All uniform should be correctly fitting and fit for use. The scope now exists for LLCs to get current uniform from the parent service so we should not longer see cadets in a 20-year-old ill-fitting No1 jacket, No2 trousers, a belt found on eBay and a saggy hat that looks like it has been slept on.
Compared to that, the switch of commission and branding that comes with the CFC is actually almost trivial.
CACWO said on Twitter that he was going to wait for the Warrant before switching slides.
Just remember when lining up with some in RAFAC and others in VRT that reserve officers take precedence over cadet force commissioned officers of the same rank.
How can the lesser take precedence?
According to the letters VR(T) is regarded as a âhigherâ commission and CFC âlesserâ.
The CFC almost follows on behind the sweeper uppers at the back.
To be fair, the insignia isnât doesnât identify the commission per se, it just identifies you as a member of âRAF Air Cadetsâ. I have an Army Reserve commission currently but I wear an ACF rank slide.
However, our existing rules state that members of the RAFVR(T) are to wear gilt VRT pins blah blah blah.
Similarly, SNCO/WO are required to wear ATC pins.
The rules need to be in place NOW to support the commission when it comes, along with the general rebranding.
Itâs being introduced piecemeal which indicates a distinct lack of planning and foresight.
Why couldnât they do all this work behind the scenes, keep the volunteers informed of progress and when all the legal issues had been resolved and the way was clear to implement the new commission, go live with a future date for the commission to take effect (knowing that nothing else would get in the way) and rebrand the ACO to RAFAC? That would also have given them time to get the funding in place for new rank slides and allow for the timely distribution of same.
Or would this have been too simple?
Instead theyâve chosen to create different tiers of commission (a la AEF and some VGS retaining VR(T)), conducted a survey and completely ignored the outcome, havenât communciated effectively and efficiently, made a hash of implementation dates, told people they can wear whatever rank slide they like until this is all sorted and generally annoyed a not inconsiderable number of volunteers they say they value so much.
Iâd like to see how long these guys would last in civilian employment in the real world.
The update still uses the word âintensionâ will so that implies that they still have work to do. Also the wording cease to apply is very strange. I have never heard of a commission ceasing to apply before. I have never heard that in 1919, 20A or anywhere else in our TACs of service.