CONSCRIPT SERVICE
SIR,—In The Spectator of October 15th " Ex-Regular Officer " describes accurately the reasons for lack of interest in sport and education in the armed Services today. I believe that in the Air Force there is also a lack of interest in the actual day-to-day running of the Service. Generally, it appears to me that there are two main reasons for this lack of interest and spirit: (a), the general dispiritedness of the nation and (b), the conduct of a large number of the officers and senior N.C.O.s. There is little that the Services can do to overcome the first difficulty, but I believe that there is a solution to the second.
I remember that, a few days ago, I was off-duty one morning (after being on duty all night). I watched a sergeant touring the billets looking for scroungers. He found several, and after rebuking them in picturesque terms he set them to work. He then proceeded to the sergeants' mess (which is easily visible from many parts of the camp) and in full view he spent the rest of the morning reading the papers and chatting to other N.C.O.s in the mess. During a cold spell about a fortnight ago we airmen were told that we could not have fires until the middle of October. This was apparently an Air Ministry order, and in the face of the potential fuel shortage nobody complained. How- ever, the next evening I saw a man in the coal-shed. I. asked him what he was doing. He said he was getting more coal for the fire in the officers' mess.
These are not isolated cases, and I am only quoting them to illustrate what I believe is at least part of the reason for the bad spirit and lack of interest in the Air Force. We all realise that it is fair and just that officers and senior N.C.O.s should have some advantages not enjoyed
by other ranks, but feel they should use them sparingly and with dis- cretion. I believe that if the officers and senior N.C.O.s set a good example we should all be agreeably surprised . at the response. I am convinced that there would be a considerable increase in interest and a better spirit among the other ranks.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
CONSCRIPT AIRMAN.
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