I have an idea that we are not allowed to wear the Veteran’s Badge in Uniform but have yet to find the regulation stating it.
Anyone know whether this is correct or where this is stated in regulations?
Pink tutu rule: it’s not mentioned because you can’t wear it as opposed to there being a specific regulation banning its wear.
Why on Earth would you want to wear a veterans badge in uniform?
Agreed. It’s a badge to be worn with civvies only. I can’t see the point of wearing it with uniform. What would you want to achieve that wearing a uniform, presumably with a few campaign medals on, wouldn’t achieve??
To clarify, as I did state, I did not think you could and was just looking for clarification as to what regulations state, especially seeing as there are some things not covered in documents such as AP 1358C and ACP 20.
The reason I was not clear was because I know of a CWO, who joined the RAF as a Pilot, got made redundant during flight training due to that scale back of pilots a while back. He then returned to the cadets as a CWO (Don’t ask me how? I have no idea why that would be allowed) and he would wear his Veteran’s Badge with his cadet uniform, including on his No1s, which he wore as part of the band.
Also, I would like to make it clear, as some people do not seem to be aware of this, that not all deployments have a campaign medal attached so there are actually quite a few ex-regulars who have deployed, yet all they have is a Veteran’s Badge, especially since the GSM being discontinued in 2007.
So to reitterate, I was not intending to wear, I just had a little confusion as to whether I would be expected to, due to the previous example of the CWO.
Not being funny but being Ex RAF or Navy from the submariners badge on you avatar you should know about the pink tutu rule as it was put by alan.
As for the CWO how the hell did that happen?? Assuming he joined at 17.5 yeras old which is the min for aircrew by the time he left the RAF he would of been 18 or 19 and he wouldnt be allowed to join as a Cadet then smells a bit fishy.
The only time I wear my Veterans badge is when in a civvy suit.
Guessing he joined RAF when 18 and is still <20 after leaving so not eligible for a staff appointment yet. If he completed IOC and resigned his commission for the reason stated then nothing to stop him coming back as CWO until reaching 20 with RC’s approval. Bit of a come down for the lad but fair play if he’s got the humility to go back to cadet status and stay involved with the ACO.
As it will only be a matter of months though (must be 19ish by now) I personally don’t see the point of returning as a cadet, I’d take the time out and return once hitting 20.
You would of thought that the CWO post he was filling would of been taken over by someone and that coming back at 18 would cause all sorts of problems with CRB’s or what ever it is now.
I was alwyas under the impression that once you leave you cant come back if you are over 18 because of this.
Anyway I am a bit dissapointed that you can get a Veterans badge for only doing a week of basic not being funny but this CWO didnt even finish his training and he gets one? thats a bit of a joke he hasnt been in long enough to serve Queen and country but I suppose this is a debate for another thread.
His CRB would still have been as valid as had he not left, and not every wing is saturated with CWOs.
I agree about the veterans badge eligibility: I know of one 17yo cadet who failed Halton and was awarded a veterans badge. That is ridiculous.
It makes the Veterans badge a bit of a joke in my eyes took me 10 years to earn mine and some people a hell of a lot more time and sacrifice.
If he wore it and was asked about his service … oh to be a fly on the wall.
I’ve always felt that the Veterans Badge is more of a poltical gimmick.
If he wore it and was asked about his service … oh to be a fly on the wall.
I’ve always felt that the Veterans Badge is more of a poltical gimmick.[/quote]
Its nice to get something when you leave even more so for those like me that didnt do long enough to get a pay out.
If someone dosnt feel like they shouldnt be wearing one after only one day of training it dont say much for their integrity I would be way to embarrassed to wear one if I was him I very much doubt anyone would wear one then admit to not even making it out of training.
1 Like
Indeed many deployments didn’t and still don’t attract campaign medals (Falklands post war or Belize to name but two), especially for our nautical friends, but you’d be very hard pressed these days to find an ex RAF person of a few year’s service, even the old Cold War Warriors, sans campaign bling - except a few (Gp Capts or Wg Cdrs mostly) who were staff bound and didn’t go anywhere. I wouldn’t blame it on the loss of the GSM (1962) either as that was pretty limited, except for NI and latterly Air Ops Iraq; we’ve had the ops eligible for OSMs since 2000 and the Iraq medal which have actually increased the number of ribbons people wear.
Agreed, very ‘American’!
