Wokka's comments made it a pleasure to return to reading this thread. Lovely to see that not everyone is fixated on single-service solutions, and that the people who're delivering the goods at the sharp end can see things from a perspective apparently denied to those closer to Whitehall/ HQs various. Particularly good to see Capt Chaos able to differentiate between Crab mates saying "no simply 'cos it's too dangerous" and "no, but with our knowledge and experience perhaps this is a better suggestion". Having seen highly qualified ground commanders willing to sacrifice rare-and-valuable air assets during GW1 simply so their own unit could get a slice of the action/glory/medals, I think it essential that people with the right skills and knowledge get to help commanders make their decisions.

Eagle 86: assuming you're not suggesting that the RAF's helicopters are handed to the Australian Army, what is it about the Oz perspective that makes it such a good idea? After all, the Rhodesians (remember them?) - who probably had more airmobile warfare experience than any operator anywhere in the world these days - used to have their Fire Force ops run by Air Force junior officers. Wearing light-blue doesn't make you unaware of the realities/requirements of life on the battlefield; equally, wearing DPM/Auscam doesn't have to blinker you to the extra abilities and limitations of working with aircraft.

Oh, and Chaos - the PAS water's lovely! Wake up every day looking forward to the next shift; no secondary duties; company offers to buy back leave if the manning plot doesn't work - it doesn't get much better. Lovely modern aircraft, good people to work with and (esp in HEMS) a real purpose to every trip. Pity the pay's crap, but there's more to life than money.