Originally Posted by
FollowTheSupper
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If I might be permitted an attempt at clarification, and maybe prevent any further unnecessary escalation.
As this is the military aviation forum, it is inevitable that some topics under discussion will encroach on matters which are subject to varying levels of military security classification (i.e. "secrecy").
Obviously all service personnel (both serving and former), having signed the Official Secrets Act, will not want to discuss topics on this public forum, which are still covered by current security classifications. However, occasionally a "reality clash" is encountered, where the security classification officially decreed for a particular activity, seems to be completely at odds with the realities of the situation.
As an example... how do you keep the presence of one of the noisiest, smokiest, aircraft in the world as a "secret"...?
Hence the occasional use in these threads, of "veiled" speech... or in the case of this particular thread, a repeated alluding to the hilarious pretence that the "secret" is somehow still a secret. Hence also, the equally hilarious tales of the ludicrous extents to which some senior personnel (many of whom were old enough and hairy enough to have known better), persisted in trying to deny the undeniable... rather than perhaps devoting their intellectual energies to finding and implementing more plausible and durable cover stories.
As for profiles, I would suggest that what you do with your profile is entirely up to you. Some people just can't wait to publish all their details accompanied by flashing lights [usually former Lightning pilots...! ;-) ]...
... others have done things that they have the humility not to brag about...
... others still wish to keep everybody guessing...
... others yet dream of aspiring to the very pinnacle of elite aircraft spotting...
... while there are those who decline to put most details in any form of online social media, as they wisely assess that sooner or later some malevolent web-trawling bot will use some of it against them.
In my humble opinion, I doubt very much whether any real arrogance has been deployed here. Being a forum frequented by many who are well-versed in military discipline, I am therefore sure that chevvron is more than capable of being witheringly arrogant / offensive, etc., if he/she ever chose to adopt such a stance... so the comparatively mild banter (particularly if you already understand the joke), which was levelled in response to your query, hardly qualifies as this. Starting, encouraging, and perpetuating banter is an important element of "Maintenance of Morale"... which is something that I would advocate becoming (and remaining forever) as second nature to all military leaders (at any level)... and even when taking into account "modern" sensitivities. (I have always counselled the "particularly sensitive", that they should perhaps reserve their full steaming outrage instead, for deploying against those that are actually firing live rounds at them... or worse.)
So, with respect, I would maybe urge caution against leaping too quickly into "defensive" mode and hurling around comments like "saddos" etc., ... otherwise many other people might inevitably form their own (but hopefully incorrect) adverse conclusions about your solidity of character. (Quiet, self-deprecating humour has been known to earn respect in the past... if a suitably witty, more brash riposte is not immediately to hand.)