5F6B:-
having a well-placed Wg Cdr or Gp Cpt willing to push your case could work wonders; but nowadays it seems you're often told "the system can't do that."
Point taken absolutely, 5F6B. That is the answer that I get whenever I start one of my interminable "Back in my day" monologues, and rightly so. Of course times have changed, whether for better or for worse is irrelevant. But one things holds as good now as it did then, and that is that the Good Lord helps those who help themselves.
All this good advice could rebound dreadfully on poor old CS. It is for him alone to decide when and if to PVR. The only point that I, and I suspect others, are making is that there are certain times in one's life to take a chance. Joining up in the first place, getting married, having kids, and of course deciding on a completely new career. I suspect he's done most of those and hopefully, again like me, regrets none of them. As far as I was concerned the moment one started thinking of the latter it was a cue to taking the plunge; time wasted prevaricating was time wasted in getting onto that ever important seniority list outside.
I, or rather we, went for it. No job offers, no home (as we had to march out of our OMQ of course), so "Hello Mum", and not even fully qualified anyway (I had a CPL but of course had to wait until leaving to put an IR onto it). It was the same chance everyone else in my shoes had to take and luck, as ever, stayed with us, as I got IR and a job within the same month of leaving. In other words we took a chance, and one that paid off handsomely (though costing me an RAF Pension, which the small print in QR's confirmed).
That's all it comes down to really, taking a chance. In that regard nothing much has changed, I would suggest.