Ha ha
TBF, itâs an entirely rhetorical question. I was told Iâd have to wait 4 months for my no. 1s and that was over 2 years ago.
Welcome to RAFAC, and the RAF in general.
The usual, weâll try and get it to you but thatâs all in this present climate.
If the main Armed Forces canât get uniform in a decent timescale, what hope is there for us 
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I had thought it was 2 years, not 5
Taken in! Lucky â â â â â â â:rofl:
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Chief_Tech "VR(T) have retired status of the highest rank they held (provided the rank was held for at least 5 years) even if they were also granted a Cadet Forces Commission.
I believe that CFC as official queens/kings commission also apply retired status using the 5 year rule."
As I understand it, thatâs not accurate. VRT retired rank was a minimum of Flt Lt rank (ie officially no such thing as a âFlying Officer (retired)â and retired rank had to be âconferredâ on the retired officer in the official letter of confirmation of cessation of commission from HQAC.
No-one has ever been able to tell me where any official policy states that officers who retire holding a CFC Commission can use âretiredâ rank. Somebody at HQAC once explained to me that CFC officers were not entitled to use retired rank as CFC officers were not members of a reserve force. But again. never been able to find anything in writing about it !
Ah, i must respectfully disagree on this single point â-no such thing as a âFlying Officer (retired)â I am one such Fg Off RAFVR(T) retired, and have the paperwork to prove it.
I am also currently Fg Off RAFAC but not for long as my time here is pretty much done, so Iâll let you know in a few weeks whether i get to be RAFAC âretiredâ or not.
Either way Iâll revert to VRT retâd for any occasions that uniform is merited going forwards
Cheers all
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What paperwork is that? I have never seen anything to suggest retired from my VR commission in the RAF.
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It came with the confirmation of my resignation ending that i was permitted to retain rank.
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Use of Courtesy Titles by Former CFC Officers
- A rank (Retd), with RAFAC identifier, may be used by qualifying officers as a courtesy title after they have left RAFAC, but only for CF matters: for example, on an annual camp visitorsâ day, when attending a CF function, or when writing a reference to, or for, the CF. The use of a courtesy title is at the discretion of the Air Force Board and is on the provision that the officer has rendered a total of 10 years satisfactory qualifying commissioned service. An officer who is subject to the compulsory termination of commission, compulsory resignation, or removal from the CF in accordance with AP1919A Chapter 1 para 119 is not permitted to use a courtesy title or wear uniform. Therefore, when an officer leaves RAFAC, the Pers Dept will confirm in writing whether they qualify to use a courtesy title. If permitted to use a courtesy title, a former officer may use either their highest substantive or acting rank which was held either:
a. Continuously for not less than one year before relinquishment or voluntary resignation, or
b. For an aggregated period of at least two years.
c. Eg. Flight Lieutenant N E One RAFAC Retd
Regulations relating to the wearing of uniform by former RAFAC CFC officers are detailed in AP1358C Chapter 1.
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Why would anyone use Retâd as a post nominal in any correspondence after theyâve left
Oh you can guarantee there are many.
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Squadron chairman etc?
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Probably only those in an official capacity or those with a really really small appendage.
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There is absolutely no way in hell that price tag is remotely justified for the crap standard of present-day tailoring from the service contractor.
The material is terrible, the fit is awful.
Hubby could get a bespoke 3-piece suit with two pairs of trousers for ÂŁ2k.
This is where the Army giving grants now puts them ahead of the RAF.
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I donât know if it still the case that officers coming in through SERE are given a uniform allowance for initial kitting as we were, and we went to people like Alkit prior to our arrival at Cranwell. So we had our No1s from day one.
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Thank you, I stand corrected. I think the whole CF Commission situation was extremely badly handled, communicated atrociously and incompletely and gave rise to rumour central. I retired shortly after the transition to RAFAC ranks, as a Squadron Leader after 34 years of service and I never received any confirmation of my eligibility for wearing uniform or use retired rank. I guess the situation was unclear at the time so it was ignored. I think the information I was given by someone (I wont name) at HQAC was given in good fatih and was later correctedâŚ
I mean, that summarises the vast majority of HQ decisions. Take âCF Commissionâ out and add anything you like, itâll probably still be a correct sentence!
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I can expand on this. A friend with a fresh issue service dress (your number 1s and 5s?) took it all to his usual tailor and while theyâve somehow worked wonders on it, he saw them in a pulled-apart state and there was glue and wonder web everywhere. So itâs confirmed: not only is the material now revoltingly cheap, itâs held together on the cheap and looks like standard measurements tweaked a bit to the subject (which is why if your waist line is big, your trousers will be like a parachute regardless of leg circumference).
Why a military force wouldnât care about providing decent uniform quality when it takes such pride in appearance is genuinely baffling.
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I worry about a windy Remembrance Day Parade - I may have to âtackâ whilst marching
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