Divining the right role, capabilities, structure, and Regimental System for Canada's Army Reserves

[JackD]

By the way kat, have you ever gone back there? Lots of places in which I used to wander about  seem to be built over... It sure would have been a good place to put these new dream units they speak of. Oh well, time passes, time changes.... stupidity marches on. i can remember the hops fields that used to be in the area - and you can get the Chilliwack Gazette or what everit is called - on line. Oh, does the regiment ever exercise its right to the fredom of the city?

 

[observor 69]

The way it looks like we're doing things in Halifax is basing the TDBG on the existing reserve units with a small full time (part reg force part class c) HQ structure. IMHO the way to look at this is like we're giving the reserves a more national guard like capability.

Ya that's what I keep thinking.  A la National Guard in the states, each unit has enough gear to be mobile, means buying more gear, means money....Hmmmm  we got enough bucks for all this ??

 

[Samsquanch]

According to my map it's only a few millimeters away. ;D

 

[Staff Weenie]

In addition, a lot of estimates show that should 'The Big One' hit BC, the ferry terminals, harbours, rail lines into BC and Vancouver International Airport will be heavily damaged, if not destroyed. If it ain't on the Island in advance, it ain't getting there for several critical days..... (based on 8 to 8.5 sustained over 30 to 60 sec).

Plus, it just seems like one spot folks would like to be posted too - I'm sorry Soldier - but you're going to Victoria...

Other than the high cost of living, I think it might be the dream posting (ever since CFS Bermuda closed).

 

[JBP]

Also keep in mind folks, this plan is suppose to be effective as of 2016, so I imagine, by that time, we'll have boosted the numbers of troops in PRes and Reg Force, as well as probably more equipment...

Again... I imagine that's how it'll be... Because it won't even work any other way without more equipment!

 

[PMedMoe]

Although Victoria and Vancouver look close on a map, there is a lot of water and an hour and a half ferry ride between the two.

Well I guess they should have one in Charlottetown or Summerside, PEI and maybe Stephenville, NF as well.  Might as well cover all bases.....no pun intended....well, maybe a bit.  ;D

 

[beach_bum]

In addition, a lot of estimates show that should 'The Big One' hit BC, the ferry terminals, harbours, rail lines into BC and Vancouver International Airport will be heavily damaged, if not destroyed. If it ain't on the Island in advance, it ain't getting there for several critical days..... (based on 8 to 8.5 sustained over 30 to 60 sec).

Well I guess they should have one in Charlottetown or Summerside, PEI and maybe Stephenville, NF as well.  Might as well cover all bases.....no pun intended....well, maybe a bit.   ;D

I believe the first post there is the reason.  I don't know if the east coast is expecting an earthquake as well?

 

[brihard]

The 33CBG commander visited us on our last weekend of PLQ earlier in the month, and one of the things he talked about were these new territorial defence battalions. When describing it, he said that the one here in Ottawa would likely comprise 30ish class B reservists from the GGFG and CHofO, and would be supplemented by about a hundred people on class A to train for contingencies. It seems almost exclusively civil disaster type stuff. He was describing it to us, and told us it would pretty much exclusively be unarmed work- say, helping Ottawa police do roadblocks or traffic control, etc etc.

Those of us on the course were talking about it later, and the consensus is that there is little to no interest at our level to sign up for this if it's going to take us from our regiments on some of the Thursday nights. If they need us that bad, they'll call up the regiments proper on aid to the civil power, but as is very few of us are willing to sacrifice any potential infantry specific training to train for aid to the civil power. I've got no problem working if the unit itself is called up, but if it's as been described, few of us are interested in taking time out of regimental duties and training for this when they go looking for class A volunteers... I'm sure a number of people will be interested in the class B work, though.

Now, it's possible I was mistaken in how I interpreted the talk we got... If we do train for armed domestic response to security threats and such, that's entirely different- but a lot of that could be incorporated into our normal infantry training anyway.

 

[George Wallace]

Now, it's possible I was mistaken in how I interpreted the talk we got... If we do train for armed domestic response to security threats and such, that's entirely different- but a lot of that could be incorporated into our normal infantry training anyway.

