Just some statistics from 2004-2005 leave period, as published in the 2006 AFPRB report, that readers might want to consider before making comparisons about hard work between the services:
Percentage of Annual Leave taken:
RN: 94%
Army: 87%
RAF: 74%
Number of personnel losing no days of Annual Leave:
RN: 93%
Army: 66%
RAF: 84%
Average number of days of Annual Leave carried forward:
RN: 1.5
Army: 2.0
RAF: 9.3
Of course, all services will have blunties working 9-5 on week days only (3pm on Fridays), using all their Annual Leave and getting a few weeks of AT besides, that will improve the numbers. Most aircrew and engineers on this forum will have had less than the averages above!
Dave