Sorry, I couldn't let the following go unchallenged:
What I was trying to provoke was discussion on the merits of rehiring ex service members. There's your larger manpower pool. Why do the Armed Forces want or need to take raw recruits, train them at-as you say- massive cost and then when they are done discard them? How would private business deal with that?
I am leaving next year after 16 years service. I (and many, many others) have NO intention of joining the Reserves...and if I get reactivated when Op Certain Death comes around in the form of another jaunt to the Middle East, the call-up centre and DV people will have great fun trying to detox me from all the spliffs I took, and questioning my BNP membership, Russian girlfriend etc.
Private business you say? I don't know what you've been smoking since you left, but I don't think AirTanker, BAE or G4S are good examples of how to apply market forces to the business of Defending the Realm.
Let's not forget that aircraft engineering/flying etc is done in the civilian world. Commercial ops hire pilots and engineers without the need to have them from year dot. If there are pinch points in the system why not put a short term contract out for personnel to relieve it?
mmmm...ever heard of skill fade, security checks, fitness for ops...?
