Wedgwood doesn’t look as bad as I originally thought actually colour wise.
Jesus wept
Thanks for putting them up. Either HQAC no longer care about uniform looking smart or this was so last minute they had to just accept the poor quality as they were already made. How could they get the colour so wrong (on the dark blue anyway) and the size so big.
I’m hoping they will shrink on a 60 wash that jumper is new by the way so not faded as I don’t wear it unless I absolutely have too as I prefer short sleeve. Don’t mind the idea of them but yes far too wide.
Why o why couldn’t they have gone with the RAFAC gilt pins for the rank slides instead THAT.
When I showed the picture of the jumper above. The remark was “that is aanging” . I must say that I agree anging.
On a serious note my cadets could have done a better job as a project. Those slides will make us look like a bunch of space cadets.
Looking at the colour it looks like they have created rank slides for working blue shirts and not jumpers.
I prefer the embroidered sliders idea to RAFAC pins, (these look gash) but as I have said repeatedly to anyone who will listen I see no reason for the physical change of insignia.
These remind me of Sqn Ldr Pelcot of ATF fame. I’m sure you’ll remember he wore his RAF Regiment rank slides and they weren’t dissimilar, I think, and always thought they looked like something cooked up by Cadet Direct on the cheap, IMHO!
Of course there is a need for a change of insignia. If we’re no longer in the VR(T), then we shouldn’t be pretending we are. That’s even more important in my opinion now that it turns out some VGS staff will still be in the VR(T).
Eventually all the VRT pins will run out and there will be no contract to supply then as its low numbers so either HQAC will have to buy my old ones off eBay at £30 A set or they allow VGS and AEF to dispense with wearing them.
Mark my words
I wonder if the exemption from minimum wage (given 24hr duty etc) is based upon our being military? Just a thought…
(Although if that was the case, I appreciate that it would currently be affecting SNCOs)
Only Air Cadet Instructors currently wear VRT pins, you can tell that they are air cadet instructors because they have VRT pins on. After 1st November if we continued to wear VRT pins in an Honorary capacity you would be able to tell we were Air Cadet instructors as we would still be the only people wearing VRT pins.
The SCC will continue to do the same with their “Wavy Navy” which was previously the RNVR insignia. They can wear it as only they do, so zero change needed. We are in the same boat but with crap leadership not willing to see it or wanting to change it regardless.
But there is a difference in that some people will actually be VR(T) and some not so you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between VR(T) commissioned air cadet instructors and RAFAC commissioned about cadet instructors.
I’m not saying I like it but there is a real reason to change. (More so when you consider that those remaining are doing so because they are subject to armed forces law whereas us RAFAC won’t be, there may be instances when that distinction becomes an issue when out and about)
So just getvthe ones who are subject to service law to stop wearing pins altogether in line with the rest of the reserves.
This is a vanity project by the Commandant, no more no less.
Why will you need to visually know? The only reason some are staying VRT is a flight contract issue to do with military airframes.
They are ghastly… something I’d probably slice at the back and take to my nans to make them narrower…
It’s probably more an issue that those of us not subject to military law need to be identifiable as such. Now they’ve created a new breed of military officers except from legislation which applies to military officers there may be rare (usually emergency or disciplinary) circumstances where is necessary to know.
Yes you could remove the pins from the staff staying in but that would still leave a situation where the VRT don’t where them and we are preventing to be VRT. I hate the change but if we are being kicked out then there is no reason to keep the pins.
The SCC officers can wear the wavy braid as honorary RNR which causes no problems as unlike the VRT there IS no one actually in the RNR anymore. Plus their identifier is pictoral whereas the VRT pins clearly stand for words which will not apply to us.
I look forward to this court case people talk about above to show the change is illegal. When we all go back to VRT will HQAC refund those of us who buy additional new rank slides?
But until then we are no longer VRT and should stop pretending on active duty. Now if you want to go to a wedding or a parade on a private capacity you could still wear the VRT as a retired officer
As we can claim for re-ranking No.1’s on a F1771, then surely we can claim for any new rank slides bought on them
Please tell us what those circumstances are because I think you are talking out of your hoop.
In my experience, and that’s quite varied and lengthy, there is absolutely zero requirement to identify if someone is subject to military law or not. Zero. And in the rare occasion something may slip through the 0.0000001% then a quick verbal discussion would usually sort it.
As I said very rare, emergency situations. Perhaps an attack on a base when there. I accept it’s probably never going to happen in reality but the powers that be are clearly trying to create a big distinction in status. But the matter still stands, if we’re no longer VRT why should we pretend to be?
Maybe, on your logic, we should all just do away with identifiers, why would we need to be identified as air cadet instructors? If something comes up we could always just say something.