I am saddened but unsurprised. Having done a bit of time in the MoD myself, even (many) career civil servants "still don't get it". Two quotes I can remember from them:
"Why do we have military officers in MoD? Ministry of Health doesn't have any doctors and nurses, and Transport doesn't have any train drivers."
And from an HEO/C2 at STC as it then was:
"I'm the equivalent of a sqn ldr - I've worked here for 20 years and don't wear a uniform - whay does anyone else need to (at STC)."
Perhaps we should modify the age-old suggestion (banter, honest guv!) that we used to use about Flying Pay. At the end of each year (probably FY to keep the bean-counters happy), calculate the number of uniformed military who have lost their lives on duty, select at random a similar proportion of MoD Civil Servants ...... and have them shot!
