I liked the buffhoon (Ah yes those were the days!) approach. Sir we are short of at least one Sqn of Tornado pilots throughout the fleet. Buffhoons answer? Scrap one tornado Sqn, what problem?
For those of you, who ache for a reduction in current commitments, know that any such reduction will be matched with an equal reduction in capability. This historical certainty will occur even if we have had a change of Government.
As for being a gatekeeper I would have thought given the farce that is the MOD today, surely any responsible parent would want to keep their children a million miles away. I have two family members going into the military shortly, quite a number of the elders have been in HMF and have told them based on a balanced portfolio of evidence another career might be prudent. Impressionable teenagers however, don't listen to elders and believe all the stuff they are fed by CIO's.
I have often thought of writing a book, based on my experiences. The book would make a convincing argument in the last three chapters of why any one of sound mind and body would go near the Farces today. A story of two particular Sqn commanders in Thumrait would make an excellent example of how the enemy isn't your worst nightmare!
Back to recruiting, the real plan as revealed some years ago is to conscript if the hard core numbers fall below critical levels. Of course it won't be called that, It will have some lovely pink and fluffy name and HMG will lie to us all too convince us that it's necessary. You know a bit like Gulf War two, unfortunately a large number of our population might just buy it!
