Originally Posted by
ASRAAMTOO
Its that old argument about the bean counters knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing. There is I suppose a comprison to the decline of University Air Squadrons (There are now fewer and the students get less flying), or the demise of Air Cadet Gliding.
The VALUE is that you produce a generation of individuals, many of whom move on to play decisive roles in society and think highly of the military.
And of course if the individuals were not attending Welbeck then they would be attending 6th form somewhere else so although the Army would not be paying, the government would.
Quite, but if it’s actual VALUE is supposed to be in producing sufficient people who become engineering officers and it doesn’t, it’s not good VALUE. It might well generate goodwill, but there are doubtless considerably cheaper ways of doing that and some might even have a better effect.
If those that exploit the Welbeck system, but don’t join up, are switched-on, the Scheme might actually be harmful as they recognise it as the unnecessary waste of taxpayers’ money that it is. So, perhaps that VALUE proposition isn’t as simple as it seems at first pass?
I’m not and never have been a bean counter, but I have spent a considerable amount of time on the front line wondering why we lack all we need, but noting the wasted money on schemes that don’t deliver. Maybe I’ve misunderstood where real VALUE should lie, and it’s not important where the fighting is done. I’m sure someone will be along shortly on here to put me right.