Agreed Bertie.
A divide should not exist, yet it appears to be there. All parties are paid by the Govt, be they civilian or military. There is nothing inherently wrong in providing a service if none would exist without that service provider.
Would there be a military SAR unit on Sumburgh or Stornoway if BHL had not taken the opportunity to man the contract? I don't think so. Surely the question that must be answered is, "Do the civilian contractors adhere to and fulfil their contract?" I believe they do, and many people have cause to thank them for doing so.
Second question. "Could the services supply and crew the same stations"? I think not, purely due to overstretch and equipment limitations i.e. lack of aircraft.