Crabb, up early again then - you must be on shift!
Its more like "life in an M+S" suit actually! Have I changed my tune? No, or perhaps modified my answer now I have met people and talked to them and tried to understand their problems and how they overcome them. Its an interesting world at the end of the day.
Roofus, not wishing to upset you further, I did read your post. Crabb points out the lines I found irritating [is that better for you rather than resent?].
Occasionally - is that the same as limited knowledge? I think so? The point we are all trying to get through to you is this. If you have done overland SAR on a bad night without NVG, then you return to the same place and time but this time with NVG every single person would never take NVG off! Its what the best dressed person is wearing at night these days! Because its safer. Training and education are the controls to pressonitis. By having robust training methods you give your crews the tools and the framework to make sensible decisions based on risk. I think on this bit we agree. It was simply the broad intent of your post that people who use NVG are dangerous. No,actually there is a very clear argument for the contrary.
Please lets not go down the "we do more training than you" debate again after this post. Just remember, if you increase the skills required then the training has to follow too so your monthly training bill increases.
Dont do it Crabb.
Dont ........