langleybaston - not gaiters, but anklets.

The same as worn by RAF Coppers: https://wyedeanstores.com/products/s...r-force-police

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!

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.

A bit like a synonym; plane for aeroplane or airplane or aircraft. We all know what they mean.
​​​

Jesus worked with plane and lathe, so we are informed.
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.

These are the only gaiters, which were worn by officers on ceremonial occasions, such as in guards of honour or when parading the Queen's Colour, and also by gunnery instructors, vide https://www.cetomilitaria.co.uk/ours...nial-1949.html

Jack

But not beards, sadly

Can I ask why?

I joined in 1980 and, although we had Thunderbird jackets, they were less popular than the wooly pully (crew-necked iteration and no flying badges then); trousers were definitely not flared and collars were the same length as they were when I left in 2011. These uniforms (hopefully they're all intended to be worn with trousers) looks like we've re-invented a perfectly functional wheel.

<pedantic>

"airplane" is a subset of "aircraft"

</pedantic>

but yes I know what you mean :p



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)

Hands in beards, or beards in church?

I can’t have a beard because it interferes with the fit of my oxygen mask. My question about beards is why are people concerned about them. Is there anecdotal evidence that it degrades operational effectiveness? Rhetorical of course because no, of course it doesn’t. In which case, what is the issue?

Neither does having a tattooed face, or growing sideburns way past the bottom of the ears, but we still can't do that!

Thank God. But give it time, I’m sure it’s on the SLT’s very important to do list.

Put a request in if that’s what you want. Still waiting to see what is wrong with beards.

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.

itchy scratchy and harbour old food and young animals

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.

SB.

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.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....68abe55da.jpeg
If it was ok for the King…