I joined a really secret sqn that had just lost ALL its groundcrew and had one sgt left. OK, we were multi-skilled but we lost a lot of personal expertise - who could fix a radio or rewire a car etc.
When we went away we took one C/T and did all the AF/BF ourselves. Then we got to know 'our chief' and started to take 'our chief' on away trips. Other crews did the same.
Then the powers realised what was happening and stopped us taking 'our chief' as other chiefs were not getting the jollies. When we got really broke 'they' would send more hired help. Then we got 'our chief' AND 'our rigger'.
No substitute for 'our ground crew' and 'our aircraft' but what a difference it made at a very local level. And if Taff Skuse is around still I mean YOU <g>.