Crab - I'm looking at two commendations for SAR, I taught rear crewmen their entire syllabii as they came thru OFT. I taught comonwealth aircrew SAR....Mmmmm?
So, let me get this right: weedy, scared paramedics need not apply eh?
Rearcrew lay their life on the line about as often as their pilots do. Certainly not everyday (Remember you only have to look at your log book to count how many times you actually ended up in that predicament) Listen, you're talking to someone who has been there and done that - even worse, we had a moving platform to contend with in horrendous sea states during takeoff and returned, often at night to the same moving deck - not your stable warm spacious crew room and airfield often with ILS, full runway lighting etc etc
Aircrewmen are not a special breed (my brother was one and as much as I love him, I keep telling him he's not special!!!).
What makes them stand out is their dedication to duty.
Most able bodied persons can be rear aircrew with the right training and right frame of mind. Don't delude yourself.