Much enjoying your tales, LB. We were definitely spoiled in the Military, with our ability to easily talk to "our" local met men. I left the AAC back in 1997 and got a job flying for the Merseyside Police. Not long after I started, I turned up for the night shift with the weather absolutely nothing like the forecast. OK. I'll phone the duty forecaster at the airport. That turned out to be Manchester, and my request to speak to the forecaster was met with a puzzled "you want to do what?"
I can't remember the exact conversation(it was 25 years ago), but he wasn't particularly helpful and I got the impression that my call wasn't particularly welcome.