A Flt Cdr on a large aircraft squadron (ex-F4 pilot, who went by the nickname 'Thrombo' or 'AWF' - you would have known him at WTM, Impiger), got himself all wound up and hot under the collar at a squadron meeting once about how important the NTO was and the dire penalties which one would face were it to be lost. After several minutes of this nonsense, a Wise Old Air Engineer interrupted by saying "In that case, Sir, perhaps we'd better take a few spares in the imprest pack-up whenever we go away!".
Collapse of self-important personage!
Another of his paranoias was people using the Sqn Ops direct line for private phone calls. To the extent that he demanded that the phone was to be locked up after working hours, in case those nasty,oily groundcrew people used it....
One day the boss landed late and went to use the phone. Finding it missing he asked "What silly bugger has pinched the phone?". Having been told, he said "Well, plug another one in then - I will be in the deep and smelly if I don't tell my wife that I'm going to be late!"
It seemed that 'Thrombo' had no idea that the phones were fitted with new-style BT plugs and sockets - and had been for some time...
NTOs - only really of any use to placate Spams who need written 'orders' for everything they do (including going for a dump, probably) and can't understand that the RAF doesn't.....