Actually, reference my above post - I take it back, or at least I would publicy very much like to tone it down. Why?
Since posting that a few days ago, I went to a brief where DAAvn got all the Captains together to tell them on what was happening and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what was said. Tactics have actually received a huge amount of attention, judging by the BFO manual that was presented. The lack of flying was acknowledged, as was the inexperience of future and current Sqn commanders (a particular concern of mine). An invidious situation that is v hard to rectify due to the spare parts supply chain etc.
REWOs/TIs/WEOs will be on a par with Ops officers, and there will be a career structure leading to these posts other than the current situation of "QHIs and everyone else".
There will be no spec aircrew for officers and that's that. No one is more gutted than me, but I can't help but to be pleased with what else was said, despite my cynical nature.
Groundcrew are going to receive some well-deserved attention that I reckon will make it a pretty attractive job for a young soldier rather than being just a 'bowser mong'.
It actually seems like the Corps just might be growing up!
This was, I think, an example of what can be achieved when there is a bit of internal communication, and I would be interested to hear, Bonk, if you get any of this disemminated to you at your unit, because ther is more stuff which for obvious reasons I cannot go into here. Do you receive, for instance, the 'DAAvn Monthly review'? - an electronic document which could be printed off and put around the Sqns if people where arsed, which gives a cheap'n'cheerful rundown on what's going down in the corps? - No? well you should.
I learned more about what the goddam hell is going on in a couple of hours yesterday than I heard in the last 3 years.
So - AAC - Top marks for the work done so far, Sorry for being a bit harsh.
Internal communication - could do better. Nice to see it at last, let's get it down to the troops.
Oh and Beags, one point that was made that I have to agree with: although Apache is orders of magnitude more capable than anything we have had thus far, the Army still has 25 years on the RAF when it comes to helicopter anti-tank tactics.
Take your point on EW though.