Dougie M,
An interesting 'take' on the eligibility issue. However, until about 198???? the qualifying period for the LS&GCM was 18 years, so a little 'fettling' might be required.
That said, there is some suggestion that the date set was in some measure related to cost of 'legacy' awards but the situation is that an officer who might have qualified in the past, would often have been subject to a more rigorous code of conduct than is now the case (eg more lenient view of drink driving and the politely called - social misconduct). It could be argued that in the past one was more deserving of the award than is now the case.
A further issue with officers no longer in the RAF, is how to assess their conduct and what sort of appeals process might there be - say - from somebody invited to leave the RAF for an offence which might now warrant no more than an interview without coffee.
Old Duffer - 30 plus years - (as my mother said of my father) - for undetected crime!