Acting Plt Off beret badge: white backing disk or not?

[wilf_san]

The dress-regs for previous-arrangements covering OCdt RAFVRT/Acting Plt Off RAFVRT required such individuals to wear a white disk behind their beret badges (in an RAF College IOT style).

Conversely: OCdts/APOs VRT, and Acting Plt Off RAFAC, unlike Officer Cadets at RAFC Cranwell, didn’t/don’t wear white bands on their hats other than when attending OIC at ATF Cranwell.

So- do current Acting Pilot Officers / APOs RAFAC wear a white disk behind their beret badges (pre- OIC): yes or no?

nb I’m struggling to find a totally up-to-date AP1358C online

[AlexCorbin]

Nope only at ATF. Just need to wear their baby tapes

[Squadgy]

Acting Pilot Officers / APOs RAFAC

I’m confused, are you suggesting a distinction exists ?

[A400m]

I cannot recall having ever seen that outside of ATF - I believe they do it there to conform to Cranwell’s regulations. The disk looks awful anyway, I’m sure even if it were the rule that nobody would wear it at their squadron.

[wilf_san]

I’m confused, are you suggesting a distinction exists ?

No, I’m just using both abbreviations, since APO has traditionally been a UAS shortform abbreviation (albeit one that seems to be quite commonly used now also within RAFAC).

I cannot recall having ever seen that outside of ATF - I believe they do it there to conform to Cranwell’s regulations.

No, it definitely was officially meant to be worn by OCdts VRT. I was chewed-off once by a former WWO for not wearing it on my beret, when I was an OCdt. I always did, from that point (seemed odd, when there was NO equivalent requirement to wear white hatbands on sqn).

Does anyone know: do DEs to the RAFVR(T) still need to become that strange hybrid rank of OCdt-and-APO, or do they join as either APO/Plt Off?

And presumably ex-RAF/ex-RAFR go in directly as substantive Fg Offs…

[Squadgy]

Does anyone know: do DEs to the RAFVR(T) still need to become that strange hybrid rank of OCdt-and-APO, or do they join as either APO/Plt Off?

All students are classed as OCdts at the RAF College and wear white tabs, discs and bands regardless of their method of entry.

[Squadgy]

@wilf_san

And presumably ex-RAF/ex-RAFR go in directly as substantive Fg Offs…

Allow this to mess with your head for a short while…

[Farmerdan]

Transfer in from the ranks as a pilot in the AAC?

[A400m]

Surely he’d keep his AAC brevet if that were the case?

[Cadet04]

I’m fairly sure they don’t as I seem to recall a Wg Cdr who was ex FAA/AAC only wearing an RAF brevet upon transferring.

[grounded]

And presumably ex-RAF/ex-RAFR go in directly as substantive Fg Offs…

Yes, straight in as Fg Offs without a white stripe in sight. Recommissioning ex-VRT substantive Fg Off would do the same.

[NivlacSupreme]

Didn’t we have this conversation before and figure out that there are, in fact, white-backed flying officer slides that are used down at Cranwell?

[GrandMaster_Flush]

Yes.

And they look just as gopping as anything else with white on it of that ilk.

[grounded]

Didn’t we have this conversation before and figure out that there are, in fact, white-backed flying officer slides that are used down at Cranwell?

Do you mean the slides worn by Officer Cadets on IOT during their third term? They have Fg Off tape on them, but definitely an Officer Cadet rank slide.