AA - I agree entirely, it is the longer term quality of life aspects that should be addressed iot keep people in the service. Things such as health care for your families (preventing the eternal hunt for an NHS dentist when you are forced to move every 2-3 years), good quality housing, an excellent education package for children and rest (but still flying) tours for aviators who have spent a great deal of time on the front line living in a tent.
Addressing this might go a little way towards retention, but the FRI is only for those who staying anyway, as Brit Bus Driver stated, you are paid 75K plus 11K a year to leave so why stay when the prospect is more and more out of areas (with the potential of 9 or 12 month posts beckoning!)
I am at the cross roads right now and still am not sure what to do, I have done nothing but fly for the last 15 years and am now in a great staff job (yes they do exist) but am not sure what is available in the civ market for RW pilots these days. On e thing is for sure, I will be doing my licenses very soon to give myself options.