So, I was once told that ‘Civilian Instructor’ is an Appointment, not a title or a rank, and so John Smith is a CI, he is not CI Smith (despite virtually every WSO and WROs from every Wing I’ve been part of referring to them this way). He should be referred to using his Civilian Title (the most common obviously being Mr, Mrs, Miss, or occasionally Dr). Is this true? I assume it’s in an ACP / AP somewhere.
(Background, I am one of those unusual Dr CIs, and my Sqn OC said I shouldn’t use Dr Smith in my email signature when dealing with Sqn matters, citing the case of senior Police Officers who are CIs not using their police ranks, and still being referred to as Mr / CI; the rebuttal to this is that if they were to leave the police, they would be referred to as Mr in their new civilian job, but my civilian title is Dr, which I can use, if I wish, in any job).
This might seem pedantic (as a lot of things on ACC are ), but I’d just like to know what the books actually say…
no idea what the book says, but my certificate says - i think - ‘appointed as’…
i’m also a Dr, its not something i use in conversation or something i have put on my chequebook, but i will admit to using it when the saddo’s were out in force.
i’m thinking of the double glazing salesman who spent 15 minutes lecturing a police officer on the definition of fraud…
Yeh, I seem to remember my certificate being “appointed as a Civilian Instructor”, but I didn’t know what that actually meant…
I got into the habit of using my title because of still working in academia, when it’s seen as abnormal not to use Dr in email signatures and when referring to people in (semi-)formal documents; I do know plenty of people in industry who don’t use the title tho.
[quote=“ccw34” post=9598]
(Background, I am one of those unusual Dr CIs, and my Sqn OC said I shouldn’t use Dr Smith in my email signature when dealing with Sqn matters, citing the case of senior Police Officers who are CIs not using their police ranks, and still being referred to as Mr / CI; the rebuttal to this is that if they were to leave the police, they would be referred to as Mr in their new civilian job, but my civilian title is Dr, which I can use, if I wish, in any job).[/quote]
Your rebuttal is correct, your Sqn OC is wrong, and, if they argue otherwise you could use the opportunity to explain how you earned the right to use the title, and how they are confusing a title with an organisation’s rank.
Is the Sqn Cdr green (with envy), or just ignorant?
[quote=“ccw34” post=9598]So, I was once told that ‘Civilian Instructor’ is an Appointment, not a title or a rank, and so John Smith is a CI, he is not CI Smith (despite virtually every WSO and WROs from every Wing I’ve been part of referring to them this way). He should be referred to using his Civilian Title (the most common obviously being Mr, Mrs, Miss, or occasionally Dr). Is this true? I assume it’s in an ACP / AP somewhere.
(Background, I am one of those unusual Dr CIs, and my Sqn OC said I shouldn’t use Dr Smith in my email signature when dealing with Sqn matters, citing the case of senior Police Officers who are CIs not using their police ranks, and still being referred to as Mr / CI; the rebuttal to this is that if they were to leave the police, they would be referred to as Mr in their new civilian job, but my civilian title is Dr, which I can use, if I wish, in any job).
This might seem pedantic (as a lot of things on ACC are ), but I’d just like to know what the books actually say…[/quote]
Out of interest are you a medical Dr or an academic Dr ? Personally I think any of the following would be acceptable as an email signature. All are technically correct.
John Smith
Civilian Instructor
123 (Anytown) Sqn
Dr John Smith
Civilian Instructor
123 (Anytown) Sqn
Mr John Smith PhD
Civilian Instructor
123 (Anytown) Sqn
I’m a PhD Dr (technically, medical Drs’ titles are honorary because they don’t hold a Doctorate - a medical degree is actually only a Bachelors degree, but that’s a different debate…!). I’d been using the following signature
Dr J Smith
Squadron Training Officer [because I am!]
123 (Anytown) Squadron
Maybe I should actually explicitly state somewhere in there that I’m a CI too? I’d never really thought about it before!
[quote=“ccw34” post=9610]I’m a PhD Dr (technically, medical Drs’ titles are honorary because they don’t hold a Doctorate - a medical degree is actually only a Bachelors degree, but that’s a different debate…!). I’d been using the following signature
Dr J Smith
Squadron Training Officer [because I am!]
123 (Anytown) Squadron
Maybe I should actually explicitly state somewhere in there that I’m a CI too? I’d never really thought about it before![/quote]
Really that should be just
Dr J SMITH PhD
Squadron Training Officer [because you are]
123 (Anytown) Squadron
There is no need to write CI. The lack of a military rank signifies that.
Dr J SMITH PhD
Squadron Training Officer [because you are]
123 (Anytown) Squadron
There is no need to write CI. The lack of a military rank signifies that.[/quote]
I think using both Dr and PhD is unnecessary as they denote the same thing. My understanding is that you may use one or other but it is incorrect to use both together.
FYI here is what JSP 101 - Defence Writing Guide has to say on email signatures.
Ending and signature block.
If your letter begins ‘Dear name’, end with ‘Yours sincerely’. If you begin in any other way, end with ‘Yours faithfully’. If you didn’t use a greeting, don’t use an ending. Sign the letter and add a signature block that shows your initials and surname, military rank (omit your grade if you are a Civil servant), and job title (unless this appears in the letter head):
J D Smith
Squadron Leader
Appeals Supervisor
Ms J D Smith
Appeals Supervisor
Signature block.
Set up a signature block in MS Outlook (select Tools, Options, Mail Format, Signatures, Create Signature) and set the signature to appear in new messages, replies or forwards. Include your name, rank, job title, address, full-figure military and civilian telephone numbers, DII and individual work email addresses.
The example quoted by MB is an excellent example. Most users of the defence email system just end with “Regards” and the email signature block nowadays is huge to fit in all the contact methods. JSP out of date… :lol:
[quote]Dr J Smith (or J Smith PhD)
Civilian Instructor
Training Officer
123 (Anytown) Sqn[/quote]
Gets my vote - although as Dr J Smith not J Smith PhD - post nominals are for letterheads but not signature blocks.
They may not technically hold a Doctorate, but they’d argue that you aren’t a Doctor! :lol: :lol:
I think this is one of those fuzzy logic times - Yes Adult SNCOs are appointed to the ACO and are not part of the military, they are members of a cadet corps. However the the Corps grants them the permission to use the status of Sgt(ATC), FS(ATC) or WO(ATC) for use within the corps. Same would apply to CIs so it is okay to use on signature blocks.
Considering the variety of signature blocks I’ve seen floating around the corps I don’t think it matters too much as not many people appear to have read JSP 101 anyway.
[quote]Dr J Smith (or J Smith PhD)
Civilian Instructor
Training Officer
123 (Anytown) Sqn[/quote]
Gets my vote - although as Dr J Smith not J Smith PhD - post nominals are for letterheads but not signature blocks.
They may not technically hold a Doctorate, but they’d argue that you aren’t a Doctor! :lol: :lol:[/quote]
When they become a surgeon, do they change their signature block to say ‘Mr’ ?
), but I’d just like to know what the books actually say…
