Tell him it's an 18 month waiting list, no exceptions due to the size of the current CAS manning.
But if he comes up with a firm job offer in writing he might be able to get out after 12 months!
Once had an argument about manning levels with a senior officer, who said the particular group I was in were "too small to make a seperate trade group". When asked 10 minutes later what the smallest trade group in the RAF was he said "Court recorder, there are only 6 of them". Kind of shot his own argument down