizes, and should fit the wearer comfortably around the ankles without any gaps between the straps. The straps are to be outboard and pointing to the rear.
Trousers. To be folded at the ankle and tucked into the anklet and socks (or to be secured over the anklet with an elastic band or garter).
Back in the 1960s, we wore those wretched things in the school CCF and they were known as 'gaiters'. They had to be blancoed with some greenish gunk and the straps polished with brown Kiwi boot polish, the buckles brasso'd. An utter pain!
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Colloquially, the flying badge has become known as a brevet; doesn't mean this grammatically correct, but it is what most call it. A bit like a Police Constable is grammatically correctly called a Police Constable; however, it's not what most people call them.
My father always said "plane" was a big No No [like raff] in his wartime service. Banned, like hands in trouser pockets, and hats in church.
Jack
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There are some whose flying suits apear to resemble Lycra!!
I quite like some of the options, definately more practical. The uniform I was wearing by the time I left in the 2010s was completely different from the one I was given when I joined in '86; in those days we had No2 Thunderbird Jackets, trousers with a flare and big collars, all a hangover from the 70s, early 80s. Uniform change all the time albeit in a more subtle manner.
I quite like some of the options, definately more practical. The uniform I was wearing by the time I left in the 2010s was completely different from the one I was given when I joined in '86; in those days we had No2 Thunderbird Jackets, trousers with a flare and big collars, all a hangover from the 70s, early 80s. Uniform change all the time albeit in a more subtle manner.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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"airplane" is a subset of "aircraft"
</pedantic>
but yes I know what you mean
One thing I never understood though was "police officer". Is a constable an officer? or is he (yes or she) other ranks?
As for beards (I see that was 2019) . I thought they were prohibited because you couldn't wear an oxygen mask with one and it was made a one-rule-for-all type of thing (well that and to distinguish themselves from the Senior Service)
<pedantic>
"airplane" is a subset of "aircraft"
</pedantic>
but yes I know what you mean
One thing I never understood though was "police officer". Is a constable an officer? or is he (yes or she) other ranks?
As for beards (I see that was 2019) . I thought they were prohibited because you couldn't wear an oxygen mask with one and it was made a one-rule-for-all type of thing (well that and to distinguish themselves from the Senior Service)
"airplane" is a subset of "aircraft"
</pedantic>
but yes I know what you mean
One thing I never understood though was "police officer". Is a constable an officer? or is he (yes or she) other ranks?
As for beards (I see that was 2019) . I thought they were prohibited because you couldn't wear an oxygen mask with one and it was made a one-rule-for-all type of thing (well that and to distinguish themselves from the Senior Service)
Neither does having a tattooed face, or growing sideburns way past the bottom of the ears, but we still can't do that!
FWIW, the former CASWO (as it was then) visited my unit and chatted to all of us of my rank. He explained that one of the changes they were looking at was beards. Apparently, in every survey they did of those serving, beards was an issue. We of course said no, and that there were many more important issues to worry about.
Fast forward a few years, beards it is. Of course most of us were change resistant. Now, I couldn’t care. One day we couldn’t have beards, the next we could, and the world kept turning and Ops carried on. Beard or no beard, do your job to the best of your ability, that’s all I care about. I’ll let others sweat the small stuff.
Agreed, even if I could ( oxygen mask dependent) personally I wouldn’t. What others do however, that’s their business. Apparently it’s a win as far as dress policy goes, same as pony tails for ladies. If it keeps people happy and doesn’t impact on operational effectiveness then I don’t care.
In any case, it’s policy. The RAF has moved on.
There are many changes in policy since I joined in 1986 and things are remarkably better. Imagine the RAF in 1986 where we didn’t get rid of women who got pregnant. Imagine the RAF in 1986 where people who were gay weren’t thrown out.
Beards. Whatever.
In any case, it’s policy. The RAF has moved on.
There are many changes in policy since I joined in 1986 and things are remarkably better. Imagine the RAF in 1986 where we didn’t get rid of women who got pregnant. Imagine the RAF in 1986 where people who were gay weren’t thrown out.
Beards. Whatever.
Last edited by Toadstool; 27th Sep 2022 at 20:43.
it all looks dreadful. (IMHO) but that’s possibly because of the cheap manikins? (anyone else notice our new PM has more than a passing resemblance to an M&S one?)
But, hey, you know that nothing else matters as long as ‘flying suits’ can still be worn in the bar on Fridays and the pockets can be ritually torn off by fast jet mates…..
😉
Against my better judgement, since I assume we are never going to agree, here’s why. I fully concede that they have no impact on operational effectiveness, but beards simply do not belong in the Royal Air Force - they are the preserve of the Royal Navy. They look particularly scruffy IMHO with an RAF uniform. When Sir Wokeston allowed them, I believe that the argument was for ‘greater diversity and inclusivity’ (but of course), when that simply wasn’t true; they have always been allowed on religious grounds. Then there was the argument that potential recruits would be put off joining if they couldn’t keep their precious beard - well, boo hoo. You either want to join up, or you don’t; the military has rules - if you don’t like it, don’t join. The military has never been a follower of fashion, which is all that beards are - a fashion.
