Stillalbatross,
If you had considered the military you would have learnt that pilots in Nato Air Forces are all officers and yes there would have been a little bit if drill (marching to you) during Officer Training but not much. The end goal of flying some of the worlds best and most demanding equipment in the most demanding environment would have compensated for any of the pain one endured at the beginning. You will never experience the pride of marching in front of the monarch at your graduation, or the satisfaction of getting a bomb on target from low level at night in cloud or the feeling of the burners light up. Then again, most of us enjoyed the discipline and esprit de corps that came with it.
Don't argue that dropping bombs has nothing to do with flying passengers around... it's the attitude and discipline that comes with being a professional aviator, no matter what your flying background.
Ah, DISCIPLINE, there is a quality found in very few of our new pilots. You will argue, I know, but trust me you sound just like the type I am talking about!
cxorcist, oval 3 holer et al.... You talk about lowest common denomiators, you talk yourselves into it.
This is not rocket science and neither is it a bombing mission but surely the customers deserve we make no less effort than that type of job. There is only one way to fly and that is at 100% all the time.
If you don't like it.....