Ozy Rotorhead, you are making some pretty wild generalisations there mate.
I'm out next week as it happens, after more than 20 years, and it's mainly to get stability for my family. However, I sympathise with those who are looking for something different at earlier stages in their careers.
Look around you -
low flying rates,
very poor serviceability (lots of old aircraft, cost cutting in spares support, lack of expertise in the maintenance organisations - cuts in their training schemes, struggling contractors),
overloaded squadron execs who are being EEO'd, OH&S'd and whatever else so much they hardly have time to steer the ship,
trying to pretend that less people can do the same job as more by working 'smarter not harder',
boggies being unable to get enough hours to get credible experience in their first tour and being behind the 8 ball from then on,
those same boggies coming back as squadron execs and not having much credibility because they never had time to do the job before being thrust into trying to run it,
senior officers getting posted in every 2 years, reinventing the wheel and then ****ing off,
Frankly, I think that we are simply ****ed because we have been forced to cut numbers and budgets below a critical mass, so too much corporate knowledge and experience is lost, and those that are left behind to struggle on get burnt out.
PS hueywsh, the RAAF is part of the ADF. You are talking about the Army.
[ 11 September 2001: Message edited by: Arm out the window ]