CWs

One for you ol' salts out there....

My understanding of the TA is that if you join as a soldier but have officer potential you are designated a UPO(unit potential officer) and "promoted" to O/Cdt before passing the AOSB. (If I am wrong I shall stand corrected, but I am sure I remember reading it somewhere)

Out of interest, can anyone tell me why this isn't the case for R.N.R CWs?

HH

 

traditionally everyone joined as a rating (bar ex officers), so it was never really an issue. Nowadays it does seem a little pointless as the RN has no real rank of officer cadet (except in BRNC) - although it does seem to be used occasionally in different forms. I suspect its easier for the RNR to keep people in current ranks until they pass AIB - also easier to soften the blow if they fail and don't have to revert.

 

PT, slight update. Once passed AIB, ratings are promoted to Officer Cadet, and reside in the Wardroom. I think they then become Acting Sub Lieutenants on successfully passing the BRNC 2-week course!

 

cheers chaps

just thought it was a little strange.

 

Not so. A/S/Lt from passing AIB until passing Fleet Board. O/Cs are the rare breed that are direct entry.

APN

 

So if you are direct entry officer you become an O/C, if you have been lower deck you become A/S/LT??

 

thats a good point, does that mean the CWs then wear one ring with the O/Cdt flash below or the O/Cdt flash alone but are treated as A/S/Lt?

 

No, you are only an O/C if you are DE & pre-AIB. Both DE & CW become A/S/Lt post-AIB & pre-Fleet Board. O/Cs are members of the wardroom but not technically officers.

APN

 

APN are you sure, as we have 5 YOs in the Gunroom, and they only wear a glod ring after BRNC, before then they just have the white flash, and are called OC Smith (bit confusing having 5 Smiths in the wardroom!). An of the 5, they are a mixture of ex AB1s and DEs. I have not read the references, so do not know the ground truth, However will be checking this Thursday!

 

Okay, just checked most up to date reference (CMR02/10) which essentially states that all RNR officers under training up to passing out from BRNC are called Officer Cadets, and wear white tabs. They are not entitled to any form of marks of respect paid to commissioned officers. They may hold the rank of A/SLT for pay purposes, but they are not entitled to use it for any form of rank or title. They are Officer Cadets.

All officers under training post BRNC wear SLT rings (with tabs I'm guessing until post fleet board?) and are acting SLTs and entitled to appropriate marks of respect. They are referred to as 'Young Officers' until succesful completion of Fleet Board. Upon completion of Fleet Board, individuals then become 'proper officers' and begin the transition to acheiving operational capabiltiy.

In both cases Nos1's are still striped to the appropriate rank (e.g. SLT), but stripes cannot be worn on other uniforms.

Delighted also to see that there is a 3 yr limit to get to fleet board now - very good news indeed.

 

I confess I am a bit out of the loop, as I'm at a unit with no YOs; I am willing to concede it's changed in the two years since I transferred...

APN

 

PT,
my bold. I'm lost. Can you expand?

 

Sorry - in the case of OCdts, they wear a white tab on their uniform until completion of BRNC, when they are allowed to put the stripe on. They cannot wear a stripe in any uniform except Nos 1s / 2s until completion of BRNC.

 

;-P I always saluted my Officer Cadet, and Midshipman when strapping them into a 809 Sqdn Buccaneer........... They deserved it, they were so brave, and i had the greatest respect for them:salute::salute:

 

" i had the greatest respect for them:salute::salute: "

Not surprised considering how brave they were flying in a kite that you'd looked after Scouse ;-)

 

PT, me old mate, I may not be correct as per the regs, but will check tomoz at the unit, and try to remember to update the post!

 

You are incorrect. On passing AIB, everyone is rated Officer Cadet with TACOS as A/Slt or A/Lt . On successfully passing BRNC they are re-rated A/SLT or A/LT. Once they have passed Fleetboard, they are commissioned as S/LT or A/LT. This has been in force for the past three years.

 

There is another ammendemant. OC's are now no longer allowed to have gold stripes on their No.1 or No.2 uniform. They can only wear the gold stripes after successful completion of the BRNC course 'i.e. At the completion of training parade held at BRNC. This complies with the present practice at BRNC where OC's wear no distinguishing marks on their NO.1 uniforms

 

When was this issued and how?

Need ammunition before May please

 

If that's the case then it's a recent change. The OCs at BRNC when I went through last year had their suits striped up as either S/Lt or Mid but with a white shoulder flash.