Melchett,
I completely agree that the nature of recent campaigns have provided significantly more peril and, therefore, opportunities to be recognised for gallantry, for RW crews. What I would add, however, is that given the number of DFCs, AFCs and MiDs awarded to RW crews from all the services on HERRICK it continues to amaze me that I can't recall a single award of a DSO to a Cdr JHF(A). Several of them flew combat sorties whilst in the chair, as well as being under the same threat of IDF attack as anyone else (not really the case for crews in Cyprus…), so, arguably, there should have been a handful awarded? There were certainly plenty being awarded to Lt Cols and above in the army. Almost astonishingly, I recall one being awarded to a Harrier Sqn Boss…….clearly a different command chain…..