Why is it irresponsible journalism? If I paid UK taxes I'd want to know that my money was being well spent and correctly administered and not wasted on a made up jolly like this was. I really cannot believe that the Sqdn Boss thought he could get away with this. 20 Years ago maybe they could have but in today's finacial climate it is totally and utterly stupid to think you can get away with this.
If you want to send the Squadron skiing then do it legally and properly and not through some back door exercise established to squander the public purse. Please don't try and justify it by saying it was good for exercise or to increase levels of fitness...you can do that by going for a run around the block. Don't make excuses for them by saying it was team building....again, easy to organise in the UK for less than £250,000. Do they need to go to Switzerland to practice mountain flying...How many other squadrons / Units go to Switzerland to practice Mountain flying ?
They should be made to pay the money back. Shame on them.
Its no wonder the rest of the Armed Forces are short of Kit and equipment when this is going on.