Sandy,
When we had sufficient bases and, more importantly, manpower, big on-station airshows were fine. Those days are gone my friend and leaning must take place before something happens that will cause everyone to ask "why were we stretching ourselves so much for a publicity event?"
I don't disagree with the tone of what you say but is that now an over used line trotted out by prescriptive heads of service in order to let the state know it's too stretched and some more resources are needed
please? I sense and agree completely with the Staish's unease and displeasure, after all, it is he who has to fend off his Execs justifiably bringing him tales of poor hangar floor morale, matrimonial disharmony and fighting in the NAAFI/Spar- are there still KPIs for that sort of thing??!!
But, this is the longer term reality. We are seeing the start of increased apathy from the public in respect of how it sees the military and how it supports it. Charities are on their heels a bit, the public is listless, bored and looking for something new to fuel its need to feel worthy. I have absolutely no doubt that the stretch felt by the military is as taut and as demanding as it ever has been. I'm saying though, that short sighted and dogmatic polarised reactions like this will only make matters worse.
Hiding away and reducing the military profile is only going to, 'x' years down the line, result in an ever increasing, terminal decline in military fortunes. So, instead of feeding that, why not recruit genuinely dynamic people, folk drawn from the echelon of creativity and commercial acumen (with respect, not the job club that seems to power RIAT) who might seek a way of fusing HM Forces at Home Day (another
PR disaster waiting to happen - will there be anything more soil destroying than a military parade through a town somewhere, in the year 2021, that draws hardly any interest?) with a 'national recruitment' day, a 'history comes alive' day etc etc?
It could even be a Public Services Day which has a roulement theme - I am just as appreciative of the nurses and firefighters as much as I am of my former colleagues but they get nothing (let's not invite the teachers though). Yes, I appreciate that the endeavour and statistically the sacrifice is different but by chopping an airshow, you're simply addressing the symptom, and not the underlying malaise. There is so much to be done that can be done - it is however, all entrusted to the wrong people.
Someone needs to get their heads out of the sand and look ahead - properly ahead, not just until after Waddo's runway is open, but 15-20 years. It isn't going to be a legislator because they're pretty much useless across the board, it can't be a Head of Service because the way it's going, they'll be soon busy rattling buckets themselves at their main gate - so who? One thing's for sure, if nothing gets done, the PPRuNe of 2024 will be lamenting why it was allowed to happen.