TC - 40-60 mins won't make your neck ache so if that is the normal sortie length then there should be no problem. When you have them on for several hours at a time there is a real issue, having a 500g weight and a set of goggles on your head as you are vibrated through the bumpy sky certainly does get tiring - it's not a rumour.
Hopefully the PAOM is the first step in towards getting Civvy SAR on goggles and HEMs as well.