MATOMAN wrote - "Civil controllers prefer to work in regulated airspace and, as all military controllers know only too well, are often very reluctant to provide a RAS when appropriate. "
Not all of us are reluctant
- it's just that we're not allowed
Some of us did cut our teeth in a past cold war so ain't scared of the big bad nasty Class G.
Anyway, the reason Mil ATC still exists is cheap labour. Market rate for anyone with radar skills is probably NATS rates or slightly higher. Mil rates are probably about 65-70% of that.
Which is why despite years of arguing MOD will not give you qualifications that can be recognised. Cos you'd all jump ship. Shame on them.
I too remember the Airwork/Boscombe fiasco - an early attempt at privatisation.
Truth is - there are still too few controllers on the civvie side (what with new sectors splitting and opening all the time) - so exactly where are NATS going to get ATCOs to do any military task .... ?
Hmmm... do I detect a new "Dundridge type" course for Mil Area controllers on the horizon? Or will they convince you to take a job at 60% of the market rate and just top it up with a mil pension ?