I am both saddened and appalled reading the outlines illustrating present training methods. I was a Boy Entrant and in our “workshops” phase we were expected to grasp many fundamentals and work to tolerances with hand tools. I was by trade an A Mech/Fitt W (i.e. Armourer) but in my days people were often presented with openings to step outside the box; I myself had a cracking spell at Akrotiri on Visiting Aircraft, I did a couple of years on Lightning first line as NCO of a composite turn-around team (usually doing Man C Armament at the same time) and when promoted to the dizzying heights of Sergeant, still on Lightning’s assumed control of a first line shift; by then I had a pretty good broad knowledge of the aircraft as a whole. At another location I had also been presented with an opportunity to have a spell in a unit operations department. Looking back, I can see how we were nurtured to broaden our horizons from an early start. Officers and SNCO’s were seemingly looking out for those with potential and ready to harness such. It needs a robust training system and active nurturing in the field. People need to be stimulated and their potential developed. My time in the Air Force as a “grunt” without question prepared me for a latter life in ground handling and also flight operations. I have come across many who followed totally different paths to mine but with the strength of a solid background behind them. I very much fear that much has been lost in the present system.