Whatever religious or cultural background you come from, you’ll be made welcome in the RAF. We’re happy for you to practise your religion. It’s part of who you are and your unique outlook on life. You may not realise it, but there are many religions already represented in the RAF.

There aren’t any compulsory religious ceremonies that you’d have to attend. Your religion is very much what you want to make of it. If you do want to attend religious services, many exist, with times and details published regularly.

But what if I need religious guidance?

You’ll get it. Most RAF bases have Chaplains. Any discussion you have with the Chaplain will be strictly confidential. If you’re not a Christian, the Chaplain can put you in touch with someone from your own faith to give you guidance.

Does the RAF have any prayer facilities?

Yes, we do. You should always discuss these matters with your commanding officer or line manager. We’ll make every effort to accommodate your religious requirements – but we expect you to use your break times for this.

Can I take days off for religious reasons?

Subject to any operational requirements, of course you can. We make every effort possible to give you time off for religious festivals and holidays, whether that’s Christmas, Yom Kippur, Vaisakhi, Eid ul-Fitr, Diwali or another religious holiday.

Am I allowed to wear religious dress?

You’ll have to wear a uniform on duty, but we can adapt this to fit your religious obligations. The biggest exception is where you’d be wearing specialist equipment that we cannot adapt (it might well endanger your life if we did).

For instance, Muslim women are able to wear trousers instead of skirts and swim in single-sex pools where possible. Muslim men can have a beard, but it has to be short and trimmed. It may not be possible to have facial hair where it conflicts with safety (e.g. if you need to wear an oxygen mask).

If you are Jewish, you can wear your yarmulke, so long as your role doesn’t require protective headgear. The same applies if you are Sikh and want to wear a turban. As a Sikh, you can also wear your ceremonial religious items: kara, kesh, kanga, kaccha and kirpan.

Is there any provision for religious dietary requirements?

Yes, there is. We try to cater for all dietary requirements, including providing appropriate ration packs. So, if you need to eat kosher or halal, or have any other special dietary requirements, you just have to tell us.