I left eleven years ago when the free PVR's were all the rage ! Not going to go on about whether it's better or worse on the outside. What does worry me is the RAF seems to be shedding it's best men and keeping it's head in the sand. Without a doubt there has been a large erosion in the preceived 'way of life' - I would also suggest that apart from the numbers of people PVR-ing - there are many now with the 'gearstick' decidedly in neutral waiting for the '55' or what ever chance they have to jump ships - a sad state to be in!

It's not just PVR's it is also 18 month notice to quit, lots of us are this way to go. After all I think almost all trades are now 12 months PVR notice.

This ensures that you get a good amount of time to do resettlement courses which seem to be at the mo well booked in advance. I wonder why?

60% of my section are on 18 months notice to go. All less than 5 months now. Terminal leave, Stored leave, Resettlement leave, Days to do, thank god.

I quit a TOS 30 years going 5 years early. The Gulf last trip did my head in....

I PVR'd 4 years ago. I left a RAF totally different from the one I'd joined. In the early days we "worked hard, played hard", with the savage reduction in our numbers, it became "work hard, er, work hard". There was no fat left in the system to allow people the time off to experience the aspects of service life ( sport tours, expeds, education courses). We were badly paid but didn't seem to care because the benefits of service life, the Esprit de Corp; opportunities to develop yourself made up for it.

I'm not saying the RAF of today is better or worse, just different. If I was joining today, I'd accept the loss of " service life benefits" but they'd have to pay me a heck of alot more money. More and more they're introducing civilian practices. EWT, JPA, PAYD, talk of removing MQ's....Well let them give you civilian equivalent wages. That would cheer up aircrew and Air Traffickers!..maybe not map makers tho':E

Talking about leaving the service, PVR or otherwise, an old and bold once told me:

"You're going to become a Civilian one way or another - best its on your own terms!"

Haven't forgotten that....