I have watched this thread with some amusement. As ever the ex-military folk are full of how much better the military system is.
Well hardly surprising, no real consideration of cost, nearly unlimited time, a hierarchical control system where junior ranks can only operate with permission, no real need to get things done in the minimum time possibe Whilst some people might volunteer to join this arrangement mere ppls obviously would not, commercial training has always taken advantage of the experience levels that military pilots have picked up at notionally no expense to the operator - when they have to pay for less than 500hrs is plenty!
Mentoring - yes can be very effective and most of the ppls I know do some. The people who probably need it most are however perhaps lest likely to seek it out. The answer for most here seems to be they would not be allowed in the military so they should not have a licence!
JAA tried to address this point, compulsory flight with an instructor every two years - the result? No improvement in accident rates!
Certainly a supportive club or group environment can help, but my local gliding club has had a couple of stupid accidents where all that support has not heped and reslted in broken aircraft and people.
Like HC I have tired of the military is best argument - without the people making it understanding they have been in an environment almost totally protected from the real world. Practical training is cost and time constrained, it aims to achieve a level of competence where people will survive and learn whilst the pay to build experience.
The training syllabus is stuffed full of rubbish, coming from the point of view that culling out some people without the necessary intelligence and memory is its purpose. Does it achieve that? No, it simply clouds the issues and makes people swop up the answers rather than the reasons. EASA has simply continued that process, courtesy of may of the ex-military types that fill regulatory positions.