Army Reserve Restructuring

[FJAG]

It seems to have become a tail wagging the dog exercise. Bde CAX/CPXs are now impossible to run without (elderly) Calian staff operating the computers for you, apparently, which is very expensive and 'gear intensive'. Staring at blinking cursors over the shoulder of a 65+ year old contractor versus engaging with your superiors/subordinates is just weird.

The chain of command is allegedly incapable of operating and learning without miles of cables, screens, tents and various displays which, of course, wouldn't be available if you had to issue orders over a radio at Oh Dark 30 in the pissing down rain under a poncho/ in the back of an APC.

IMHO most of it could be done with good old traces and paper maps, map models on the floor, and field message pads. Like we used to do of course.

Two of the key guys on our WAFG project are with Calian (retired gunner colonel and lieutenant-colonel). The latter is a computer wizz of a magnitude that leaves me in the dust. They spend a lot of time traveling. I've seen photos of their set-up and its mind boggling. Must admit, we had Calian-like guys running our tabletop boat exercises as well but they rolled dice for combat outcomes - kind of early Dungeaons and Dragons-like.

I agree on going back to the old ways but then, I'm a curmudgeon too.

Completely off topic, my wife just showed me Behr's paint of the year. It's called "Rumours" and bears a striking resemblance to Airborne Regiment maroon. I shit you not. A lot of ex-para's man caves are going to be very stylishly in this year.

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

I am not aware of much in the way Divisional Field Training Exercises (FTX) in NATO. We had seven Brigades in the field on TRIDENT JUNCTURE, but the fighting was scripted at the higher level and the emphasis was really on logistics. The vast majority of Divisional and higher level exercises are Command Post Exercises (CPX) delivered in a Computer Assisted Exercise (CAX). They happen all the time.

The Canadian Army has conducted CMBG-level Command Post Exercises for some time. The focus during the Afghan war was on the deploying HQ, but since then we've had the UNIFIED RESOLVE series where a CMBG is the Primary Training Audienace (PTA) under a HICON Division HQ. The Div HQ has usually been 1st Cdn Div. There have also been CMBGs in other stages of the managed readiness plan that have provided FLANCON Secondary Training Audiences (STA). We've had CMBG HQs on allies' CPX. Our 1st Cdn Div has conducted several exercises under allied Corps, sometimes as an STA and other times as a Response Cell.

AOC students will be on three CMBG-level CAX as part of their course (plus some BG-level ones). They will execute a plan that they have developed and will plan a sequel while they execute.

Regarding the comments on Calian, the primary training audience should never see a JCATs screen. There will likely be officers and NCOs from the training audience units that are in the LOCON role who will be at those stations bringing the plan to life with the Calian interactors. Those folks, though, are not in the training audience. The commanders and staff in the HQ will be talking with their subordinate unit commanders and staffs over radios or at O Gps, rehearsals etc. There might be Calian folks role-playing flanking and higher units as part of the "wrap."

A Reserve CBG should not be conducting a CMBG-style CPX as part of their annual training. Territorial Battle Groups (TBGs) will conduct an annual CPX focused on their role that may well have a CAX element providing "injects."

The value of JCATs and other constructive simulation systems diminishes as you get below Battalion-level. There can still be goodness, but its really not using the system as intended. Sub-unit and below really need first-person style simulation.

Anyhoo.

 

[PrairieFella]

Plus this does not require any changes in regulation, etc. Just someone needs to set it up and enforce it across the Brigade, along with some funding. If they start getting every Brigade to do similar, then you might be able to find ways to intergrade 2 brigade FTX's or use components to support them.

I am not sure if the senior leaders tabletop exercises include other Brigades, but that might be a good longer term goal, either working together on a tabletop exercise or against each other.

We used to do a yearly brigade ex in 38CBG, not sure what happened to it though, I suspect a mix of money and poorly planned training in the last couple years.

 

[Fabius]

I am not aware of much in the way Divisional Field Training Exercises (FTX) in NATO. We had seven Brigades in the field on TRIDENT JUNCTURE, but the fighting was scripted at the higher level and the emphasis was really on logistics. The vast majority of Divisional and higher level exercises are Command Post Exercises (CPX) delivered in a Computer Assisted Exercise (CAX). They happen all the time.

The Canadian Army has conducted CMBG-level Command Post Exercises for some time. The focus during the Afghan war was on the deploying HQ, but since then we've had the UNIFIED RESOLVE series where a CMBG is the Primary Training Audienace (PTA) under a HICON Division HQ. The Div HQ has usually been 1st Cdn Div. There have also been CMBGs in other stages of the managed readiness plan that have provided FLANCON Secondary Training Audiences (STA). We've had CMBG HQs on allies' CPX. Our 1st Cdn Div has conducted several exercises under allied Corps, sometimes as an STA and other times as a Response Cell.

