Uniform standards... discuss

Have you asked wing for some, or asked wing to ask region (who have spare) for some?

The question is, why should he have to ask?

I agree that everyone should be smart when representing the ATC.
How about a commitment to a reasonable upkeep of a specific uniform from HQ in the Volunteer (Dis)Agreement?

You know that sometimes things fall through the cracks. Badges put in the wrong pigeon-holes, wrong quantities delivered, mail going missing etc. It canā€™t be fixed if there is no feedback.

Of course there will be some people who just sit back with their fingers in their ears, going ā€œla la la, nothing received hereā€ and doing nothing to remedy the situation because it suits them to do so.

Because that would depend on getting the MOD/RAF (or RFCA in places) being effective and you will be better off trying to nail jelly to the wall.

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It has been raised, I am now just doing exactly what i have been told to, as in parade with what I have got till get something different.

As for the general topic, my view is, be smart in uniform or be in civvies.

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I was recently at an Annual dinner with several WHQ senior officers in attendance. None of them had RAFAC pins on their No5s

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How recently?

Our pins were distributed by WHQ two weeks ago.

We got ours mid-December.

Maybe they were present as RAFVR(T) Retired Officers? In the same way that Ex-Regular personnel tend not to wear pins on No5ā€™s as they are being RAF Retired on these occasions.

I will get some eggs to it will give me something to suck.
There is nobody in my wing has the new pins.

Sounds like a WHQ problem.

Lucky you they re the most horrible cheap and nasty pieces of tat ive seen since I was first issued a 1972 pattern ā€œThunderbird Jacketā€ when i joined up.

[quote=ā€œincubus, post:86, topic:3828, full:trueā€]You know that sometimes things fall through the cracks. Badges put in the wrong pigeon-holes, wrong quantities delivered, mail going missing etc. It canā€™t be fixed if there is no feedback.
Of course there will be some people who just sit back with their fingers in their ears, going ā€œla la la, nothing received hereā€ and doing nothing to remedy the situation because it suits them to do so.[/quote]
Why should we volunteers be forever in effect covering for the failings of our assumed professional paid staff at Wing and higher. Itā€™s enough sorting squadron things out in part of our spare time, without having to cover the backsides of people in the organisation getting paid, who are home doing what they do, while we are doing our bits at the squadron.

Stuff getting lost in the post is hardly a failing on the part of our paid staff.

Fair enough, but they canā€™t sit there thinking they are perfect and when we send things that get lost in the post, itā€™s our fault or more correctly the accusation is we havenā€™t sent it.
What is baffling is in the second half of the second decade of the 21st Century we have to send things in the post. The organisation is really keen to embrace e-documents as a cost cutting process, but outside that reason, Iā€™m not convinced. We do 99% of external things by email at work, either scanned, digitally signed or via specific email addresses. There are a few people we deal with who prefer post, but in the main, ā€œNo stamps or envelopes are harmed in any way.ā€

Canā€™t scan and print embroidered badgesā€¦ yet!

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OK but why do we need to send forms etc etc as these are the things that get lost.
Iā€™m waiting for the link for me to do an online DBS, that once done will be with me, before Wing would have got it in the post to me.

Iā€™m at a bit of a loss on this one. The Air Cadets already provide a uniform allowance, travel costs, and remuneration, what do you think they should do? Provide free reissue of all kit as soon as itā€™s a bit faded? If it doesnā€™t fit or looks shabby, buy new kit. If you donā€™t want to pay for the kit, you have two options: 1. Donā€™t wear the uniform either by leaving or becoming a CI, or 2. Speak to your 1-up and request some help because you are struggling financially, which is fair enough. The Air Cadets already gives the volunteer lots of money which is questionable as it is, perhaps the little money the organisation receives should be used to further opportunities for Cadets!

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Two out of the three of those allowances youā€™ve mentioned are also claimed by the NCO Cadre, who are entitled to free replacements from storesā€¦ :wink:

Well, why not? Itā€™s what the actual Air Force doā€¦ Besides, issuing free replacement uniform (Number 1ā€™s aside) to the 4000 ish(?) CFC holders canā€™t be that much more expensive that issuing and replacing items for 37,000 or so cadets and SNCOs?

I donā€™t disagree - although when you see things like the pointless CI membership cards being introduced, your argument starts to look a bit shakey.

What youā€™ve got to remember is that the organisation needs to continue to be attractive to volunteers, and especially those willing to take a command position. Telling someone that theyā€™re expected to replace their own uniform whenever someone else decides it has become too big/too small/too faded doesnā€™t really do that.

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