Lots of people commenting on what's changed and having started my career working for the Scottish Gp Capt when he was the Scottish Gp Capt, I've seen those changes too. However, to me the important stuff is what hasn't changed. In the main:
I still go to work with a bunch of people I would trust my life to.
We still banter in pretty much the same non-PC way we did in the 80s.
If they're asked to do stuff then they'll do their damndest to get it done.
Apart from missing the family, Ops are still the most satisfying part of the job.
The youngsters are just as keen, motivated as we ever were (but they're probably cleverer and less naive)
So they're missing out on RAFG and Tacevals in the same way I missed out on Changi and Aden. Their Air Force is less than 40,000 strong, 'my' Air Force was almost 100,000 and the old lags when I joined talked of an RAF of a million. Things change, but the character of the people doesn't. In the end, so what if yesterday's generation winge about the state of things - it was ever thus.
I'm sorry if all this sounds
PR guff but it's how I feel. The RAF is still a great place to be
for the people who want to be there. And that includes, for the moment, me.