To be fair, I’d say this is an incredible simple rule…
“If you want to wear this uniform then you buy shirts which meet these criteria; otherwise don’t.”
Totally simple.
I have absolutely no time for those people complaining about it.
I appreciate that mine is an unpopular opinion but in this case I really don’t care.
A brand is only worthwhile if it’s consistent. I suspect that my opinion is rooted in many years of graphics experience and in particular from dealing with clients with absolutely no understanding but who think they know best.
Part of my opinion is also based around the fact that these people never had authority to go creating their own “squadrons identities”, squadron colours, &c in the first place… So to complain because they are being told that they can’t wear their unauthorized uniform is like complaining that they can’t wear orange and yellow shirts instead of blues…
This is predicated on the assumption that authority was required in a time when squadrons and wings were very much left to their own defivices to develop a professional and consistent identity, wven if that consistency was at a squadron level.financially, they are still on their own and that is a major part of the issue here - if we were provided with the clothing that this rule mandates, as is the case for the regular RAF whose regulations they honestly are, there would be less of an issue.
Remember too that this cancer of the RAF corporate identity being applied to the ATC is a relatively recent phenomenon.
The answer is relatively simple: do not wear 3A. Instead, consider carrying the activity in civilian dress with a civilian top bearing squadron branding.
You see, I wouldn’t describe it as a cancer; I’d say that we finally have a decent brand.
The old Tutor logo and the blue and yellow colour pallette were god awful. Surpassed in their hideousness only by some of the absolute carp I’ve seen individual squadrons creating.
But to what end? We don’t recruit at a National Level, we don’t do our fundraising at a National Level, we do it all at a local level.
A local brand is arguably of more use that the National one, I need to distinguish my unit from my other local ATC & CCfF units in the eyes of the local sponsors (where the majority of my cash comes from) and the local kids, which is where my Cadets come from.
We could easily maintain 3A and be less restrictive. Allow it with any Squadron Polo or T-Shirt for local events. (Which means we can use the same Squadron Shirts which most units use for Inter-Unit Sports etc).
If it’s a big enough event that we need a National Brand the shirt is likely to be created specifically for the event anyway. (You know like RIAT…)
I can’t think of anything we do with other local ATC units which would be suitable for 3A.
I can think of a few things we do on our own in the community where 3A could be appropriate and where having locals know which unit it is would be beneficial when it comes to fundraising and recruitment.
(At my old unit there were a few things where all units could have work 3A but these were competitions so again being different would have been a bonus).
But nobody outside of us cares or pays any attention.
The branding is only for us. And that’s where it falls down, because none of us really care either.
We all know perfectly well that if we turn up an event in DPM/MTP then it doesn’t matter what else we do, we’ll be called the Army. That’s because people on the outside don’t give a flying proverbial.
Let’s hope so!
Many Sqn badges are simply gopping.
They should at Least…
Use the correct Crown.
Use correct font.
Correct circlet colour.
Not fill the circlet, I.e. the Sqn design bit should have white all around it.
I couldn’t however give 2 figs about…
Heraldic crud.
Latin or english mottos.
No need for college of arms to sign off.
But if HQAC had their badge volunteer sign each one off as meeting standards at least if you placed 1 badge next to another it would look like we came from the same organisation!
You can’t even get the 6 Regions to abide by those rules, nor the 30+ wings for that matter.
You also have Squadrons using RAF Blue Badges, at least one of which does so because it was agreed that they would when the RAF disbanded the Squadron!
The only thing that can effectively be done with Squadron Badges is a blanket amnesty on the ones currently in existence with the rules being enforced for any new ones.
So if your breaking the “rules” now crack on just let us know what you have and if you want to change it in the future here are the rules.
Anything else would just be a huge mess and realistically would be unenforceable as most units would just go “and what” to which their is no real response.
I disagree entirely.
If Sqns (and by default you mean ocs) are allowed to directly and openly disobey then we are no longer a military organisation in the slightest.
Simple edict from HQAC required, promulgated via wings.
Stating all badges must conform to this minimum standard OR the college of arms standard.
3 years to comply.
Thereafter, non compliance will be dealt with by the CoC. I.e. OCs replaced and if necessary disband units.
3 years is more than enough time to edit a badge and reprint gizzets.
It quite frankly is unacceptable that simple rules are not followed and enforced.
I despise units which feel they dont have to follow the rules, dont wear uniforms, only do AT or ‘we are a sports Sqn’. Etc etc.
No. You want to be in the Corps, then follow the ACPs. Dont want to. Then naff off and join the local youth club.
Cant say scouts because even they have centrally enforced rules which are followed.
Sports Sqn’s are all the rage now, back in my day we didn’t do half the sports we do now. We used to take pride in our uniform and drill, now we are forever telling cadets to turn the iron on first and when we do have a uniform night not many cadets turn up cos they know it will involve some sort of drill
We aren’t a military organisation in the slightest, we are a youth organisation with a military theme, even more so today than in the past.
How long have London and South East Region had their current badge? How long have Dorset & Wilts had theirs?
You can’t not have any rules for 70 years and then go “right we are changing this”. Maybe as an organisation those above should be focussed on fixing the genuine issues the organisation has rather than changing things that don’t affect the National Organisation in the slightest.
It just takes the urine, how HQAC picks and chooses which of its arbitrary rules it enforces.
Then if as an OC you say to hell with one of them, you know damn well some egit will whine about it. Yet if you follow them all, at great cost and effort there is seemingly no recognition.
I think there needs to be a more pragmatic approach to things though. I.e. introduce 3a as the standard Public Engagement uniform into the dress regs with a directive similar to something like you have until Feb 2021 to transition into 3a. From that point the Sqn OC is accountable to ensure its followed.
Has anyone on the forum actually gone through the process of purchasing some official specification No3A polo shirts via Green Frog? Just interested to hear how that experience went, and exactly what the design was like.
Our neighbour Sqn did. They rave about the whole thing, great quick service. Green Frog Knew about the new regs and exactly what needed doing. Prices really reasonable also