Do CIs still get issued polo shirts and jumpers?
According to the CI conference the polo shirts are still around - though most CIās either didnāt know about them or did and wouldnāt touch them with a stick - however Iāve never seen, or even heard about, a jumper/sweatshirtā¦
Not, I should point out, that Iād wear either!
Iāve seen what I assume are new style polo shirts with āRoyal Air Force Air Cadetsā on them but have no idea how to acquire one.
Iām a fairly new CI and trying to find enough polo shirts for things like camps is proving a challenge so having two provided that I donāt have to dig into my own pocket for would be welcome.
How strange - I was issued with 2 polo shirts and a sweatshirt type jumper, once Iād passed probation. Iāve got the new style ones with Civilian Instructor on the sleeve. I must admit I do like them, loose, comfortable and saves me having to think what to wear on Parade nights! If it helps, its just over a year since I joined.
Any chance you could ask around about the process of acquiring them?
Your wing HQ order them from HQAC. They come pretty quickly but they prefer bulk orders. Some wings have a shelf stock so they can issue immediately.
Ah right, thanks for your help.
Knowing my Wing I may be in for a bit of a wait. Would it be the E1/E2 who sort that?
In our wing itās anybody at Wing HQ
You would be best just phone and ask
My OC ordered from our Wing and they came through from HQAC. Thatās all I know, but just reading the comments below, that would appear to fit with my experience.
My 2 CI polo shirts turned up 2 years after I had quit the ACO.
Even when in, Iād never have worn them.
Why are non-uniformed civilians required or expected to wear, what is in effect a corporate uniform?
A Senior Officers very good idea that no one had the balls to point out was not a good idea at all
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The wing that I am with states that all CIās are to wear polo shirt, trousers and leather shoes as the āCorporate Uniformā to all Squadron and Wing activities, I wounder how many abide by that rule.
Most CIās that I know wear their business suits or their work uniform (Pilots etc) to the Squadron since most of them come straight from work to teach cadets.
Iād bet itās not manyā¦
For me its whatever I was wearing beforehand - it night be jeans and t-shirt, it might be a shirt and smart jeans. I have the decency to get changed if Iāve be cleaning out the sileage tanks or lambing, but I try not to take it too far as it just encourages themā¦
The only absolute is the big curly sideburns.
I would have thought that if you want someone to wear a uniform, you probably ought to employ them in a uniformed role - but then Iām something of a bluff old conservative in such mattersā¦
(Anyway, polo shirt with trousers and shoes? How hideously RAF - do they specify the polyester content and the white socks as wellā¦)
I can just imagine how well a diktat like that would go down in my Wing.
I donāt expect my CIās to wear the corporate stuff as itās quite frankly very poor.
If we are doing something formal then I do expect my CIās to look the part, so if the rest of the staff are in No1ās I would want to see a shirt and tie from the CIās.
Ideally I like my CIās to wear Polo Shirts with the Sqn crest on them, most of us have enough ATC branded kit to cover a week or 2 of wear anyway and it does look better than any old stuff. But whether they wear trousers, jeans or shorts is totally upto them.
Iād prefer a different colour.