South Alberta Light Horse Regiment to amalgamate with larger reserve force

[dapaterson]

Clearly you need the A-Team van, or BA Barracus to mod the fleets.

I pity the fool.

 

[childs56]

I would keep the one evening a week training night and adhere to a one weekend a month plan. I know in past as budgets got cut so did the weekend training and eventually the one evening a week. Training nights could be pretty decent if and when you have the proper equipment.
We could do equipment checks, maintenance etc stores check prior to weekend exercises on a Tuesday before. Get any kit deficiencies filled prior.
Also we could go over any type of dry training we needed to. Ie open actions, recording drills etc. Also brush up on some off road driving skills.
The problem we had was budget, equipment, support staff, ammo allotments and consistency. When part way through the year your budget gets cut and ammo allotment reduced it makes it hard to entice people to show up for militia round training.

 

[KevinB]

There are slightly over 3,500 M1 Abrams tanks slated to destruction down here.
Some are A1’s, maybe the Armoured Reserves could actually be Armour…

 

[dapaterson]

There are slightly over 3,500 M1 Abrams tanks slated to destruction down here.
Some are A1’s, maybe the Armoured Reserves could actually be Armour…

Pull a Bison, grab 500 for the Army Reserve, then reallocate them to the Reg F

 

[Kirkhill]

Sometimes something is better than nothing.

 

[KevinB]

Pull a Bison, grab 500 for the Army Reserve, then reallocate them to the Reg F

The Army doesn’t accept used gear.

Unless it’s cooler than their gear, then just watch the fuck out…

 

[Kirkhill]

Pull a Bison, grab 500 for the Army Reserve, then reallocate them to the Reg F

Just what we need 500 x 70 tonnes running around on Canadian streets - buggering up the infrastructure.

 

[KevinB]

Just what we need 500 x 70 tonnes running around on Canadian streets - buggering up the infrastructure.

The M1 is a lot lighter than the M1A2 so you save almost 20 tonnes.

 

[dapaterson]

The Army doesn’t accept used gear.

Unless it’s cooler than their gear, then just watch the fuck out…

The Leo 2 enters the chat

 

[KevinB]

The Leo 2 enters the chat

I’m pretty sure the RCAC would have taken running Centurions at that point…

So my point 2 disclaimer

 

[FJAG]

They are wasted by most Reserve leadership. They can be effectively employed assuming the CoC plans ahead.

Falling in on equipment, shooting, going home and leaving maintenance and cleanup to others is the antithesis of a professional military.

A cycle of one administrative training night (mandatory training); refresher training on tactics and equipment the next night; stores and equipment preparation and validation the following; weekend field exercise; then equipment cleaning and maintenance on a training night is easy to plan and implement, trains the importance of stables / mission prep; and drives regular engagement.

That too many units fail to plan training speaks to the poor leadership of units always rushing to create the next LCol and next CWO - and who'd rather plan monthly dining ins for former COs than prepare soldiers.

I had an interview a few years ago simultaneously with two res Regiment COs, one ResF and one a RegF CO, discussing ResF arty transformation with them and we hit the topic of training courses. I'm a bit of the DP2-courses-at-Meaford type of guy and they both argued vociferously that the Tues/Thurs night courses are vital as the centralized training was simply undependable. Courses would be cancelled at the drop of a hat (too few students or instructors or money). In essence the position was that if courses aren't done at the local armoury using both weekends and week nights, the units would rapidly die.

Having been the CI at the artillery's National Rank Qualifying School/Prairie Area Rank and Trade School in Shilo for two summers I thought they were a bit too dramatic, but on reflection I recalled that I spent months on the phone dragooning every one I knew into instructor jobs for the summer and selling my first borne to do it. Perhaps central schools weren't working that hard at it anymore and weeknights were vital these days.

Long story short, I do listen to others. My model now is a hybrid one but a tightly controlled one.

When I was RSS I always considered by RegF staff and the ResF staff as one team. There were administrative things we could do during the week that they couldn't on either weekends or evenings. So we did it. Yup the ResF folks cleaned and folded the gear at endex but my folks packed it and took it back to the base (we originally would order it and bring it to the armouries). My terms of reference at the time were simple: If there's a reservists to do the job let him do it; if there's a reservist who is prepared to do the job but doesn't know how then teach him how and let him do it; and if there is neither of the above, do it yourself.

That said, the CO I was RSS for was one of those guys who spent his time in the office planning the annual ball and doing the kilt purchases for the band. He was good at that but couldn't plan an exercise if his life depended on it. The ResF CO I interviewed, OTOH, had an outstanding training program that we discussed.

A lot of these things are serendipity. There are good and bad ResF folks and good and bad RegF folks. True leadership is making use of both of them to the max. If you run into an unusable one of either category then fire the f***er.

 

[markppcli]

I would keep the one evening a week training night and adhere to a one weekend a month plan. I know in past as budgets got cut so did the weekend training and eventually the one evening a week. Training nights could be pretty decent if and when you have the proper equipment.
We could do equipment checks, maintenance etc stores check prior to weekend exercises on a Tuesday before. Get any kit deficiencies filled prior.
Also we could go over any type of dry training we needed to. Ie open actions, recording drills etc. Also brush up on some off road driving skills.
The problem we had was budget, equipment, support staff, ammo allotments and consistency. When part way through the year your budget gets cut and ammo allotment reduced it makes it hard to entice people to show up for militia round training.

