Forces allowances have always been a subject for debate.
I still recall my posting to Cyprus in the 60s. Being a young bachelor pilot I was not interested in money (how times change), but when I started dating a girl whose father was a UK civil servant I was amazed at what allowances he got, He made a fat profit out of his tour in Cyprus. His rationale was that he was a volunteer to go to Cyprus, we were just servicemen who had to do as we were told.