Riskman - Can you produce statistics to back up your claim that a significant number of MOD civil servants are ex-military? I've spent a bit of time in The Building and I can't think of a single one in the mainstream civil service. Granted out in the Shires things are different but if there has been a moan I'd wager a pint that it has come from within the big white box.
On a slightly different note, I once suggested the flags on Main Building be flown at half mast each day a member of the Services died on operations. It was suggested that this might be an all too common event and it might demoralise folk. I responded that as MOD can be viewed by our democratically elected representatives as they drove (or more likely were driven) down Whitehall to the Palace of Westminster it might help them to ponder on the outcomes of their decisions. Just a suggestion.