I’ve designed one for each unit in the organisation.
They fit nicely in the profile spaces for both circle frames and square frames.
Just bouncing them around seeing after official sanction. Hoping it’ll save units spending loads of time working it out (and making them, but with unauthorised badges again).
That 1803 Sqn badge is chip shop though.
The badge it’s self is questionable, yes. I was just talking about the layout of badge and logo in this case 
Isn’t the Amnesty for having the badge on display without branding alongside? Not for hiding non-college approved badges?
That was my reading but I’m sure the not busy enough brigade will decide it’s the latter.
I recall it literally saying the badges can continue to be used until the process is sorted?
This was my interpretation. So long as what ever badge you have isn’t obscene.
If you don’t want good faith answers to your questions, please don’t ask them.
And please don’t dismiss people so freely. We’re all contributing to the organisation in different ways, and while it may not be your priority, that doesn’t mean it has no value. It also doesn’t mean that those same people aren’t doing a lot of other stuff simultaneously.
The amnesty is to recognise that units have lots of merch such as polo shirts and nobody wants units to waste all of that money by throwing stuff in the bin.
But, anything public-facing or used in that way needs to be done properly and any badges used as such must be authorised. It is not permissible to use an unauthorised badge alongside the RAFAC logo.
So all the units who are changing their profile photos but still using the wide array of unauthorised styles for their unauthorised badges are not following the guidance.
I hope my work on possible profile photos for each unit will help in this regard, if approved.
Then something needs rewording, as that’s really not how I read or remembered it.
The IBN just says
“We strongly recommend obtaining official heraldic approval for all badges”.
It also says
“Badges, even if not formally approved, should follow the defined convention. Badges not using these conventions are not to be used on any Royal Air Force Air Cadet publications, media or signage.”
I read those two and see it fairly clearly that the formal heraldic approval is optional, but recommended. It literally says there I can use badges that are not formally approved as long as I follow defined convention?
Okay, it also says
“Crucially, unauthorised badges must not be used on social media, websites, or any publicity material”
But it doesn’t really says what unauthorised means in this case. I would assume unauthorised means not following the brand guidelines. Well, said guidelines also make it pretty clear that this formal heraldic approval is optional.
Reading the rest of that policy, the only real thing it says one can do with a formally approved badge is use it on their Squadron Banner.
@OC.1324 I do support the push to standardisation of badges. But the policy and guidance as written currently says that the spending £650 bit is very optional.
Thank you so much for drafting that. The post you were replying to really needed being kicked into touch for being full of tripe.
What hope does the organisation have when a first hand interpretation of policy by the checks notes - HQAC appointed SME in that policy- completely misinterprets it?
I assume that what it means by the conventions are things like colour, indents crowns etc. but what is in the centre is up to the unit for now.
Of course it’s optional, but the alternative option is not to simply to use a made up unauthorised badge: it’s to to use the authorised badge of a higher formation — i.e. wing or region (if they have official badges) or the ATC / CCF badge.
THE POLICY AUTHORISED YOU TO MAKE UP YOUR OWN BADGES! THATS THE AUTHORISATION, ITS RIGHT THERE IN THE POLICY!!
But it doesn’t say that anywhere in policy or the guidelines. That may be the traditional consensus, but it’s not what any of it says.
If what @OC.1324 is saying is HQs intention:
Then be explicit. Define what is unauthorised, as that bit is not clear here. Something like this:
“If your badge is not on this list (link to badge register) then it is not authorised and cannot be used any more. If you think it should be authorised, please email X”
Currently, what being authorised means is seriously up for debate.
Throne of Terra, you lot just don’t get it. Our own policy literally says how to make up your own badges. That’s the authorisation, it’s in the IBN, it’s in the media policy, it’s been the case for decades.
The College sanctions badges. They don’t authorise them.
And, if you don’t like it. REWRITE THE DAMN POLICY FIRST.
The IBN, driven by Air Media, is addressing the matter of social media and other public-facing activity.
Therefore unauthorised means “has not been authorised through the formal process, resulting in the granting of a badge from the Inspectorate of RAF Badges”.
I understand the point about there now being inconsistencies. They do indeed need addressing.
However, asking the question and then protesting because I’m not providing the answer you want me to provide really isn’t engaging in good faith.
Air Media has required swift changes. Bringing everything into line with that and checking third-order effects is clearly going to take a little time.
I’m providing you with the intent and clarification you’re asking for and you’re throwing it in my face.
We’re throwing it in your face because your talking out of your [redacted].
That is not what it means. It has never been what it means and if you don’t like it. Change it formally first.
Here is your misunderstanding.
The Inspectorate of RAF Badges own this. Not HQ RAFAC.
Therefore you are incorrect.
We have repeatedly quoted from our own internal policies on this subject. They disagree with you, they don’t even mention the Inspectorate.
It’s not ATC policy. It’s just you telling us that it is, and people making up rules on the spot which are entirely inconsistent with other rules is why nothing ever gets changed in the ATC. Because you can’t trust anything that anyone tells you is the rule.
Then the inspectorate need to appoint their own point of contact that is not part of HQAC.
If it was really important to them it wouldn’t have been trusted to a volunteer but to a paid person.
Here is the full guidelines as has been given to us for years.
What you (and HQ/HQ Air) are now saying is not fully inline with this at all.
If I read this guide, this bit sticks out:
Units with an officially sanctioned badge will have the benefit of knowing that their design is unique across both the ATC and the wider RAF. RAF Ceremonial also permit units with official badges to have the badge on their Squadron Banner in place of the standard design , i.e. the ATC badge with unit name in a scroll underneath.
This defines the difference between one that has been through formal approval, and one that has not. No where does it say we can only use formally approved badges. (For things like shirts and PR) I’d say it actively encourages us to go out to make and use our own.
