The civ crews don't have "no rules" as you put it, indeed they have more restrictive ones than the military
Really? How restrictive is this CAP999 statement in bold?
SAR Operating Minima
4.1 The operator is to specify the minima appropriate to SAR operational flights, SAR training and any other categories of flight (e.g. air tests, positioning, demonstration flights).
4.2 Operating minima for the dispatch and continuation of a SAR operational flight are at the discretion of the aircraft commander. However, he must consider the urgency of the task, crew and aircraft capability and the requirement to recover the aircraft safely.
4.3 SAR operations will require alleviations from the ANO. Examples of such alleviations are contained in Appendix 1. The operator is to ensure that the Operations Manual contains appropriate procedures.
I think that covers TC's statement of how Mil SAR works:
Do what you need to do, to get the job done.....