It's not a new thing this being stretched to the limit. And it's not just on overseas dets protecting the innocent in countries that have fallen apart. The UK is similarly stretched.
When I arrived at Marham in 1993, blokes were doing guard once in about 13 months or so. When I left The Mob in 1997 they were doing it 4 to 5 times a year.
This was, in my view, mostly due to all the so called support jobs being civilianised leaving gradually fewer and fewer RAF people to do the purely military duties. This also takes more tradesmen from squadron lines/bays etc and places more demands on those left to cover their work.
The problem is made worse by detachments which further denude squadron strength. Add this to the many Flt Lts who want to be Sqn Ldrs so when the boss says something like "Phwar phwar phwar by next Monday because phwar phwar phwar so working week end", Flt Lt (Jengo or whatever) says "OK Sir I'll tell the lads, no problem" Lads possibly already worked a 60 hour week to cover guards/dets etc but what the heck, it'll do my assesments the world of good.
There are also too many Sqn Ldrs who want to be Wincos, Wincos who want to be Groupies etc etc and as the rank gets higher so does the number of people affected by the particular persons ambition till there are whole stations working week ends because no one has the b**ls to say "NO." I use the week end working as just an example it could easily be something like "I want to to send 4 of our jets and a whole support package to outer wierdplace for a month for exercise waste of time" or something equally undesirable but the point remains the same.
Leadership is what is sorely lacking in todays Services. I am sorry to say that it seems (IMHO) that this has been replaced by self interest from Their Airships downward (How does it affect me? Apart from cudos from Tone and the boys it doesn't. Good, lets do it.) and I for one am thoroughly glad I am no longer in a position where I can be worked to death for the sake of someone's promotion prospects.
When will their Airships realise that although this "Can do" attitude is very laudable and one that should be striven for if possible, they must see that when flight safety is going to be compromised, the time has come to call a halt or review our commitments and see what can be scaled down in order to release resources for some new scheme.
Let there be no mistake, this IS costing lives whether because there is only an SNCO tradesman available to execute, oversee and sign off a job or a pilot who has been kept very busy on secondary duties and reports for flying duty tired (of course he is going to declare himself unfit due fatigue and have the Boss jump down his throat wearing his winter flying boots and damn his OWN assesments)or whatever, someone needs to call a halt.
Cynical? Possibly but the Air Force made me that way and I genuinly believe something has to be done as do many other writers to this erstwhile forum.
Hope it gets better Guys and Gals and keep up the good work.
Doc C.