Officer Beret/Cap Badge

Adult Staff The Staff Mess
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Hi, as the name suggests I’m a newly appointed APO and former cadet. Just looking for some temporary kit before I get round to my initial kitting.
I have a set of MTP and my 2a shirt from my old cadet uniform, but no SD peaked cap so I don’t think I can wear 2a.

I am planning on just getting a beret/capbadge and an MTP-backed APO slide for the interim, as I wouldn’t need any further changes to wear No3.

Does anyone know if I need a different beret compared to the general issue “cadet” one? I have heard of an officers beret but not sure if that’s even really thing anymore.
If someone could point me towards a current pattern/acceptable beret - 58-61 usually fits - and officers beret badge (there are some obviously fake ones and some that look possibly legitimate out there) I would appreciate that.

Thanks!

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Berets - not sure if there is supposed to be a difference still. But for the love of God do buy yourself an embroidered cap badge, rather than the nasty issued plastic one…

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Sewing over the eyelets? ACP1358 doesn’t really cover officer berets much at all - other than saying they’re only for No3 dress

I say this as a plastic beret badge owner who is mainly indifferent to the embroidery

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Yes, sew over the eyelets. Common in Army regiments where the same colour is shared between metal and cloth badge regiments.

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Even if we’re agreeing embroidered is better, there seems to be plenty of patterns out there…

95% sure that one isnt worth a penny but aside from the general gist of “does it look legit” it’s hard to tell if you’re actually buying something quality or not…

And tbf some of the plasticy ones seem to use eyelets which would make life easier in the interim. Don’t want to sew the badge on slightly skewiff

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Get yourself a side cap/chip hat and you can.

They’re also much more comfortable for everyday wear than the SD caps, which I always saved for formal occasions.

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I use a standard RAF beret, but do have an Officer Silk Lined one.

Externally, there is no difference.

Agree with the embroidered option (which i need to get a replacement as mine is worn).

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Worn=Battle hardened. Leave it as is.

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I’ve used these before:

The badge came already sewn on.

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Very true, but I find they give off a much older, established aesthetic. Not sure it would look quite so good on a baby faced 20yo

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Secondary point - as an officer only ever commissioned by the King rather than her late majesty - do I take the modernist approach of the King’s (Tudor) Crown, or cling onto the arguably better looking Queen’s (St Edwards) Crown…?

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I have it on good authority from an officer who’s recently commissioned from the ranks that he didn’t get a new beret: just a badge. I conclude from this that the ‘officer’s beret’ is either a legacy or private purchase item.

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I dont think there is anything telling us to convert over, and i doubt anyone would be checking commission dates…

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In theory, those promoted / warranted / commissioned under Her Late Majesty have a choice of which to wear and those who weren’t don’t; however, the Tudor crown versions aren’t in general circulation yet (I’ve been told three to five years for enlisted aviator cap badges and FS rank slides and gilt crowns) and so it can’t be enforced.

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I don’t doubt people would not be checking commission dates - it’s just a stylistic point at this stage

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The eagle should be metal, not embroidered.

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Yes, hence why I knew it wasn’t worth a penny. But there are more subtle differences in some of the other badges available, not least the differentiation between embroidered and the ones that “clip in” to the eyelets

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Finally got round to/needed to wear Greens for an event so beret moulding time it is. Is anyone else having issues where the beret badge’s pins are a lot higher than they should be? Given the positioning of the eyelets on the actual beret the badge feels ridiculously high and just a bit naff when I try and style it. Not to mention there barely seems to be any fabric in the berets these days to actually try and style with…

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The first beret I was issued after transferring to the RAF had a similar issue with the eyelets. I ended up folding the front down over the leather band, ala PARA / RAF Reg, but ended up buying a field service cap as I wasn’t happy with it.

I exchanged that beret around a year ago, because it was going green, and the new one is much better: with the (enlisted aviator) cap badge sitting immediately above the leather band.

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I think my issue is that the cap badge I’ve been issued has the pins in the lower third or so of the badge - and the crown above is a whopper. If I recall the enlisted badge (like the ATC one) has the pins roughly centrally. All of this to say the badge ends up sitting higher on the lid, making it even harder to mould properly. Especially if you don’t want the metal digging into your forehead :joy:

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