I think there's a few posters here who seem to lack (or prefer to ignore) the state of public finances against the eye-watering costs of maintaining modern Armed Forces.
As I said above, the RAF and the RN are going from a period of managed decline to one of growth. Wehether you ike it or not, this requires buy-in from staff, as well as a strategy on how to deliver it.
I agree it's sad that we no longer have RAFG, Singapore, over 100 bases in teh UK etc, etc...but that's the reality of trying to run an expensive organisation within a budget. Oh yes, we also employ gays and women these days, so yes, the RAF is a dverse organisation.