Amusing thread. For what it is worth, my tuppence worth!
The Signals will never let the Spec Ops (now EW Sys Ops) go, because, as has already been pointed out by Peredovchik - it would mean losing 1 x Lt Col, 4 x Maj and a large no of SSM's posts.
Interestingly though, this, (IMHO), is not the main reason for the Signals re-jig of the trades, which has allowed them to keep the EW Sys Ops. If 14 Sigs had gone MI, the Signals would have lost its 'teeth' arm status, and the Int Corps might well have gained that same status. I imagine the possibility of such an occurence had a great many senior Sigs offrs losing hair, sleep and huge amounts of sweat!
For what it is worth, I don't think Spec Ops, (or EW Sys Ops, whatever!) would be any better off in the Int Corps than the Sigs - they would still be treated like pariahs by the light-siders and probably have the linguists doing the same as well! (Well, at least to the Supvr R's!)
Better the devil you know (or, put another way - what trade??) Glad I am out of it and heading to sunnier climes!
