Deliverance
I can see where you are coming from and admit that the Service also made me. But when said Service no longer keeps its promises, or fails to support its personnel then the Loyalty that has always been there from my point is no longer given from the Service then why should I continue giving my Loyalty to it.
A couple of for instances, (ex WC FC who was on E3's for 5 yrs). When posted to a instructor ground tour (with promotion) was promised that it would only be for 2 years. At this point flying pay stopped, which I had no problem with. Then 18 months later called back to Waddo to re qualify on E3, as crews were now flying with extra WC's for Afghanistan. Spent 6 months flying over Afghanistan or at Waddo doing currency/sims or on leave. Home unit not exactly happy with loosing me so they complain to HQ. HQ promptly waive requirements for currency of Sims, and take control of deploying personnel away from sqns. Yes I had gone more than my fair share, which I had no problems with because I was the only ERS WC who was single. Then came the 2 yr point and when asked PMA said no you're not going back to E3's we need you on the ground. But I was still ERS, and then got called back to deploy for Iraq.
Well I returned from Iraq to be told thats the end of ERS go back to the ground. That was in the June of 03 my flying pay which I should have been in receipt of from Nov 01 after I restarted flying duties was not sorted out till Sept 03.
When I was on that ground tour, as I had a Daughter I had applied for an excess quarter which I received. On 1 of my leaves (March) from Afghanistan I came home to find no central heating or hot water in the quarter with the Daughter due the following day (a Friday). After phoning the DHS help line cause faults weren't reported locally anymore and explaining that there was no Gas heating and that as the Electric to the boiler didn't have any lights to indicate if it was on or not. DHS agreed to send out a Gas fitter the following day. Otherwise it would have been 14 days for the Gas fitter to come out, if the boiler was working. Said Gas fitter arrived and using a special tool not available to Joe public ascertained that the boiler electric was working. So I could of heated the house by using the boiler but that was my money. After I returned from another Det there was a Bill for a FALSE EMERGENCY call out that was laid firmly at my feet as I had told DHS that the boiler was not working. As I gone into work where calls are taped and said I can not ascertain if the boiler was working and it was upto DHS to make the decision about the fitter or not. I told DHS where to stick their call out charge, and refused to pay it. The local bloke had to go higher to get that charge canceled.
Deliverance, it is instances like that that stop people from staying Loyalty always has and will always be TWO WAY. Shafting people and expecting loyalty in return will never work.
If your interested I did 27 years, and now work outside but also as a CI for the local ATC sqn. I don't discourage anyone wanting to join but I do make sure that they go in with their eyes open.
Cooheed, without deployable forces to be placed in harms way by politicos. Who fail to give the troops the required equipment and support they need.
It is an individuals choice at present to serve or not.