Honorary Doctors and Dentists - Why?

AP 1919

  1. Appointment of Honorary Officers. Sqn committees, in consultation with sqn cdrs, may recommend doctors and dentists for honorary appointment. These are not commissioned appointments and the incumbents do not wear uniform unless appointed to undertake normal ATC activities.

Why would a Doctor or Dentist be made an Honorary Officer? Why are they specifically mentioned as being suitable for honorary appointment but other professions are not? What role would a Doctor or Dentist in such a capacity undertake?

I can understand if we were St John Ambulance Cadets, but I fail to see what relevance these honorary appointments have.

It doesn’t mention that they have to be medical doctors, so for those members of RAFAC who are PhD holders (I know of 4: 2 commissioned, 1 SNCO, 1 CI), does this mean the non-commissioned ones can automatically become honorary officers? :thinking:

Probably harks back to an era when they were generally respected.

And so they should be

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Dentists? :joy:

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What if I got a PhD in Media Studies… I could tick both the NCO and Officer boxes at the same time :wink:

Yeh, like the other SNCO PhD holder I know…

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Although, if you have a PhD and visit an RAF base as a civilian for professional reasons, I’ve heard that you’d be put up in the Officers’ Mess - so this does correlate

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I just don’t understand the logic in appointing someone with medical qualifications as an honorary member of an organisation for air minded youth. Why not allow appointment of Airline Pilots etc ?

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Similar to what @Tango_Foxtrot said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was left in the AP from a time before Airline Pilots really existed…

Dentistry is a tough path, you know!

I’m sure I remember reading long ago in some ACP that Doctors and Dentists were prevented from holding a VR(T) commission, being seen as more use in other branches potentially, but if they wanted to be involved could have this quasi Officer position, is this still the source?

Lesson 1 - Brush
Lesson 2 - Floss

Done!

:joy::joy::joy:

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What a brilliant idea. :wink:

Hahahaha, aviation related. Made me giggle. Never catch on!

Assuming you’re not one of the 4, that’s now 5 I know of :tada: :mortar_board: