I spent almost 40 year in light blue and had an almost child-like admiration for those that worked the yellow budgie or equivalent. So much did I admire [and envy?] the SAR force that I tried on several occasions to crossover to rotary, with the hope of joining that elite bunch.
Honours and awards are a fickle thing at the best of times [it took me a year to get a citation for an AFC approved for a worthy individual]. It saddens me that there is even 1 adverse comment about an award made to the most worthy part of the Armed Forces.
This thread should have been full of BZ [to use the American expression] for the crew that received the award. They know who did what and were probably embarrassed to have been singled out in this way.
Can we please stop this bickering, accept the awards lottery and agree that all did a magnificent life-saving job, no matter who got a citation from the most prestigeous body in aviation...
FJJP