Rigger totaly agree have over the years seen many ex servicemen when leaving the services suddenly get the reality check of what the real world is willing to pay them compared to what the armed forces is willing to pay them.
Same goes for civil servants. My wife who works in local government but came from an industry background sees how people in Local Government think they are worth their comparable to industry salaries but don't have the levels of responsibility or risk someone in the same job in industry has. And I would say the same goes in the NHS.
Public service is a very different beast from industry in some areas the levels of responsibility are way ahead of industry in others not so. Its not helped by Govt amalgamating the pay systems to try to make pay fairer/simpler.
If I was in the forces doing the job i do now even with x factor taken away I would be about 3-4,000 better of a year. If I worked in Private sector I would have less responsibility as the patients they see are not usually as life threatening I would be 1-2,000 worse off. But how can some of the management grades justify their salaries? The chief Exec of an NHS trust isn't as exposed as the Chief Exec of a Buissness he is more like the Branch manager. Maybe the govt needs to look at the realies of some senior public sector jobs and face the truth that the huge salaries, bonuses and perks don't bring in Good management from the private sector as the good management in the Private sector doesn't always have the skills to run a public service. Or if they are that good Industry will always pay more to retain them.