Nurse, Ref your 9 Jul question on the ratio of Civil Servants to Military.
The organisation I work for used to be 100% light blue, headed by a Wg Cdr, split into 3 Sqns of 4 Flts, lead by Sqn Ldrs and Flt Lts accordingly. Each of those posts was deemed digital and essential, so no detachments during a tour.
We are now lead by a Sqn Ldr, with 2 JOs and 7 Civil Servants. Our outputs have increased and our wage bill has plummeted. The logic is simple; if the uniformed man cannot deploy, civilianise his post for half the salary. Your CS employee does not get posted every 2-3 years so becomes competent at his job; therefore overall numbers can be cut. He will have no military distractions, and so puts in a full day’s work at the primary job he is paid to do.
I well aware of the many shortcomings to this argument, but if civilianisation is used in the right places can be to everyone’s benefit.
Donkey, Ref your comment that the Civil Service contains vast swathes of overpaid, under employed deadbeats.
I and my 6 CS colleagues referred to above had all reached SNCO or Senior Officer rank before our posts were civilianised. We all to a man retain our Service work ethic. Furthermore, I regularly work alongside other CS organisations and, in my experience, see a similar mix of quality to the uniformed services. It is easy to target the CS, and I can give you plenty of examples of complete wasters wearing uniform.
I am all in favour of a fair Defence Review. But will we get one?