has not gone down well as proper aircrew knew nothing about it!!
Getting rid of ranks would be a good idea, it works in practically every workplace across the world ā¦ people just point at the bloke/woman in charge or who needs to be spoken to, not .
If weāre on a non uniform night I still get people pointed in my direction as the bloke in charge. I speak to more people about cadet matters without the charade of a uniform or rank.
If you donāt want to wear the uniform/rank then I suggest you consider your position?
What purpose do the rank etc serve other than indicating particular roles, which means you get an attitude of āIām not doing that because itās an āofficerā jobā that I have had to get through many times over the years. Most people are OK, but I have had 4 people over the years who wouldnāt do things, because they werenāt āofficersā.
Losing the rank/uniform, doesnāt mean you lose the structure. Workplaces have management structures and donāt need uniforms and you donāt get the āIām not doing that, because ā¦ā, like you can in the ATC.
My position is only governed by uniform / rank in the eyes of the larger organisation for its benefit, the different combinations doesnāt make much difference to the individuals, unless it is those few who need to get out more, who get excited about it. Iāve never been excited about my rank/position when speaking to others, as it is as said for the larger organisation.
Individuals not wanting or refusing to do something is a situation that can be difficult to manage. As a post holder with rank, you are afforded the authority to deal with those situations. One of the difficulties in my experience is that weāre all volunteers, so CIās/ CGIās can only be asked to do something and not told. Volunteers can also vote with their feet with little or no consequence (dependant upon what theyāve refused to do if course).
The wearing of uniform is important as it means that officers/ NCOs/ cadets can be easily identified. Most people are proud of the uniform and what it represents. It shows weāre all part of one teamā¦
Rank can mean little in certain situations where an individuals post or authority over rides. For example at a VGS where the aircraft commander could be a Cadet and the passenger an officer.
I was extremely proud of the uniform and what it represented, even as a AWO I felt part of something bigger, ie the ATC that was inextricably linked to the RAF. Over the last few years and especially the last couple, Iāve been struggling to understand where we sit. I wear the RAF uniform and yet we are no longer as far as Iām concerned and forget all the RAF Family BS, part of the RAF. I commissioned into the VR(T) something I was extremely proud as I was an officer āin the RAFā but now Iām not, Iām purely an officer in the cadet forces yet that hasnāt been really defined as to what it means. Yes they have issued precedents etc so we know where we are in the pecking order, but what does it mean. Iāve had a sense the RAF having bigger fish to fry like trying to maintain its role and it has forgotten about us, other than to provide money and job opportunities for former personnel to babysit us. The RAF has become like some parents I know who have jobs and just lives, that dump their kids in fee-paying schools, pay for baby-sitters, after school clubs. give their kids money and possessions, but are unaware being a parent is more than money and presents.
I work pretty much on my own and do things off my own bat, I have a family and we do / did things like families do and take responsibility for it, yet in the ATC Iām not even sure if I can blow my own nose without getting permission from someone who has no or limited experience of blowing a nose. We all run our lives and largely have autonomy as far as it goes, and now as we enter this new era as a Sqn Cdr I want complete autonomy over where, what and when I do things and give the role something back. There is IMO far too much top level control for little reason than to have control.
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Clarification on the status of the CFC is now on Sharepointā¦ seems to be a U-turn to what was originally said to all of usā¦
Instead of something middle ground it seems to just be the SCC style ācommissionā only more formalisedā¦
Soā¦ Iāll be sporting my beard and if WSOās etc donāt like it they can be told where to go.
A very well explained point and well made. I feel there are many more officers and NCOs quietly making up their minds on their next step. No more sniping or sour comments, people have been let down. Their faith and trust has been damaged from the organisation we admired. When we all signed up to take the RAFVR(T) commission we understood what we were getting involved with. Just like a marriage.
So imagine your partner comes one day and says āI really respect you and think you do a great job around the house, looking after the kids and doing extra work. However Iāve decided that I donāt want you to be able to complain or take any of my pension so Iām divorcing you. Iād like you to stay because you do a good job. Oh, and by the way, Iām stopping your house keeping because if you really loved me youād do all this for freeā.
Does any of this sound familiar ??
So I wonder what would be the response??
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How are these changes being communicated to those staff taking some time out? They are still staff and will return toā¦ somethingā¦ but they have no idea whatās going on?
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Perhaps thatās one of those āmany great opportunitiesā which the CFC brings which the Commandant referred to in her weekly ramblings. 
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Where is it one Sharepoint?
I donāt see it!!
Quite a way down, the question was asked again on 27 Sep.
Has anyone ever seen CAC and Theresa May in the same room?
I think we should be toldā¦
Nah more like Trump and CAC in the same room, given the CACs love of Twitter and FB for policy dissemination.
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Massive back tracking on this position (final paragraph - admin this is taken from an FOI response and not shared for humiliation purposes).
I still think we should have had a more formal consultation process than a poll on the insignia. Afterall we were promised that Cfav would be involved in the creation of the new commission.
Wellā¦ thatās embarrassing for the MODā¦
Thatās the polite way of putting it
Well the fact of the matter is that unless the MOD revisits this to ensure its still some sort of military commission; there would be no ground to enforce any regular/reserve personnel to pay compliments.
It confirms what many already believes to be a smack in the face to us and there is no benefit. The benefit of using the Mess will be on par to Civil Servantsā¦
So, to paraphrase the last but one paragraph on the Ask to Team, RC(N) stated that it will not be military commission but one created by Royal Warrant.
Can you create a commission by royal warrant? Can the queen do this, is there such a thing as royal prerogative in a contusional monarchy? There will be no backing under UK law for the CFC because it is created by royal prerogative.
So will the CFC be as ārealā commission or just a royal warrant the same that Warrant officers get or just a nice piece of paper from HQAC?
Issuing commissions is entirely in the gift of the Crown. One of the few things she has left. But parliament control what military forces she can maintain. Once they let her have an army or an air force for instance she can commission people into it.
They only other civilian commission I can think of is that of a Lord Lieutenant but thatās governed by statute.
I think she can create this commission but itās probably open to challenge depending on the procedure they use.