I have to say that in my day job (as a teacher at a 'leading independent school') the clever boys would never in a million years contemplate joining the forces - they can see which way the future is going, and in any case they can earn far more money doing something safe like law or accountancy. Only the enterprising few go into the Army or RAF (insignificant numbers into the Navy) and very few are officer material. One boy did have the sense to go into the Navy in the ranks when he failed selection as an officer, but most of them wouldn't consider it.
Of course, you could always blame the end of the Cold War - rightly or wrongly, that did make the forces more glamorous.
Flik Roll - it has to be said, there is precious little of a syllabus for AEF. There is no structure, no building on previous lessons, &c. In that respect the gliding syllabus is much, much better. Oh, and of course most of the AEF pilots only do it for the aeros themselves - when I fly with them they are always disappointed when I say I'd rather learn to fly the Tutor properly rather than chuck it around and throw up.
Tim