If we were to take this to the logical conclussion ie no money can be spent on anything non-operationally related until we of all 3 services have the right equipment then we should also say goodbye to, amongst otherthings :
- Cocktail parties (on the back of RN ships) at friendly ports (US / NATO etc). No need for defence diplomacy with our allies surely.
- Adventure training - since when has diving in the Red Sea or white water rafting in Arizona or sports parachuting for non-Paras contributed to operational output (and if you're talking "developing leadership" then that arguement reads across to overseas training flights when, for many junior pilots and navigators (yes, I know the Jag doesn't have a nav but it's not the only the Jag force that conduct OTFs...) it is the first time they have flown in a foreign country).
Just out of curiosity do the RN pay port charges when they are tied up alongside Bahrain / Barbados / Hong Kong etc for R&R - if so surely they should anchor outside international waters and conduct all resupplies by air / ship. In fact, an RN mate told me the main "reason" given for port visits is to allow navigation in unfamiliar waters...
We need to get a reality check on this. Yes they went away for the weekend - I know for a fact that the government did not pay for the skiing portion of the trip so whether they skied, drank themselves stupid or visited museums it matters not. In the grand scheme of things £30K is peanuts (ie 30 chairs in MOD Main Building!). Most of this would have been fuel charges anyway (and the hours will have been part of their monthly allocation anyway and therefore would have been spent whether it was flying high level (and therefore more economical) to Italy or at 250' (and shorter, but more fun) around UK. 6 people, 3 nights in Italy - I reckon at most £1.5K out of the sqn budget.
As already alluded to I reckon the story came from a disgruntled worker at Coltishall who is facing the prospect of either losing his/her job (if a civvie) or having to move for the first time in umpteen years (if military).
Move on - there are far more important things to discuss. For instance, surely southside, being dark blue, doesn't go on beanos - he must go on dandys .... (with apologies to all those from outside these shores or who do not have kids and therefore don't understand the comic references!)
