Addressing SACs as "Staff"

[Tango_Lima]

Arrgh! You're hijacking my thread! You're hijacking my thread! It's not fair! :S

I'm pretty sure props get worn on blues. Definately on No1 and I've seen the slides for No2 (props with RAF REGIMENT underneath) but I'm not issued it and neither is anyone else I play soldiers with so I'm not 100% on that.

I've asked the why question to that one enough times to be pretty certain that there isn't actually a particularly good reason. It's just never been done.

Anyway: there's not any particular reason why 'Staff' is used rather than anything else, then? I quite like "trained airman", but I suppose it's a bit of a mouthful.

From what people have said, it seems like 'staff' is a relatively recent thing. I wonder who was the first to use it and what their reason was?

 

[stereolab]

Staff

Staff

Arrgh! You're hijacking my thread! You're hijacking my thread! It's not fair! :S

I'm pretty sure props get worn on blues. Definately on No1 and I've seen the slides for No2 (props with RAF REGIMENT underneath) but I'm not issued it and neither is anyone else I play soldiers with so I'm not 100% on that.

I've asked the why question to that one enough times to be pretty certain that there isn't actually a particularly good reason. It's just never been done.

Anyway: there's not any particular reason why 'Staff' is used rather than anything else, then? I quite like "trained airman", but I suppose it's a bit of a mouthful.

From what people have said, it seems like 'staff' is a relatively recent thing. I wonder who was the first to use it and what their reason was?

As AC Stereolab in 1972 I recall vividly addressing SHQ staff, as "staff" where they were below the rank of Corporal, both at Swinderby and then at Hereford.

 

[Puma]

I think it's a phase one training thing myself, a way to distinguish airman who have already completed phase one training to the recruits.

I would hazard a guess that some people got together and made this decision, but who and when I couldn't possibly say.

 

[Flybynight]

Rank slides for JT and below didn't come in until the 80s (83 I think) and the Rocks didn't wear them then.

I think we're at cross purposes. I was referring to rank badges worn on both arms of No.1 and the old No.2 uniforms: when I were a lad rank slides with shirtsleeve order were only worn by commissioned officers; NCOs below warrant rank wore a badge on a cloth strap on their left arm; WOs and master aircrew wore theirs on a leather strap on their left wrist; J/Ts and below did not wear rank badges with shirtsleeve order. This was before the days of camouflage uniform or the crew-neck pullover (just a thin v-neck that had to be worn out of sight under No.1/No.2 tunics, though people taking their tunics off and leaving their pullies on IN THEIR PLACE OF WORK ONLY was tolerated, at any rate in Flying Wing/Ops Wing). In the 60s my memory is that LAC/SAC RAFR did wear props on their arms when in full uniform or greatcoat. Again, nobody below Cpl wore props or the old J/T single inverted chevron on RAF raincoats. Newly-promoted corporals would often omit to take their raincoats to the Equipment Section to have their chevrons sewn on, partly as an affectation and partly to continue to have the option of wearing their raincoats as civvy dress, wicked, naughty, slap! (All rules are equal but some are more equal than others.)

Perhaps somebody senior at Coltishall could very kindly enlighten us?

 

[Oberon305]

An alternative could be that 'Staff' is occassionally used as an alternative description of a phallus; it could potentially be a discreet way of calling a pretentious git who 2 weeks previous was a recruit....a knob.

 

[Flybynight]

An alternative could be that 'Staff' is occassionally used as an alternative description of a phallus; it could potentially be a discreet way of calling a pretentious git who 2 weeks previous was a recruit....a knob.

Aha! I do think you may be right!

 

[sambo1983]

It's commonplace at Halton and at phase 2 units I believe...I certainly got used to it being there for 3 years...The other time I encoutered it was at Pirbright having my MPGS medical...where some jumped up civvy bint demanded that we all call her staff....it didn't bother me too much but 2 of the guys sat with me were ex SNCO's with numerous Herrick tours behind them...you can imagine their reaction!

 

[spike7451]

Couple years ago the was a new Captain in an Army Cadet Battalion in England,couple of AI's were overheard to say something like "Cnut comes in here,straight to Captain,Bet he knows fukk all about the army as well"..The person who overheard them pulled them into the office & reamed them both a new one...Then they had to apologize to the new Captain who's previous post was as a Irish Guards RSM at the RMC Sandhurst!
I met the chap a couple times,thoroughly nice chap,but I wouldn't want to pish him off!

