I was only 'in' as a VR on a UAS, for three brief and carefree years.
So my opinion is irrelevant.
What fired my desire to join the RAF was a desire to fly military aeroplanes, and to be part of (and even do well in) an organisation that I'd always admired and respected (having grown up in it), and which I hoped I'd be good enough to be a part of. Health issues intervened, and who's to say that I would not have been chopped along the way anyway? I was more inspired by seeing operational aeroplanes doing their job than I was by watching the Reds or historic flight Spits and Hurricanes, and though I always found HMS Victory fascinating, awe inspiring and not a little humbling, visiting her did not tempt me to toddle off to the RN careers office. Had it done so, I'd suggest that my reasons for joining would not have been sensible, and I would not have made a good candidate.
I'm more mindful of history and tradition than most, but I don't believe that it's more important than frontline capability, and I do believe that it can be maintained, nurtured and fostered without spending millions on the reds, or by slowly building an exact replica of the Victory from new timber!
But as I say, my thoughts on it are irrelevant.
I did, however, ask someone who shares my thoughts about the need to prioritise scarce funding to where it's most needed and best deployed, and who shares my views on carriers and the Reds.
Since he served as aircrew from '42, and finally retired in '78, and since his 'fighting spirit' saw him through several wars - including the big one - I'd venture to suggest that his credentials are impeccable.
Freedom, the fight against tyranny, and a desire to fly motivated him to join, stretching himself and progressing in a top-class organisation, as well as serving his country and his service kept him in after that.
He's a big fan of the Reds, but does not see how they can be justified when real frontline capabilities are being cut to the bone. He does not believe that a single penny of the defence budget should be diverted to the BoBMF or the Victory, which should be supported from heritage/culture funding.