RAFVR new embroidered green rank slides

Indeed, as should the VRT versions. I can still see no logic whatsoever in maintaining stupid expensive pins.

I’m waiting in readiness, Gunner. Consider it a test of P-SAS personnel. Standards are as follows:

PASS - It is accepted that the above-pictured badges of rank meet the prescribed regulations not only in spirit, but also in visual appearance, as exactly as possible without using solid objects.

FAIL - Any other response.

The only negative comment I have is with regards to placing it on a MTP backing. Is there any point or purpose to that? There is sense in doing it with baby officer braid as the stuff can be fragile and isn’t big enough to encompass the VR(T) insignia but what is pictured above just looks a bit tatty.

I suppose it encourages people to buy more sets. After all, at the moment I can wear any of my rank slides on any of my No2 or No3 uniform and could get away with just one pair. Where is the profit in that?

For the NCO, make the blue taller and fit the ATC fully below the rank it so it is as readable as possible. If we are embroidering up rank slides as opposed to re-engineering existing slides to add a badge then it seems like an opportunity to do it properly from the outset :slight_smile:

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I have been in the VRT since the late '80’s and I had embroidered rank slides which I had to remove followed by my name tape years later on cs95 (the only thing I was still wearing that had been issued to me in the '70’s). I decided to toe the line after too many hats-on interviews. I have now lost seven pins and at nearly £5 a knock its getting annoying. The last one went on my skill at arms course. As an FI, RCO, SAAI I am always taking off / on webbing and slings. One of the Central Training team had the black VRT in a line bellow the rank and that’s the way I am going. I will probably stick with the badges welded on when I go to Wing though!

The Black VRT in a line? I really don’t get that look.

The best option I have seen is Gold VRT embroidered in the usual place. At a distance, it’s hard to even notice.

(Up close, the drill pigs will kill you though.)

Tricky to embroider for plt off though.

The powers at Sleaford Tech has been discussing the merits or otherwise of gold embroidered VRT on rank slides for Field craft, VGS and shooting. I have even seen a prototype on a IOC. The course was positive about the slides and Sgt Badger said that they would be introduced shortly . That was nearly 10 years ago…
Allegedly there were some in the grow bag community were against having embroidered VRT rank slides, it would ruin their excuse of not having to wear the VRT pins while flying as they are a FOD hazard.

My understanding is that it is still in the pipeline.
I would have though that the pending change to the commission would bring with it a change to insignia and to me it seems like that would be a good point at which to move to an embroidered solution for all.

I saw some exactly the same but for Sgt with embroidered ATC…they were on trial in a neighbouring Wing but I haven’t seen them since or heard anything…that was 2012!

I roll around in MTP with embroidered VRT because I too like to live dangerously

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pretty much all the uniformed staff in my sector have MTP/DPM/OG rank slides with VRT embroidered on them - it makes rather more sense while crawling through the undergrowth than little metal pins.

its almost frightening that there is so much resistance…

If the officers are crawling through the undergrowth something has gone wrong in the planning. That’s what the SNCO cadre are for :wink:

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That only occurs when the decision made by an officer is so idiotic that they feel the need to evade any responsibility and have gone to ground; and the officer is trying to find them… :stuck_out_tongue:

Not when teaching baby officers at Cranditz, that was part of the fun to get a “tactical advantage” over the enemy forces, especially to really zap them with thunder-flashes & other goodies.

Ah, the brass “A” situation - I was acting as PSO to an VVVSO for the presentation of their standard to the Oggies, Royal Parade, Aunty Betty to do the honours, RAF Benson. Had to order about 250 sets, much easier to do it direct through the MOD sponsor at Harrogate rather than have numerous demands sent out, with the risk that some wouldn’t arrive. Minor problem, the wg cdr would’t play ball - only got 300 sets anyway, send a memo, don’t try & circumnavigate the system (which was why I got joed for the job, there was lots of circumnavigating that had to be done in numerous areas in a very short timescale!!). Ok says I, looking through MOD 'phone directory - is your boss Air Commodore Smith please?? Cue nuclear explosion, how dare you, I’ll sort your career out, blah, blah - & who did you say you were working for??

Air Chief Marshal…

How many sets did you want & by when?? :wink:

Back to the VRT embroidered options - very smart, very practical, crack on. Move into the 21st Century for goodness sake.

Smart? Practical? Perhaps. Cheap is the word that I would use.
I bought rank braid many years ago and have made my own ever since. Which ensures a decent fit on epaulettes and tabs, which the purchased ones don’t.

I did plenty of leopard-crawling as a VR(T) Flt Lt…

Most certainly smart & practical - no issues with the brass bits catching on other items of clothing, or having to take them off for AEF flying (& “forgetting” to put them back in…).

Yes, making your own braid fit different width epaulettes/tabs was an advantage, but I’m sure that the pre-embroidered ones could be modified easily…

Why past tense? Are you not one anymore?

Regular now…

(not Flt Lt yet though, unfortunately!)