Now this is really starting to piss me off...
The Government is unwilling to tackle the issue of public perception over banker bonuses, yet is prepared to demonise senior military officers as living a life of luxury in overseas diplomatic missions despite having already cut back the number of these diplomatic posts drastically over the last few years.
The Government's published National Security Strategy (Oct 2010) identified 8 strategic tasks of which influence was number 3. Just how much influence the Government expects to get from an SO3 I really don't know. Most SO3s and SO2s are experts at the tactical level, but have little appreciation of issues such as national strategy, international relations, regional defence issues etc etc. With rank comes the experience and gravitas required to make a valid contribution in these areas. Otherwise, you mighten well not bother with the posts at all. Nice to see the CEA hot potato thrown in too, so does that mean no-one else would claim it or require their children to be educated?