White Ovies,
Of course you are quite right with your comments.
There is no 'connection' between the Joint teams that determine LOA (for example) and the delivery of future capabilities. My understanding is that these changes (read massive reductions) are presented to the DB as a fait accompli and not as 'options' or alternative assumptions, as some of you may remember them as. The only way the sS can increase the remuneratuion for personnel in post is to promote them - but that generally results in the person being either ineligble for the post, or sees their rapid repatriation back to Blightly.