In reading the citations published and the blurb that comes with it, in many cases it is a deliberate and calculated decision to place oneself (and crew and cab) in harm's way. For whatever reason the guys and gals did that, often to bring aid to others who were at or close to death's door.
This is also a feature of many SAR citations but without the 'being shot at' bit.
The accounts we have read and heard about over recent years is probably in part responsible for a remarkable change in attitude amongst young people seeking to fly in the RAF. For many years in my youth and early part of service, young men (it was only boys in those days) wanted to be fighter pilots and I need not dwell further on that. Now, a very significant number of ATC cadets with whom I come in to contact, want to go rotary wing because they see that's where their skills will be most wanted/used. It is also perhaps interesting to see that the fast jet fraternity are less well represented around the tables of power than was once the case!
Ladies and gentlemen, let's stop this bickering re who should get a gong and did they really earn it. Those awards were well earned and richly deserved recognition. What does surprise me (and I've bitched about this elsewhere) is the awards system works against those in the back and - Oh By The Way, the odd DSO for leadership wouldn't have gone amiss.
Old Duffer