I was at a conference not long ago with Gp Capt IofR and a senior Corporate Comms person. Apparently recruitment will be cut to a level where we still need to be promoted, simply because the recent defence cuts have made the Forces seem like a far less stable career than when I joined.
The rough recruitment figures were:
2003/4 - 900 Officers, 3,000 ORs
2004/5 to 06/07 - 300 Officers, 1,900-odd ORs.
I tell you this because, apparently, "U NEED 2 KNOW".
Ugh.