I don't suppose the situation will get any better when the bean counters have decided to lift the 1% cap on public sector pay for those "essential and valuable" people. who will be the ones at the back of the queue? Because they are not unionised and "there are no votes in defence" I offer three guesses but only one will be needed. Some of us are old and crusty enough to remember the fireman's strike when they pulled the Green Godesses out and the media discovered that the fireman were striking for a rise that was greater than a Private soldiers total salary. Oh boy did the proverbial hit the low tech air conditioning device!! Unfortunately it takes such a crisis and for the politicians and bureaucrats to see votes disappearing down the pan to concentrate their minds and something gets done. Until then the Forces will continue to bleed manpower faster than it can recruit/retain them and will become a uniformed training organisation where people sign on to get their qualifications and then go. Rant Over and Out.