AOC students will be on three CMBG-level CAX as part of their course (plus some BG-level ones). They will execute a plan that they have developed and will plan a sequel while they execute.

Regarding the comments on Calian, the primary training audience should never see a JCATs screen. There will likely be officers and NCOs from the training audience units that are in the LOCON role who will be at those stations bringing the plan to life with the Calian interactors. Those folks, though, are not in the training audience. The commanders and staff in the HQ will be talking with their subordinate unit commanders and staffs over radios or at O Gps, rehearsals etc. There might be Calian folks role-playing flanking and higher units as part of the "wrap."

A Reserve CBG should not be conducting a CMBG-style CPX as part of their annual training. Territorial Battle Groups (TBGs) will conduct an annual CPX focused on their role that may well have a CAX element providing "injects."

The value of JCATs and other constructive simulation systems diminishes as you get below Battalion-level. There can still be goodness, but its really not using the system as intended. Sub-unit and below really need first-person style simulation.

Anyhoo.

Looking at that in relation to the Wavell Room article and its authors concerns about the British Army’s proficiency at the Division level and larger and the Regular forces responsibility to provide the professional competence needed to build more mass around, in the event of a mobilization; Is the Cdn Army current approach sufficient?

The CPX (CAX enabled) as laid out focuses on the Bde as that’s the Cdn Army’s current and 40 year historical focus.

Does a yearly Div HICON function and an occasional STA, Response Cell role in an Allied Corps give the Cdn Army sufficient regular force experience and capability to serve as the skeleton to build the Divisions its mobilized reserves and regular force Bdes would fight under?

Interestingly here is the 1 Canadian Division government page. It outlines the Division’s four high readiness tasks.

1st Canadian Division Headquarters - Canada.ca

A fully deployable unit trained to lead Canadian Armed Forces operations at home and abroad.

www.canada.ca

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

Looking at that in relation to the Wavell Room article and its authors concerns about the British Army’s proficiency at the Division level and larger and the Regular forces responsibility to provide the professional competence needed to build more mass around, in the event of a mobilization; Is the Cdn Army current approach sufficient?

The CPX (CAX enabled) as laid out focuses on the Bde as that’s the Cdn Army’s current and 40 year historical focus.

Does a yearly Div HICON function and an occasional STA, Response Cell role in an Allied Corps give the Cdn Army sufficient regular force experience and capability to serve as the skeleton to build the Divisions its mobilized reserves and regular force Bdes would fight under?

Interestingly here is the 1 Canadian Division government page. It outlines the Division’s four high readiness tasks.

1st Canadian Division Headquarters - Canada.ca

A fully deployable unit trained to lead Canadian Armed Forces operations at home and abroad.

www.canada.ca

The Division has certainly returned to being the "unit of action" with the return to large scale combat operations, but having a whole Div in the field with an OPFOR would be very expensive and very constrained. I did see the benefit on TRIDENT JUNCTURE of having seven Brigades deploy into an operating area. It showed that a Brigade, while important, is only a piece of the machine and it can't just demand everything. It did put things into perspective. Exercises such as STEADFAST DEFENDER that focus on deploying formations across the Atlantic and through SPODS/APODs into operating area are worth the expenditure, but not as part of a standard cycle.

I was in 1st Cdn Div for two years. We have gained experience in the Divisional level since the stand-up. The four mission sets were a challenge. Everyone had a spot on multiple TO&E. We executed the warfighting division HQ role on three CAX in those two years, along with two NEO and two DART exercises. In addition were several DART recce activations (the HART), one deployed NCE for TRIDENT JUNCTURE and a real NCE for Op IMPACT. I don't know if we need more in the way of Divisional exercise experience. The jump from BG to Bde is much higher than from Bde to Div. What is more, we don't really have the Div Troops that would be needed. We did the math for this at 1st Cdn Div and it was breathtaking. I do think that if we are serious about the warfighting division role we need to repatriate 1st Cdn Div from CJOC back into the army and push the NEO and DART roles onto something else.

We do have people in MND-North including a BGen, so there will be additional Divisional experience gained there over time.

 

[KevinB]

The Division has certainly returned to being the "unit of action" with the return to large scale combat operations, but having a whole Div in the field with an OPFOR would be very expensive and very constrained. I did see the benefit on TRIDENT JUNCTURE of having seven Brigades deploy into an operating area. It showed that a Brigade, while important, is only a piece of the machine and it can't just demand everything. It did put things into perspective. Exercises such as STEADFAST DEFENDER that focus on deploying formations across the Atlantic and through SPODS/APODs into operating area are worth the expenditure, but not as part of a standard cycle.