I would tend to think that this is the case.  You would be conducting 'military' training, not what you might have thought.  You would also still be available to attend your regular Parade nights.  This is where your dedication is really shown, when you also attend regular Parade nights.  (As you would be on a Class B, you would not be entitled to sign a Class A Pay Sheet as you are already being paid for that time.)  There is a lot more to the plan than what you have envisioned.

 

[brihard]

I would tend to think that this is the case.  You would be conducting 'military' training, not what you might have thought.  You would also still be available to attend your regular Parade nights.  This is where your dedication is really shown, when you also attend regular Parade nights.  (As you would be on a Class B, you would not be entitled to sign a Class A Pay Sheet as you are already being paid for that time.)  There is a lot more to the plan than what you have envisioned.

Seen.

In that case, what sort of class A opportunities would be available that would still preserve my ability to parade on Thursdays?

I envision that there would be some scheduling difficulties here, given that we have the GGFG and CHofO parading on Tuesday and Thursday respectively. I may be mistaken, but I think at least one of the Ottawa units parades on Wednesdays, and added to that each unit generally has an admin night on a totally separate day, often with leadership o groups and such...

Or is this envisioned as a class B committment where class A pers will only be called up when needed, given kit, and told what to do?

 

[COBRA-6]

I would suggest everyone take a step back and breathe for a minute. The TDBG working group had its first meeting only last week. Any "details" at this point are moving targets at best...

 

[brihard]

I would suggest everyone take a step back and breathe for a minute. The TDBG working group had its first meeting only last week. Any "details" at this point are moving targets at best...

Ah, OK. The info we got gave the impression that plans were advanced far beyond that...

 

[George Wallace]

Brihard

Obviously you should have a sit down with someone from the OR and have them explain how you are paid.  Classes A, B, and C are all paid differently.  You should also realize that each covers different time frames in how your wages are calculated.  Class A for instance pays you one of two ways; for a full day, anything over six hours, or for a half day for anything under six hours.  Class B and C pay you at monthly rates.  A RMS Clerk can sort out all your questions, and hopefully not confuse you any more.

 

[COBRA-6]

Ah, OK. The info we got gave the impression that plans were advanced far beyond that...

There has been a fair amount of "big hand small map" concept development done, but the devil is in the details of implementation. Mortar Guy's explanation of the general concept was very good.

 

[Mortar guy]

Damn straight!

I'm correct so infrequently that I'm going to have to ask the moderators to lock this thread so that I may bask in that comment for evermore.

8)

 

[George Wallace]

OK

Done/Undone. 

Was that long enough?

 

[Mortar guy]

Yeah, that should do. My CO just said to me "Y'know Ops O, you're not as big an idiot as you appear to be." So I'm well above my quota for compliments this month.

With all this praise coming my way, I might not fit my head in my car (certainly not with my beret on...).

8)

MG

 

[Pikepusher]

Mortar Guy,

your suggestion of how a TDBG might be organized in Ottawa, for instance, reminds me of a chat the COS and the SO2 Ops&Trg of Central Militia Area HQ had around 1975 on how to organize the units of Toronto Militia District, for instance, in a useful way.  Perhaps the good Colonel was only a few decades ahead of the times.

By the way, I got a copy of CAMT 2-92, Basic Training (1961), off e-bay a few months ago as a reminder of a National Survival Course I took in 1963.  Happy to lend that to anybody involved in reinventing the wheel who might be interested in how similar problems were considered once upon a time.

 

[Long in the tooth]

This sounds a lot like 'civil defence' of the 60's, not in my mind a bad way to go.  However, it is lot like rearranging deck chairs - TMD/OMD are relabelled to CBGs.  Same people, same resources, different name.

The 10/90 concept will take a lot of CPR to revive after the fiascos of the third bns (Inf) in the 90s.  A lot of troops got boned out of that, and the miracle is that the branch was able to reconstitute itself.  Not that having more RSS in res units is a bad thing, but reserve participation is always indeterminate as many of the most dedicated members are already police, fire, medics.

DART has always been a chimera when not a griffon (gryphon?).  Composed of units all across Canada with no dedicated Tn and only an HQ as a permanent fixture it's always been hit and miss.  I do believe this should be beefed up with a solid core of subunits tasked for a year long period. 

 

[nsmedicman]

The word from our CofC is that we will be tailoring much of our training resources towards Domestic Operations; preparing for the next natural or man-made disaster. Not sure if that is a coincidence, or as part of a larger plan.