Llamaman,
No, I did not say your comment was arrogant. The arrogance I was referring to was the CFS attitude - or more correctly a perception of such and the attitude that some folk here are talking about.
Now that you phrase it like that, I see the point you are making. Two sides to every story. But that doesn't necessarily mean that those from one side cannot form a valid opinion of the other. I have formed opinions of doctors I have seen without ever training as a doctor. I didn't need that training to know a couple of them were utter arses. May have been perfectly well qualified doctors, but such appealing bedside manners (as I believe it's called) that they were totally ineffective as people supposed to care for people, their wellbeing and their health.
But here's the difference. As a "patient" I was a customer of a service that I pay for. But as a student I was a willing competitor in a military training regime and being trained not just to fly hardware, but also to use it for a deadly purpose. As a patient, I expect to be treated with compassion and to get whatever treatment I require (as long as NICE has decided the price is worth it). A a student I expected to be challenged to learn at the appropriate rate and also to prove that I had the mettle to do the job that may required of me.
Yes, there is no place for outright bullying. But there is a requirement for students to show that have a degree of fortitude as potential future warfighters.
Going back to your point about seeing both sides. We all know that there are, supposedly, no guilty people in prison. Most, it seems, are victims of some travesty. I've heard a lot of accounts of bad instructional technique from guys who's sorties didn't go well.
P.S. As an instructor, I did once write "DNCO Instructor" in the auth sheets when I really felt that I had not done my job properly. That raised some eyebrows.
Jumpjumpjohn,
I'm not sure you've properly understood the thrust of Tourist's remarks.