A2QFI
You have just hit the nail on the head. We loved the life in RAFG; you worked your nuts off, but you played hard and enjoyed the life that went with it to the full. There was always a work life balance (and yes we spent up to 6 months plus away on detachment each year) and this created high morale and a sense of belonging. I (and my family) immediately noticed the difference when RAF Germany closed, and in my opinion that’s when the real rot started.
Suddenly it was all about achieving more for less, efficiency drives, cutbacks that quite frankly really hurt and this perceived attitude from the top to stamp out any form of morale.
For certain Sqns and trades within the RAF the tempo of operations associated with lack of kit, crap kit and lack of care is really starting to make good people leave in droves.
Just about every SNCO that I served with in Germany on Tonka Sqns has now left. Some of these people (including myself) were of the type where if you cut them in half they had a blue roundel in the middle. Only 10 years ago that number of people leaving would have been un-heard of.
Just my two-pence worth.