There is no lack of compassion on my part whatsoever...as you would know if you knew of the depth of my involvement on the kipper fleet over they years.
You are confusing compassion with a need for reality. It is far from compassionate to spread false hope foundered on blinkered view of defence and public spending priorities. Indeed, creating poor expectations is the antithesis of leadership as taught to me on both the ITC and IOT.
I was always know for plain speaking (up and down the command chain) and it got me into hot water on many occasions, including several times when I stuck my neck a long way out for one or two miscreants under my command, so I'm afraid I'll take no lectures from you.
Two further points...
First, our careers (yes mine too) were not in the Royal Kipper Fleet, they were in the Royal Air Force. Downsizing, losing capabilities and the subsequent redundancies having been going on across the services since WW2. Anybody who joined the military in the last 30 years on the expectation of a job for life must have their head up their backside, so EVERYBODY should have had some sort of a plan B (and anyone who ever worked for me was briefed on that very frequently) including have an exit plan from maritime if they wished to stay in, and a civvy career plan if they did not....which brings me neatly to my second point.
Second, almost all the maritime aircrew (knockers or zobs) I ever worked with were top, top guys. Professional, talented and well-versed in the bitterly hard school of life. The vast majority will have moved on to better things.
So should some of you.
And on that note, I will take my leave.
I hope the UK gets its MPA capability back and if it does, I'll come on here and cheer loudly that I was wrong, and be delighted to be so proved.
Until then, safe flying and good luck one and all.