I don't believe that anyone is suggesting that current or former UAS students are in any way bad people, or that the UAS system is a complete waste of time and money.
I myself was a sea cadet, and most likely would never have joined the navy except for that experience. And although the great majority of my fellow cadets never signed up, they probably got a lot out of the program, which presumably contributed to their development as productive citizens.
All I meant to say is that so long as there is a shrinking defence budgets, cuts will have to be made. And I would rather take steps like closing down the UAS than eliminating operational squadrons, disbanding regiments, or paying off warships. It's simply a matter of (reluctantly) choosing the least of many possible evils.
