Both sides...
Ooh, hit a nerve there, did I? Sorry about that, all of you who successfully fended off hordes of Russian tanks with your F-4s, Buccaneers and what-not. I am sure many of my adopted neighbours in Greater Germany have good cause to be grateful to you one and all.
I was on the other side of the globe fighting off the 'Chinese Communist East Germans' as Staff Sergeant Mendoza had explained it to us before taking bayonet practice. 'The spirit of the bayonet is to KILL!' But I was lucky to get to use a screwdriver instead. Such is life. Still got shot at, though, for what that was worth.
But looking at it from a different perspective, first I had the dubious pleasure of living on an Air Force base for two years as a member of the US Army. Then once I was getting my life semi-sorted out I tripped over not one but several Air Force retirees who seemed to think themselves the Alpha and Omega of general aviation. As stated, they used their relatively comfortable financial positions to make things rather tough for guys like me just trying to get ahead.
I wouldn't doubt that there's no place for me in some of your cockpits but that's okay boys, I'm a Captain too! Oddly enough, I have found myself able to share MY space with some ex-Air Force guys, Royal Air Force, not Real Air Force, but never mind. We try to hold to a broad church out there in the Third World.
I get rather testy with people who seem to think it clever to take advantage. That goes for the young ones who think it's great to see older guys forced to walk the plank, never seeming to think they, too, may end up in that position. (Unless you name is Peter Pan, perhaps.) And the crusty old ones who think no one can be any good unless they have done at least 20 years in the military can be just as annoying in the opposite direction! If we are lucky we get to live and learn.
I am a bit puzzled by this seeming jibe about my Nigerian ATPL. (Not ATLP, ALTP, APLT or whatever. It's only four letters so do try to get that right.) What, you think someone would claim to have one of those who didn't? I was not aware this is such a prestigious thing, so that I guess I had better source a Jiffy bag for it. Good thing I didn't mention my FAA Commercial Glider license, I guess, or you would have thought I was really putting on the dog! How about the German AllegemeineFunksprechZeugnis (Unrestricted Radio License)? Did a test and everything for that one, I did. AND it has my picture on it! Shall we have a bout of willy-waving, just to spice up this rather pointless discussion?
If the EU does indeed remove the Age 60 restriction then we won't be able to bitch and moan about this artificial restriction to the right to work as pilots. Then, I assume, it will be down to meeting the required standards, just like everyone else. Some of us seem to have a problem with that.