Checking on a potential 'Mitty'
 

I have been asked about how to identify whether a certain individual is who they say they are.

He is signing emails as Wing Commander xxxx xxxx with no (Retired) at the end.
Can find his service number and name in the London Gazette with a promotion to Flt Lt as a short service commission but no letter associated with the number which appears at little odd. Date of entry there is 1979.
Nothing after this date to show his promotion beyond that date.
He is suspected of retiring as a Flt Lt and then working in a civil service role in a commensurate SO1 post and therefore using Wing Commander.

I suggested to my colleague to contact RAF Disclosures at RAF Cranwell who were not interested and suggest that my colleague called the police.

The likely first question will be what evidence do you have...

Linked to this, (Retd) as I understand it, should only be used if the person retired from the substantive rank and not a civil service equivalent. So even if he did retire as a civil servant in a SO1 role, Wing Commander is not correct. And the abscence of (Retd) is a definite no no.

Any other suggestions other than approaching the individual directly as it is a rather delicate position the said person is applying for and want to keep relationships open. However, the alarm bells are ringing that this person isn't who they say they are.

Thanks in advance

Actually the correct styles are:

Wg Cdr, RAF or Wg Cdr, RAFR
or when retired Wg Cdr

As an SO1, was he uniformed or not?

I have seen guys in civil service MSF posts use a rank - and not always with (redt) which is probably incorrect but I have never seen one claim to be at a rank above that at which he retired. That is plain naughty whether he is an SO1 post or not.

It may have been a Military Support Function (MSF) post he was in. He may have been required to wear a uniform in that rank even though he was technically CS at SO1 level.

Pedant mode - a retired officer should NOT use the abbreviation Retd (or equivalent) after his name unless it would cause confusion within an organisation (for example, ex wg cdr now working within government with the equivalent status of a flt lt). However, a retired officer shall not be identified as Wg Cdr M Mouse RAF, he needs to bin the RAF bit. So, it is perfectly acceptable for a retired officer to call himself Wg Cdr W Mitty as long as he actually held the rank. There's a whole argument about use of rank however I can say, as a retired officer, it is sometimes useful for people to know your 'form'.

Turning to your particular Walt, ask him what was his last tour and when.

Here's an interesting one - ex RAF senior officer who is now an RAFVR(T) fg off. What rank should he hold, and when. :)

What about ranks below squadron leader? I was always under the impression that below that rank (or equivalent) it was not correct to use former service rank, but when I was a member of the RAF Club they used to write to me as Flight Lieutenant T. Tankertrash. Was that incorrect? Never use it myself - don't think it would impress anyone!

I would have kept the Flt Lt bit and changed away from Tankertrash by deed poll. :)

I've got one of those names that you always have to spell for people. Tankertrash would be a much simpler choice!

I'm impressed...............

Will pm you the address for the cheque

TTN I too thought this was the case, but my old man retired as a Flt Lt (RAFVR) and was allowed to keep his substantive rank.


I thought he may be winding me up but it is actually gazetted thus....


He never uses it obviously.

I stand to be corrected but once I saw that flt lt was correct but captain was not. Possibly because a retired captain from the Blues and Royals might be confused with a real captain :).

The same source had flt lt RAF to take precedence after Lt RN but ahead of Mr rtd.

BTW, when working with green as CS they were totally confused by our status which was as RAFR and not RAF Retd. We had to keep telling them we were commissioned into the RAFR and had the scrolls to prove it.

Talking of captains, I see that BALPA has now a (presumably) different admin officer. I'm retired now and have associate membership. Every time the BALPA magazine arrived, it was addressed to Capt xxx. The latest one is Mr. xxx. There goes my last link with commercial aviation.

Flt Lt Herod (now I know I can use it)

Airpolice, no. Completely separate issue, I hadn't heard of your case/issue.

All, thanks for the comments & feedback. Very useful.

Is individual in an RO / MSF or CS post?

If so then a conversation is appropriate. If not, ignore him as a dull mitty.

Job jobbed.

CS at SO1 level. Hmmm I know a few civil servants insist that as a C1 grade (SEO I think?) they are wing commanders and will be treated as such, with all sorts of foot stomping and other displays of what I recall being described as 'Airmen tendencies' when they either aren't treated as such or are given the appropriate workload.

So just what is the appropriate reposte to such a claim? I know what I'd like to say, but that would probably lead to a complaint.

Re the service number - officers did not have letters before their number until sometime later than '79. Apparently it was something to do with the introduction of some calculating machine or other that could not cope with people only having numbers (queue 'I'm not a number.......') so we all got 'issued' with a letter as well. I also believe that there is some calculation you (or said calculating machine) can use with your number to come up with the letter. so why we had to have them I never really understood.

Been there and Shackman:

As PMRAFNS officers, we only had a 7 figure number and no letters in 1982.

OMG! It must be Groundhog Day.....:ugh:

Jack

My service number has a letter and I was commissioned before 1979.

Anyone using their military rank post-retirement form the military, is sad IMHO.

However, someone felt it worthy of an FOI: https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...ervice_001.pdf

Sun Who