Every point well made and correct - it is not the 'Pilots' it will be the NAO or some such other faceless tyrant.
The Army has LE Officers (Very expencive!!! eg PAS L30+ ) to fill Command/Officer posts. The NCOs are flyers and I would love you to find one who felt it was required to be an Officer; there are the odd few - normally to extent their career.
(before we get into the grunt argument - I for one wouldn't be able to do what an Army Sgt does in his AH overseas so would never try to use a rude and wrong argument to prove a point) It's about the people and the faceless few.