I don’t mind the rank so much. It isn’t in AP 818, but makes sense as a general courtesy.
On the other hand, “cadets on parade,” triggers me to the extreme and is certainly not in the AP!
I don’t mind the rank so much. It isn’t in AP 818, but makes sense as a general courtesy.
On the other hand, “cadets on parade,” triggers me to the extreme and is certainly not in the AP!
On rank… Inserting the post nominal “RAFAC” in all sorts of weird places.
It’s a post nominal. It goes after your name, not the rank.
It’s also not necessary if the context is clearly linking you to the RAFAC, eg you’ve got a RAFAC address, are communicating about a RAFAC activity, or you’re using RAFAC headed paper.
Unless that guidance has formally changed and I missed it.
Bizarrely, Debrett’s (unfortunately I can’t provide a link as it’s now behind a paywall) says that post-nominals such as RN/RM, regts or corps, RAF, VR, etc., come after the rank.
Whilst this makes sense in a traditional signature block:
A N OTHER
Capt RN
CO
HMS …
I’m not so sure about other contexts.
So, Fg Off RAFAC Bloggs, not Fg Off Bloggs RAFAC?
I think the practice before CFCs was for RAFVR(T) to be treated (quite rightly) as a post-nominal, whereas for WOs and SNCOs the format was Sgt (ATC) Bloggs.
When these were standardised to RAFAC for all, I suppose some WOs and SNCOs (and those commissioned after the change) continued the old practice: but with (RAFAC).
Not that RAFVR(T) was a ever correct, it should be been simply RAFVR since the (T) indicated which branch of the RAFVR you were in and that not in keeping with post-nominals elsewhere in the service. You don’t have Flt Lt D Bader RAF (Eng) as a signature.
Shouldn’t it be:
Fg Off Whiskey November
In t’RAFAC
Here’s the policy, I knew where it was as someone called me up on it and I thought the same, but alas the massive RAFAC logo on page 1 was insufficient.
So my signature block is now as follows on emails & documents:
Joe Bloggs
Group Captain RAFAC
Senior Volunteer Advisor
Now that has a nice ring to it…
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But that would be wrong according to what you’ve quoted, and appears to support my original position.
It’s not “gp capt RAFAC” any more than it’d be “gp capt RAuxAF” or “gp capt RAF”
If you were mandating the use of the post nominal, it’d then be (within the context you placed it):
Joe Bloggs RAFAC
Group Captain
Or with a bit more going on:
Joe Bloggs OBE RAFAC
Group Captain
Yes, but Joe Bloggs is only RAFAC with a rank…
It’s the rank that would make you assume RAF and therefore needs to be marked as not.
Havent we discussed this a milllllion times
And yet still it isn’t clear ![]()
The navy do put “Lt (RN) Bloggs” and “Capt (RN) Bloggs”, but they do that because the misunderstanding that can result in a tri-service environment can range from minor to major…
Similar to how I, in an international environment, frequently put “Flt Lt (OF2) Bloggs”
It’s probably wrong but it is so muddled that I now just put my name on email and leave it at that.
The rest of the info is in the email address/directory, although my rank is wrong there in any case (and not even consistently wrong, I think I have an email with every Jnr Off rank!)
It doesn’t make sense to have “Name RAFAC” then rank. Our parent service certainly doesn’t do this.
RAF Waddington lists the Stn Cdr in what I see as the correct sequence - Rank / Name / Post-Nominals / RAF:
Group Captain Dominic ‘Dutch’ Holland OBE MA RAF
The same format should be used for RAFAC:
Wg Cdr A N Other RAFAC
Yes, but what does his signature block look like on emails etc.
Email signature blocks seem to be a hotchpotch, although those that “segregate`” name & rank with a vertical line often use the format of NAME | RANK + RAF (or RAFAC) | post / position.
If I was to write to that person (or refer to them in a document of any name, then it should be as I outlined - Wg Cdr A N Other [post-nominals] RAFAC (or RAF or course).
When DCAS replied to me, his signature block didn’t list “RAF” anywhere (or his post-nominals)!
Air Marshal Rich Maddison | Deputy Chief of the Air Staff|
Others to me:
Squadron Leader XXXXX YYYYYY BSc (Hons) MSc RAF | Personal Staff Officer to Air Officer Commanding Number 22 Group
OC 2FTS:
Group Captain XXXXXX YYYYYY LLM MA LLB CMgr FRAeS RAF
Squadron Leader XXXXXX YYYYYYY RAFAC/RAFVR(T) | Regional Aviation Officer
Wing Commander XXXXX YYYYYY MBE GCGI RAFAC | Regional Senior Staff Officer
X YYYYYYYYY | Wing Commander RAFAC | Beds & Cambs Wing ATC
Wing Commander XXXXXXX YYYYYY (OF4/O5) | OC Operations Support Wing | RAF ZZZZZZZ|
XXXXXXX YYYYYY | Wing Commander RAFAC | ZZZZZZ National Head
HQ RAF Air Cadets |
Just to throw another spanner in albeit with a bit of tongue in cheek,
Shouldn’t it strictly speaking be
Fg Off (acting Sqn Ldr) A Smith RAFAC ?
Back when I had acting rank, I got told off for making any reference to it being acting in my signature block.
My instinct was to be open about it and treating my local acting (paid) rank as though it was substantive ultimately led to me being booked into the wrong accommodation on a joint course at another camp, which meant I had to wear my acting rank even though I knew I shouldn’t.