Thanks for all the replies, I hadn't intended to lob a grenade, it was a genuine question having been taken completely by surprise by the suggestion, but interesting to read the replies from both sides of the fence.
As alluded to, life in the 21st century RAF is a little more complex than some might remember, and I have to agree with JTO and Whenurhappy that for an organisation aspiring to attract AND retain the best, then outside of a wartime scenario 'you'll do what you're told and like it' really doesn't work and certainly isn't a school of leadership I subscribe to and wasn't how I operated during my command tour. It seemed to work for me as it's left me in what many would see as an enviable situation now. However, to add a little context:
Yes the RAF will still be paying me, so in that sense I won't be out of pocket. But how does cost of living work out overseas? Or is it just a given these days that you accept a reduced standard of living because of the difference in cost of living? A valid question I feel. A reduced standard of living due to higher costs and currency fluctuations working against ever reducing allowances could well leave individuals taking a hit financially to maintain standards. I guess it just depends on where you go and the specifics of the location but it's not much of a reward for a job well done, if that's what overseas job are and not something that families and loved ones have to put up with.
Also, whilst you are still getting paid, does the RAF pick up the bills associated with going overseas? And I don't mean moving and shipping, for which they do. I mean things like the costs of swapping mortgages from fixed term to buy to let because your bank won't let you rent your home out under the current terms? Does the RAF pick up the costs of unravelling car finance agreements that have time left to run on them and incur charges for early redemption? Those sorts of issues are a factor as much as cost of living and must be taken into consideration as much as LOA. Anybody that doesn't look across the board at all the financial implications may well find themselves out of pocket through unexpected costs. If they went into an overseas venture in the knowledge that should such costs arise they were either happy to or able to absorb them, then that's one thing. If they are suddenly surprised because they haven't considered all the angles, it could be an unwelcome but entirely avoidable surprise.
As for
Anyone who doesn't want an overseas tour should seriously think about why they joined the Service and perhaps think about a career change
Well it's great that people have been able to enjoy their time overseas, but not wanting an overseas tour shouldn't mark anyone out as being in the wrong job, it's why there used to be volunteer lists. For me personally, I would probably agree with you to an extent, otherwise why not go to the Civil Service for a more stable career. But 8 op tours in a decade is plenty of overseas time for now and is already a source of domestic discord, made even more complicated by elderly parents. And I don't think the prospect of a tax free car is enough of a sweetener on the domestic front!
Anyway, thanks for the replies, genuinely appreciated as I'm stuck out here with precious little than a flaky internet connection and only local IT systems with no access to the UK J1 chain. It's good to see PPrune is still capable of playing the role of Handbrake House when required.