 

[LilStill]

Couple years ago the was a new Captain in an Army Cadet Battalion in England,couple of AI's were overheard to say something like "Cnut comes in here,straight to Captain,Bet he knows fukk all about the army as well"..The person who overheard them pulled them into the office & reamed them both a new one...Then they had to apologize to the new Captain who's previous post was as a Irish Guards RSM at the RMC Sandhurst!
I met the chap a couple times,thoroughly nice chap,but I wouldn't want to pish him off!

Cool story bro!

 

[Flybynight]

Couple years ago the was a new Captain in an Army Cadet Battalion in England,couple of AI's were overheard to say something like "Cnut comes in here,straight to Captain,Bet he knows fukk all about the army as well"..The person who overheard them pulled them into the office & reamed them both a new one...Then they had to apologize to the new Captain who's previous post was as a Irish Guards RSM at the RMC Sandhurst!
I met the chap a couple times,thoroughly nice chap,but I wouldn't want to pish him off!

You must be very old! So must the WO1 turned Capt. RMC Sandhurst combined with RMA Woolwich as RMA Sandhurst about a century ago (sez FBN without taking the trouble to look up the exact date). Arsenal were still playing at Woolwich then weren't they? With no Frenchman in sight, I might add.

 

[Ronsuddes]

When I worked at Tossford as permenant staff back in the 80's as a JT, every rank below JNCO was addressed as "Staff" by the phase 2 trainee's.
It was used to differentiate between trainee and perm "staff"
While not instructors various other trades interacted with trainees throughout their courses and were accordingly addressed with some respect higher than an "oy mate, where's the NAAFI?"
As to an official reg?

Whilst at Cosford in the early '60s when you reported sick the LAC Bedpan Mechanics were addressed as Staff.

These LACs were the most recent Boy Entrant Entry to pass out and therefore had less than six months service.

They relished the "power" it gave them over Boy Entrants and they would make the BEs on Sick Parade clean SSQ whilst they were waiting. I went Special Sick with 'flu and one of these Bedpan Mechanics had me bumpering the floor until a passing MO noticed how ill I was (pale with a very high temperature). He took this bloke aside and gave him his "terms of reference", he then came out and told me to sit down before I fell down.

 

[spike7451]

You must be very old! So must the WO1 turned Capt. RMC Sandhurst combined with RMA Woolwich as RMA Sandhurst about a century ago (sez FBN without taking the trouble to look up the exact date). Arsenal were still playing at Woolwich then weren't they? With no Frenchman in sight, I might add.

Cheeky git...I realized I'd put the wrong abbreviation but I had a simple choice.......

Correct it...


or


Beer!


Beer won!

 

[Gord]

At Halton back in the 60's we had LAC snowdrops that we were required to refer to as staff. Most if not all snowdrops on other bases carried the rank of Cpl or above

 

[LilStill]

At Halton back in the 60's we had LAC snowdrops that we were required to refer to as staff. Most if not all snowdrops on other bases carried the rank of Cpl or above

Snowdrops are surely best referred to by 'Oink' noises.

 

[Flybynight]

Cheeky git...I realized I'd put the wrong abbreviation but I had a simple choice.......

Correct it...


or


Beer!


Beer won!

Correct it or Blair, do you mean? Who did you say won?

 

[Gord]

Snowdrops are surely best referred to by 'Oink' noises.

They were usually referred to in somewhat more colourful language usually but generally at a discreet distance since we were after all merely in our mid teens as apprentices. I must admit however that most of the ones I had any dealings with were pretty decent guys. Many were the times I staggered back into the guardroom with only seconds to spare to check in before curfew after a night on the wobbly pop and was simply ushered through the gate and told I'd better get my head down. Running up Henderson hill with a belly full of Newcastle Brown just so that you'd get to the guardroom on time was punishment enough.

 

[tornadofairy]

Back in the 70’s I knew a Regt SAC whose rank slides. (sans props) read ‘Rock Ape’. No one in authority ever noticed…

 

[Dan_Brown]

10 year necro.

The Op probably woke up to this shit show and has either, left, was made redundant or is drowning his sorrows in a Mess each night.

 

[Spearmint]

10 year necro.

The Op probably woke up to this shit show and has either, left, was made redundant or is drowning his sorrows in a Mess each night.

Not even an 8 Year Necro....

I thought Snowdrops could count?

 

[Dan_Brown]

'Almost' 8 years then (was looking at original post )

And who told you Snowdrops could count,? Wee kan bearly right.