Please note that this thread asked for my opinion and I venture it in the knowledge that I appear to be out of step with the other contributors
Whilst the ATC appears to offer excellent opportunities for the cadets and has been a recruiting and grooming ground for many years, I question its value to the RAF today. With a uniformed manning target of just 41,800 I believe that there must be enough high calibre applicants out there to feed that figure without the ATC. After all, 41,800 makes us smaller than Marks and Spencers and they don't have a uniformed youth organization (or do they?).
Those of us left in of the remaining posts are all doing far more work and dets than we ever were before. The only way that we can now operate is by cutting all activity not CRITICAL to our task. I am afraid that I see hosting and flying ATC as falling in that bracket.
Please don't feel victimised as I also think that we should disband the Red Arrows, the QCS and the Falcons.
Light blue touch paper and retire......