Yes, yes and yes.
If all you want is to wait for tasking and then wonder why you don't get used more, then don't go to these exercises.
If you want to understand how the Gold and Silver system works and want them to understand SAR capabilities and limitations, ensure that your representative in the Silver/Gold setup has decent comms and can liaise properly with the other emergency services and realise what other capabilities exist among them then perhaps it might not be a bad idea to engage and attend.
At least 80% of UKSAR is overland ... .... ...
Strongly agreed. SAR is a team game.
... overland where the MCA don't have primacy ...
So where do they have primacy backed up by statutory provision? Smoke and mirrors may not be enough for the 21st century.