Reservists in AFG (merged)

[Meridian]

I believe the reason for this is that we're less common than R031s.   From what I heard from my sect cdr was that there's a shortage of engrs in the reg force so they call more heavily on the reserves than infanteers do because of our fewer numbers.

I wasn't aware anything(one) was common in the Forces PRes or RegF...

 

[c_canuk]

there are all kinds of posting in Afghanistan for R215s 5 people from my unit have been and gone, and a couple weeks previous to his posting to CDS Gen Hillier stopped by the barrack Green Armouries with the message that Canada is greatly increasing it's presence in Afghanistan and Reservests are going to be needed.

 

[buzgo]

On ROTO 0, the Sig Sqn's rover troop was mostly made up of militia soldiers, and they seemed to be mostly combat arms trades.

 

[dw_1984]

I wasn't aware anything(one) was common in the Forces PRes or RegF...

LOL...i should rephrase. Reading my own post I'm getting confused.

The RegF engineers call upon their reserve counterparts more often because there is statisically less of them compared to infanteers in both reg and PRes.  So if a certain Roto needed x amount of 031s and x amount of 043s, there probabaly would be enough RegF 031s to fill the positions (being that 031 is a more popular MOC than 043) compared to the 043s who would quite possibly need to depend on some PRes pers.

This is my understanding of my sect cdr's comments.  If I'm wrong please tell me.

 

[Draco]

i guess not many of us like the idea of poking around in the ground to see if the rocks will go boom...  ;D

 

[COBRA-6]

It will be interesting to see what the reserve contribution to the planned PRT's will be, as a CIMIC operator waiting to go on tour, I hope it's a large amount...  ;D

 

[R031button]

It will be interesting to see what the reserve contribution to the planned PRT's will be, as a CIMIC operator waiting to go on tour, I hope it's a large amount...   ;D

I was talking to my OC, and I got the impression that the PRT he's been asked to head will be primarily reserve, if he has his way at least.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

there were reserve infantry soldiers on roto 0.

 

[Armymedic]

I was talking to my OC, and I got the impression that the PRT he's been asked to head will be primarily reserve, if he has his way at least.

My first though was, "You're dreaming in Technicolor." But then again, with the way things are going with our manpower shortages, who really knows....And you can hear the train coming round the corner again.

One thing I can say for certain, there is allot of rumour and conjecture on this string.

If you are patient, and seize your opportunity, you will have your chance to go overseas.

 

[KevinB]

The REGS will mutinee...

Some guys we have on their second BE dont have a tour...
 
1VP has not deployed complete since Kosovo '99 - many other units are the same way. 

IF the MO gets the PRT task (although I am sure they won't) you will look at a huge retension issue in the regs.

When B Coy 1VP deployed for Op Athena it had to cut a lot of troops - then our third platoon got sent home mid tour.  I think like 70 of them are left...

70 guys out of a Battalion of over 500 031's

Now try to keep up morale...  We got a lot of guys sayign F-IT I will get out and join the reserves to go on tour...

 

[pbi]

Kevin B: I also doubt that Res soldiers will make up a large part of the PRT, at least initially. The PRT structure is fairly small: 200 would be the tops, unless we are going to go far beyond what the US is doing with their PRTs. But that raises a couple of questions: how could the single PRT possibly meet the demands of all the troops in the battalions waiting for a tour? And, how do we balance the situation you describe with the popular image that the Army is "burnt out", "stressed out" etc by all the ops we've been doing? Is somebody pushing a BS line here?

I wouldn't jump out the window just yet on this PRT thing. Current indications are that in early 06 we are very likely to significantly increase our committment here, as the first wave of the new force generation process that the Army will employ. That should offer much greater opportunities to Reg soldiers. And, since when does the world sit still? No doubt there will be lots of other interesting places to go.

Cheers.

 

[R031button]

The REGS will mutinee...

Some guys we have on their second BE dont have a tour...
 
1VP has not deployed complete since Kosovo '99 - many other units are the same way.  

IF the MO gets the PRT task (although I am sure they won't) you will look at a huge retension issue in the regs.

When B Coy 1VP deployed for Op Athena it had to cut a lot of troops - then our third platoon got sent home mid tour.   I think like 70 of them are left...

70 guys out of a Battalion of over 500 031's

Now try to keep up morale...   We got a lot of guys sayign F-IT I will get out and join the reserves to go on tour...