The old every few year RV cycle (I was going to say every 4 year, but it had varied a few times as IIRC the last 2 where '89 and then 92) but it wasn't a bad setup, as the logistics aspect of the movement and having the actual moving pieces in Suffield and Wainwright did a bunch of good -- but even back then Peter was robbed to pay Paul, as elements from D and E Bty 2RCHA became Div Arty for the Ex - after the gun live fire in Suffield.

I was in 1st Cdn Div for two years. We have gained experience in the Divisional level since the stand-up. The four mission sets were a challenge. Everyone had a spot on multiple TO&E.

Which really is an issue if you actually plan on having a real Div.

We executed the warfighting division HQ role on three CAX in those two years, along with two NEO and two DART exercises. In addition were several DART recce activations (the HART), one deployed NCE for TRIDENT JUNCTURE and a real NCE for Op IMPACT. I don't know if we need more in the way of Divisional exercise experience. The jump from BG to Bde is much higher than from Bde to Div.

I guess it depends on how your Division is equipped, as Divisions typically have a lot more enablers than Bde's, Canada's Bde Groups tend to be different - as a lot of typical Div assets are pushed down to the Bde's.

What is more, we don't really have the Div Troops that would be needed. We did the math for this at 1st Cdn Div and it was breathtaking. I do think that if we are serious about the warfighting division role we need to repatriate 1st Cdn Div from CJOC back into the army and push the NEO and DART roles onto something else.

We do have people in MND-North including a BGen, so there will be additional Divisional experience gained there over time.

With the size of the Reg and PRes Army, you should be able to fill 2 Divisions fairly easily - one with a fully deployable HQ.

 

[FJAG]

What is more, we don't really have the Div Troops that would be needed. We did the math for this at 1st Cdn Div and it was breathtaking.

That's pretty much the crux of it. Assuming one uses an American armoured division (two x armoured brigades; one x Stryker bde) then we do have the ability to organize our artillery into one brigade, our engineers into an engineer brigade and 1 Wing into pretty much the bulk of a div aviation bde (minus attack helicopters). Where we fall down is the CCSB (because it lacks a deployable headquarters and, for the time being an air defence battalion) and most importantly we lack a divisional sustainment brigade as well as brigade service battalions for each of the arty bde, engineer bde, CSSB, and the mobility aspects needed for the service support elements of the aviation brigade. Last, but not least is the signals battalion needed for the division itself (I'm not sure if the various elements of the CF Joint Signals Regiment has the same capabilities that 1 Cdn Sigs Regt had in the '80s.)

It strikes me that if anyone were ever serious about creating both a deployable division and to find a role for the ARes then that would be the hybrid structure people should be focusing on designing.

The old every few year RV cycle (I was going to say every 4 year, but it had varied a few times as IIRC the last 2 where '89 and then 92) but it wasn't a bad setup, as the logistics aspect of the movement and having the actual moving pieces in Suffield and Wainwright did a bunch of good

That's a key lesson. 3 RCHA deployed 2 x M109 batteries and an AD battery from Shilo to Gagetown by rail for RV 81. One of the things about our regiments in those days was the posting cycles exchange of personnel at all ranks with 1 RCHA in Lahr. We had numerous people who knew how to do a rail move. What was lacking was a railroad that knew how to do that, the appropriate rail cars and last but not least the railroad tie down kit that was standard on every 1 RCHA vehicle's EIS. What in Lahr took less than one day took us closer to a week to accomplish.

I guess it depends on how your Division is equipped, as Divisions typically have a lot more enablers than Bde's, Canada's Bde Groups tend to be different - as a lot of typical Div assets are pushed down to the Bde's.

Again, using the Army 2030 model, the US have moved the arty and engineer assets from the ABCT/SBCT to divisional bdes but basically most of the other assets in the CMBGs would stay in the divisional manoeuvre bdes. Our weakness is that many of the key enablers for a div simply do not exist, or would have to be scrounged together from bits and pieces here and there. Most importantly, the US Brigade Support Battalions (BSB - basically the equivalent of a Cdn Svc Bn) remain in the ABCT/SBCT which means the CMBG Svc Bns stay with the CMBGs. As a result, there is no field capable CSS available at all for the div Sust Bde or the arty bde, engr bde, CSSB, or avn bde. The good news is that none of those brigades require full time Svc Bn support and a hybrid Svc Bn (let's say 30/70) for these enabling brigades are a viable option.

With the size of the Reg and PRes Army, you should be able to fill 2 Divisions fairly easily - one with a fully deployable HQ.

I have the napkin forces to prove it. All that's missing is equipment, organization and training.