N Joe
Brilliant post and having been out for 12 months I can see and feel the experiences apart from:
"5. If you go anywhere near an RAF camp, you will re-acquire your rank whether you like it or not. The guardroom and mess databases just can't cope with "Sqn Ldr Joe" becoming "Mr Joe"."
I try not going to visit an RAF base because, after over 30 years service, I resent having to queue up for a visitor's pass.