Budgets are exactly why you should go to weekends. 4 x 3 hr hour parade nights is 12 hours for 4 half days pay. A weekend is minimum 16 hours for the same. It also makes it feasible for longer travel times and thus better catchment areas.

 

[markppcli]

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4x4 Van Conversion Kits, Parts, and Components for DIY 4WD Van Builders

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I mean sure, if you want to fight out of that I’m all for it

 

[Furniture]

I mean sure, if you want to fight out of that I’m all for it

Most people overlanding struggle to keep those conversions running... I would love to see what the serviceability rates for a ResF unit would be

 

[childs56]

Budgets are exactly why you should go to weekends. 4 x 3 hr hour parade nights is 12 hours for 4 half days pay. A weekend is minimum 16 hours for the same. It also makes it feasible for longer travel times and thus better catchment areas.

A blended program I think is most effective. You can get alot of training and admin done in a 3-4 hr period.

I mean sure, if you want to fight out of that I’m all for it

Lots of people fighting out of Toyota pickups.
At least in a van you could be dry.

Most people overlanding struggle to keep those conversions running... I would love to see what the serviceability rates for a ResF unit would be

Most military equipment struggles to stay working.
At least you could go get parts at the local dealership

 

[markppcli]

A blended program I think is most effective. You can get alot of training and admin done in a 3-4 hr period.

In my experience the 3 hour training night usually amounted to two 15 minutes parades, some fucking around, a bit of admin, maybe 40 minutes or actual training. Even if you did have a plan by the time weapons are drawn and everyone is organized you’ve probably eaten up 40 odd minutes. Once you’re worrying about tens of minutes you really had to question how valuable the whole time is.

Lots of people fighting out of Toyota pickups.
At least in a van you could be dry.

Lots of people fight in flip flops I wouldn’t advocate that as a foot wear solution

 

[Kirkhill]

In my experience the 3 hour training night usually amounted to two 15 minutes parades, some fucking around, a bit of admin, maybe 40 minutes or actual training. Even if you did have a plan by the time weapons are drawn and everyone is organized you’ve probably eaten up 40 odd minutes. Once you’re worrying about tens of minutes you really had to question how valuable the whole time is.

I appreciate that things change over time.

My recollection of my initial training was that I was heavily engaged during my hours at Mewata. Wednesday night were sign in at 18:00 followed by 2x 40min classroom sessions, a 15 minute break, 2 more class room sessions of 40 minutes, dismissal at 21:00 and off to the mess. That was every Wednesday night. Saturdays were equally well filled.

Class room sessions were everything from Battalion structure, role of the BOR, to First Aid, to LOAC, to how to brush your teeth, to IAs and stoppages on pistols and getting to know the FNC1A1 shoulder fired gas operated semi automatic rifle.

There was a bunch of stuff that could be relayed while butts sat in seats.

 

[Furniture]

Most military equipment struggles to stay working.
At least you could go get parts at the local dealership

No, not really... The parts that fail tend to be specialized, or rare. I watch a lot of overlanding stuff on YouTube, none of the van conversions has impressed me at all. I'd take a stock AWD van over a conversion.

More to the point of ResF vehicles though, a purpose built MILCOTS vehicle would be far better than a conversion. A Chev ISVish truck would be my pick for a right now solution for the CAF, with a follow on competition in the event Ford or Jeep thought they could bring something effective and mostly commercial.

 

[markppcli]

I appreciate that things change over time.

My recollection of my initial training was that I was heavily engaged during my hours at Mewata. Wednesday night were sign in at 18:00 followed by 2x 40min classroom sessions, a 15 minute break, 2 more class room sessions of 40 minutes, dismissal at 21:00 and off to the mess. That was every Wednesday night. Saturdays were equally well filled.

Class room sessions were everything from Battalion structure, role of the BOR, to First Aid, to LOAC, to how to brush your teeth, to IAs and stoppages on pistols and getting to know the FNC1A1 shoulder fired gas operated semi automatic rifle.

There was a bunch of stuff that could be relayed while butts sat in seats.

Yeah possibly, I had good and bad parade nights. I think I probably had rosier views of my earlier times and less rosy the longer I saw it. Typical of most things I’d imagine. That said I’m not totally sure on when and how long your involvement was so I can’t fully comment. I will say that, in general, administrative requirements have increased.

 

[Kirkhill]

Yeah possibly, I had good and bad parade nights. I think I probably had rosier views of my earlier times and less rosy the longer I saw it. Typical of most things I’d imagine. That said I’m not totally sure on when and how long your involvement was so I can’t fully comment. I will say that, in general, administrative requirements have increased.

It was donkey's years ago and there likely is a rosy glow in the rearview. But I do remember having the benefit of a pretty switched on group of officers as well as a bunch of Militia Rat NCOs that had scored every course they could get loaded on.