With all do respect, the regs aren't the only ones with a retention problem; we've lost ten percent of cour soldiers in two months. That amounted to two soldier; now would they have stayed if they had gotten a tour? Maybe not; but tours do help promote intrest in joining, it's what we are here to do; if only on a part time basis.

 

[KevinB]

R031 Button.

Please consider the $ invested in a reg force soldier verus a reservist - specifically career coursewise.  The loss of a reservist or two is insignificant to the operation capability of the Army.  When you have a retension rate we currently have in the PPCLI - you are getting dangerously short of competant experienced NCO's.  A professional army is more a national desire/requirment than a well stocked reserve system.


PBI - The 031's are not burned out - it is the WOG trades due to our bloated TO&E's.  That FACT has to get pushed up...
  The Cbt Engineers are running short too due to their hevier than normal presence in the TO&E than the "accepted fact" of the Bde structure, good thing we got rid of Pioneers  :

I am sure the Gunners are ready to hang themselves with the last 021 tour being 2RCHA's OP Snowgoose Roto 59 Cyprus 93 (and what a tour we had...) 2RCHA and 5GangaBanga (RALC) got a small repreive for Athena 0 & 1 but got shut out again...

 

[mo-litia]

R031 Button.

Please consider the $ invested in a reg force soldier verus a reservist - specifically career coursewise.   The loss of a reservist or two is insignificant to the operation capability of the Army.   When you have a retension rate we currently have in the PPCLI - you are getting dangerously short of competant experienced NCO's.   A professional army is more a national desire/requirment than a well stocked reserve system.

??? While I don't disagree that more money is spent training a reg force soldier, the retention rate in the militia is suffering badly these days as well. I agree with R031 Button that tours definetly help to keep our numbers up. And, if our reserve component gets much more drastically reduced our operational capabiliity WILL be affected.

Anyway, before you get too bent out of shape, word is the Mo types will be pulling primarily gate guard and VCP to free up the Reg types for other taskings they are more suited for.   I can't think of many Reg 031's that would get too angry about this.

Anyway, I would jump at the chance to assist anyway I am able to; and as a student, I am certainly able to take a year off of school. So until I'm told otherwise, see you over there; the memo's going up this week, because that's the word I was given. 

 

[KevinB]

Guys - I did my first tour as a reservist.

Beleive me I like nothign more than employing reservisits - however if pickings are slim they have to go to the Regs first.


I heard the K-har position might be all D&S - freeing up Americans to do the real missions...
  You coudl not pay me enough for another no mission/no mandate tour.

 

[R031button]

It's interesting to see that the "recouperation" of the army might actually lead to a greater problem. It's something civies don't understand, soldiers want to practice their trade, and want to do their job. A banker goes and does his job everyday, and chose that profession primarily for the pay. A soldier has much more of a moral and emotional commitment, and not being able to act on that is frustration.....even in the mo.

 

[Docherty]

I am curious to know if a Reservist is competitively capable of going over seas how much experience does he usually need?

 

[CBH99]

It depends on the individual.  A soldier who has been in the reserves for years, has a lot of training experience, and possibly has a tour under his/her belt is obviously more experienced and likely to be pointed at than a reservist who has only been in for a little while.  When it comes to deploying reserves forces on any sort of tour, it really boils down to the individual soldiers - some are more competitive than others. 

 

[Docherty]

Intresting... I am trying to get into the Reserves and ultimately I would like to go overseas when I am done University.

 

[pbi]

Guys - I did my first tour as a reservist.

I heard the K-har position might be all D&S - freeing up Americans to do the real missions...
  You coudl not pay me enough for another no mission/no mandate tour.

Do you mean the PRT ForcePro element or the proposed Inf TF in 06? If it is the former: you are right: the Inf Coy (or element, or WTF it turns out to be...) will likely be just there to secure the camp and maybe do local security patrols. If the latter, I think it is way, way too early to guess at what the mission might be. Chances are it will not even be OEF by then, but instead the new "Combined Command" that is now being proposed, which would be a sort of merger between ISAF and CFC-A, with a heavy NATO component.

Are you perhaps thinking about the Rumanian Inf Bn that is there at K'har, that is used by the US for ForcePro? I think there is a good reason why they are not given a more demanding mission....

Cheers