Ahem!
...as a very old former AEO may I add that the most senior were Alan Hicks and Mike Butler both whom were Air Commodores. Both were squadron commanders in the maritime force, (42 and 120 respectively).
I actually passed on my No6 and a not-much-worn No1 to a newly commissioned AEOp before he set off on his first commissioned tour. He was well pleased that they both had the AE brevet.
I didn't realise that there was a potential financial penalty in sticking with the brevet one was initially qualified to wear.
I was always very pee'd off that AEOs were shut out out of the back seat of the Bucc - I'd have loved that job. When, many years later, I did get a backseat ride from Lossie with a large red haired flt cdr (who did his damndest to make me throw up) I remarked to the squadron boss afterwards that "that's what I should have been doing for the last 25 years". I loved it!
The Ancient Mariner