Surprise, Surprise.
5 forward - Nothing would have kept me there, the work life balance had gone. As a Squadron we had only 28 weeks between 4.5 month tours in KAF, in that time the first round of redundancies had kicked in and the squadron lost many experienced guys, this was supplemented by posting in guys from another disbanded Squadron and the cohesion and teamwork just wasn't there.
I remember being told to go on a Q course a week after returning from Ops - to live in a Portacabin at Marham , further months away from family, and I would have to pay food charges for the privilege ! - I refused to go. In two years at Lossie and two Ops tours I had not done one Tornado specific technical course - there wasn't the time ! By the time I'd left I was one of the most experienced NCOs on the squadron ! I know it's not quite the same but imagine aircrew on ops without completing the OCU !
I and many others saw how the guys who had left via PVR and the first tranche, had got on in the big bad world and it was pretty encouraging.
We were 1 month into our second tour when Volunteers were asked for the second round of redundancies were trawled. It was a no brainer.
What leaving has meant for me is that now I have a job where I am treated as an adult, I have quality time with my children and Wife, I earn so much more than I did when in the service, if I have training to complete I am accommodated in suitable hotels, flights home at weekend, a corporate credit card means I never have to spend my salary on work related expenses.
The RAF can't and won't compete.