"I am still puzzled as to why they pay it at my 17 year point. I am hardly going to leave when I am this close to my IPP "
.....because it encourages youngsters to stay beyond 12 years and after FRI you are in the pension trap. Too many folk were seeing the light of day at 8 or 12 years to maintain status quo; recruiting NCA without being trade specific should sort out any remaining drama`s.
Therefore you are a classic example that the `system` works!