Crab.
You are boring me too, in fact it's people like you who make me pleased to be a civvy.
I am not going to get involved in a who is better than who slagging match but it is obvious you have never flown with an observer.
Generally they have flown as ASW observers before flying SAR and as such they have skills WSops don't have, control grades for one, this allows them to control other aircraft in IMC (and in the good old days that included the nimrod), as well as directing ships as the ASW commander. they also fly as aircraft captain (or they did when I was one) a strange one for he light blue to understand but it generally worked well.
We were trained in SAR from day one and it was an integral part of both training and front line life, but was always regarded as secondary role however once appointed SAR we then had a further course to complete before being released on the general public.
Like I said I'm not getting involved in a who's better debate, although the final result is the same the ethos is different.
Nuff said, off to count my pay packet.