New RAF Rank?
 

Have just watched a news item regarding the repatriation of those unfortunate Brits that were murdered in Tunisia. I noticed among the RAF pallbearers a couple of airmen with single chevrons on their sleeves. Is this a new rank?

Did they have RAF Regiment 'mudguards' at the top of their sleeves?

The RAF Reg have had Lance Corporals for a while now, to give them equivalency with the Army, who they often operate with. "He is a Senior SAC" doesn't cut it when working with an organisation not renowned for their flexibility nor intelligence.

Back when I served on TSW (a unit who also spent a large amount of their time working alongside the Army) 'Senior SACs' would occasionally be given Acting Corporal rank in order that they could run dets on ops/exercises and have some semblance of rank to deal with the Army.

The Helpful Stacker is correct, the RAF Regiment have had Lance Corporal for the last few years. If memory serves it's a local acting unpaid rank and is done to allow a senior SAC gunner to act as a section 2IC, exactly as a Lance Corporal would do in the Infantry. It is done for valid operational reasons, especially when working with the Army.

Thanks to both. Have been out to long. I understand the Junior Tech rank has disappeared as well. Changes to many for an old fella!:confused:

This makes my blood boil. If our system is lacking, and clearly it is, then the rank, responsibility, and pay should be given. I have no issue with said rank being the exclusive domain of the RAF Regt, though these days multi-service operations/exercises, indeed squadrons are the norm, and if the 'need' extends to other trades, then the RAF should formally adopt the rank of Lance Corporal - NOW.

senior senior aircraftsman.....

The rank of LCpl is not awarded locally. LCpl in the Army, RM and RAF all sit in the same pay grade, which incidentally also covers SAC and JT (the few that are left).

My Dad was a Lance Corporal in the RAF Regiment in the Second World War. He got paid a little extra.

Yozzer,
speaking of unpaid ranks whe I was a J/T on 92 I had an 'oversigning chit' which gave me the responsibilities of a Corporal without either the prestige of the rank or the pay. I wonder if this system is still in operation.

Don't forget SAC Tech, another relatively new rank.

Ty Downsizer

Ok, true not a rank but an insignia, just like a chief tech?

PS, would an SAC(T) continue to wear that insignia after a successful change of trade?

SAC Tech is not a rank. It is an attainment of technical competency. The sit exactly level with non-technical SACs and therefore are....SACs.

As a former rock I was interested to learn that. In the immediate period after its formation in 1942 RAF Regiment personnel wore khaki battledress but with blue insignia. I guess the Lance Corporal rank "came across" from the army but was dropped fairly early on, until its reintroduction a few years back.

(PS - wrong thread P-N?) ;)

Chf Tech is a recognised rank though and has powers of command over Sgts.

If an SAC Tech remustered they would only become an SAC Tech again if they remustered to a technical trade and completed the requisite requirements to be classed as a tech in the new trade.

I had one in 1956!

Does that make my chit senior to yours? :ok:

IAN,
my chit was issued in 1962 on 92 Sqn. So yours is definitely the senior.
We were both robbed ! When I suggested to the ENG O that he get me acting paid rank he thought that I should have been proud to have been so 'selected' !

It would appear the pay is the same.....:ok:

Royal Air Force Pay Scales 2015 - 2016 - Armed Forces - RAF Officers Pay Rates - Other Ranks Pay Rates

Army Pay Scales 2015 - 2016 - Armed Forces - British Army Officers Pay Rates - Soldiers rates of pay Other Ranks Pay Rates

The RAF has always undervalued technical skills.

In the USAF, anyone with the technical skills of a J/T or today's SAC(T) is in the Sergants Mess! In the RAF he's not even in the Cpl's Club.

Clarification please.

In the army lance-corporal is a rank, not an appointment, this was introduced many years ago.

Is the RAF Regiment lance-corporal a rank or an appointment? I suspect the latter, thus no equality in fact.

As it demonstrated in the 1964 re-org. of ranks. Hasn't got it right since, it would seem

Wrong, LCpl is a rank and all gunners now pass through it on the way to Cpl.