MilOps, I left in 1990 for the same reasons as you give and I've never looked back. Best decision I ever made and its worked out fine for me. I was a controller in the RAF and the CAA paid me more as a trainee than the RAF paid me as a Sgt. And when I joined in 1976 the Green Godesses were on the streets covering for firemens' strikes, Jim Callaghan's government were decimating the forces with defence cuts, aircraft sat in hangars for months because there were no spares, and the accommodation blocks were literally falling to pieces (the one I lived in had builder's jacks holding up the ceilings). So looks like nothing has really ever changed and if I had to blame anyone for the state the forces find themselves still in 27 years later, I'd lay it firmly at the door of the Ministry of Defence, which is without doubt staffed by the biggest bunch of muppets on the planet. It certainly is no reflection on the people who serve in the forces, who manage to run the show despite the inept tinkering with budgets and projects by their so-called leaders.
So you pays your money and you makes your choice, and I chose to leave. I had a great time, but I'm also glad I left which makes me very lucky, really. Good luck, MilOps, hope it works out for you, but if you managed to stay in the RAF that long, you'll do fine at whatever you chose next.
