How many infantrymen do you know who would be happy being detached to Afghanistan to guard an airbase?
Judging by the PVR rates, quite a few I'd imagine.
An infanteer doesn't see things in those terms, certainly not after he's been in for more than 5 minutes anyway.. and in company sized groups, our usefullness to battlegroups in strict terms is limited, although Sierra Leone saw the Corps at the forefront of operations as it has been elsewhere. The Regt role is varied and offers far more than you might imagine. I've had far better general conditions of service and had some useful experiences so yes.. I guess they'd have liked my job.
I think I'm right too, in saying that the RAF Regt is the only regular infantry organisation which has constantly been on active service somewhere every year since the end of WW2.