Well as someone who was a SAC, was taken off numerous deployments during my time, and finally did deploy but with the Navy, I never got any campaign bling yet would have done if the GSM had still been around. Because of the attitude that [b]very hard pressed these days to find an ex RAF person of a few year’s service, even the old Cold War Warriors, sans campaign bling[/b], I get accused of being a walt, who has never served, or a det dodger, both of which are highly offensive, especially when you had to fire in anger. I think there are also way to many people in the ACO who think they understand what goes on in the RAF and the military as a whole, but in reality haven’t got a scoobies.
Well as someone who was a SAC, was taken off numerous deployments during my time, and finally did deploy but with the Navy, I never got any campaign bling yet would have done if the GSM had still been around. Because of the attitude that [b]very hard pressed these days to find an ex RAF person of a few year’s service, even the old Cold War Warriors, sans campaign bling[/b], I get accused of being a walt, who has never served, or a det dodger, both of which are highly offensive, especially when you had to fire in anger. I think there are also way to many people in the ACO who think they understand what goes on in the RAF and the military as a whole, but in reality haven’t got a scoobies.[/quote]
I cant think of anywhere that you would have to fire in anger and not get a shiny thing…
Ive done a fair few tours in places like the Falklands, Belize and Oman to name a few the reason no gongs are given to these is they are sunshine tours or wind tours in the Falklands.
It would be pretty hard to find anyone in all 3 services that hasnt deployed to Afghan or Iraq at least once in the last 12 or so years. Or not have one of the free Jubilee gongs.
Well as someone who was a SAC, was taken off numerous deployments during my time, and finally did deploy but with the Navy, I never got any campaign bling yet would have done if the GSM had still been around. Because of the attitude that [b]very hard pressed these days to find an ex RAF person of a few year’s service, even the old Cold War Warriors, sans campaign bling[/b], I get accused of being a walt, who has never served, or a det dodger, both of which are highly offensive, especially when you had to fire in anger. I think there are also way to many people in the ACO who think they understand what goes on in the RAF and the military as a whole, but in reality haven’t got a scoobies.[/quote]
I cant think of anywhere that you would have to fire in anger and not get a shiny thing…
Ive done a fair few tours in places like the Falklands, Belize and Oman to name a few the reason no gongs are given to these is they are sunshine tours or wind tours in the Falklands.
It would be pretty hard to find anyone in all 3 services that hasnt deployed to Afghan or Iraq at least once in the last 12 or so years. Or not have one of the free Jubilee gongs.[/quote]
Well I am one. I was in a specialist trade so that may be the reason for it. I was in for 9 years, and was inelligable for Golden Jubilee and out before Diamond Jubilee. I actually know a fair few vets who never went to Iraq or Afghan. You are making assumptions. Not everyone gets asked to deploy, just as some get asked time and again.
Cannot divulge where I deployed except to say it would have been one on the list for the old GSM.
Oh, go on… you torpedoed a Russian, didn’t you?
(The above is obviously tongue in cheek)
Zinggy, I’ve known one or two blokes who deployed to places where shooty bangy stuff was ongoing and didn’t get a medal because they weren’t there long enough to qualify.
Two that spring to mind are the bloke who was seven days short in Kosovo and a techie acquaintance who was sent out to Basra for some specific job, spent a couple of weeks getting mortared and came home.
Yeah I can understand that happening infact it did happen to me in N I 3 days short it is a bit rubbish when that happens however the chances of that happening these days a very slim.
[quote=“PurfleetShiba” post=10375]
Cannot divulge where I deployed except to say it would have been one on the list for the old GSM.[/quote]
Well that could have been a multitude of places! Unfortunate thing is the old GSM, as with all medals, was date and duration of service specific as tango_lima and Zinggy have said. Some people win, others lose out, it’s always been that way.
I would enquire about a QDJM though if I were you. Several people I know were turned down because their PSF said they didn’t have 5 years continuous service up to Feb 2012, but the DIN doesn’t say that. You have to count a total of 5 years and can aggregate service. The only condition is that you must have actually been serving on 6 Feb 12, but the 5 years can be any time before that. So if you were in ACO uniformed service in Feb 12, write to the Medals Office.
I know that about the QDJM but seeing as I finally got through the process and became Sgt(ATC) on Tuesday, I am not eligible, having left the RAF in June 2011.
1 Like