In general terms I agree with you, Mr C, but there really does need to be some sort of dispensation from all this for guys that are out there 2 or 3 times a year, every year - a whole month per year on "non-core" business is a significant waste of money.
The chances of KAF-based personnel getting out of RSOI are now zero, as a 3-day RSOI is conducted at Bastion as part of the deployment process. Since the only useful bit of RSOI at KAF used to be the famil with the IDF alarms and the common rocket attack directions, getting a Bastion-specific RSOI appears a complete waste of time, as well as being 3 times longer than it was only a few weeks ago. Was the 'old' KAF RSOI really that unsafe?
The Bastion RSOI includes a full-kit 2.5 mile march to the range for weapon zeroing. Those who deploy without a personal weapon, such as FJ aircrew, have to sit and watch everyone else shoot before marching back again. The time could be much better spent getting ROE updates, reviewing theatre flying orders, etc... but no, sit in the sand for 6 hours doing bugger-all. Unbelievable.