The world is changing......
As others have said on this thread people can do one of two things. Either accept the packages on offer or put up and shut up and face up to the reality of a much less capable RAF but one that will still demand Loyalty from you. It's a question of attitude.
The fact is that the world has changed. I don't just mean that the Cold War is over like the situation was in 1989/90 but the fact that the UK (sadly) is no longer able to afford the defence posture it once had. (IMHO we clung onto the past - relics of Empire etc. - for far too long.)
The reality is the Armed Forces have been shrinking quietly for years and years. We will never get back to the air force of even 1990, let alone the one we had in 1980. Our polititians have other spending priorities and we can't afford to maintain the welfare state/education/health and defence budgets given the scale of the national debt and lower than forecast economic growth.
I left in 1989 after 10 years when I saw the writing on the wall. Even then the RAF was twice the size it is now and RAFG was the front line. The difference though was I left of my own accord and the economy was still performing.
For those who still love the job stick with it but be under no allusion that the RAF will offer the same career it might have when you first joined. For those who leave (as volunteers or not) the main thing is to exit with the best £££ package you can and use your training/experience/officer-like qualities and leadership skills to your best advantage. You know that you are miles better than any civvy!
Network hard and don't give up. You will find that there ARE careers and there IS a life out in Civvy Street even if it might not appear so. The grass can be greener on the other side of the fence. Be positive.
MB
Last edited by Madbob; 13th Jan 2011 at 12:09.