Originally Posted by
Lucifer Morningstar
Absolutely correct BEagle - that was my takaway as well. I just watched the program and as someone who was associated with the Red's over many years (but was never on the team in any way!), the allegations against them were kind of a 'no $hit - everyone knows they are a poisionous bunch'. What really struck me was the way in which it is crystal clear that the RAF, to the very highest level in the form of CAS Wigston, did everything they could to disregard the victims and protect the boys in red/blue. The RAF were never going to allow an outside investigation because they knew what it would discover. I promise you that the outcome of the NSI was predetermined by CAS - he told the team what an acceptable result would be.
There has always been a huge element of hypocrisy around the team. When RAFAT gained their first female pilot, she was paraded around the media, on Loose Women, GMTV and everything else, extolling the merits of the female who 'made the team'. A few years later, after she had an affair with the Boss and destoyed his marriage, where were those shows to tell us how it had worked out? Radio silence. Pure hypocrisy.
People often talk about the recruitment pull of the Reds. Those days are now dead I am afraid. What self-respecting father would allow his daughter to join an organization that victimizes victims and covers up it's own internal investigations? I would urge anyone to boycott any airshow in which the Reds are appearing - why encourage their behaviour - stay away and let the airshow organizer know you will only be coming if the Red's don't appear. They definitely have an effect on recruiting - they make people stay away in droves.
The best recruiting tool the RAF could have would be to disband the Red Arrows, and state clearly and unequivocally that it has done so to ensure fairness and equality at all levels within the service- - that would encourage young people to join. They should use it as a statement about how seriously they take this situation. But they won't, and the next time a Red's member is abused, I hope that the entire command chain goes to prison - they will deserve it.
I was going to stand off on this subject because of the volatile emotions already over boiling. However, I would ask one question, when did this all start? One presumes that it wasn't present at the start, Lee Jones and Ray Hannah would never have known any such thing, nor one imagines would much later members, so I imagine. So where's it all gone wrong?
FB