The Future of the Army Reserve - Discuss

[ODIN]

Lads, the amount of infighting here shows how bad the situation is, RDF vs RDF, PDF vs RDF. We are in a bad way, and giving my honest opinion, the powers that be want rid of the RDF. The RDFRA "Report" came out very fast after the VFM...does nobody else find that at least a little suspicious??

Being honest, without the proper support, training and equipment, along with a proper and realistic role that will have the ability to provide actual value for money from the RDF will be near impossible, maybe even doomed to fail.

If they so wish, the PTB can make it extremely difficult for your average RDF soldier to remain effective, and as such could stack the deck against the RDF. Personally, I have given a lot of commitment to the RDF in the last few years, from weekends to spending my holiday time either instructing on or being a student on courses. No holidays in the sun etc, but that was my own decision. However if they want more commitment now, more free hours, more weekends, the possibility of ARPs and fitness tests on weekdays as our PDF colleagues do, well, that is me out. I have a full time job, I work at least one weekend a month with it, I have no issues with a weekend a month with the RDF, but if it starts to ask for more than that more often with no reward (and I am not talking pay, a few extra tax credits or something), then it is time for me at least to hang up the green and walk away with the memories of the fun times and the friends I have made through the RDF.

[hptmurphy]

If a sailor is expected to do 40 hours over a certainm period at sea then his pay shouold reflect that

.

If only it were that simple.

Ranks and divisions and appointments decree what time is spent sea going, theres no straightforward equation that equates all.

PDA is one of those anomalies that applies to those who are at sea as opposed to serving in the navy where many shore appointments never have a sea going commitment although they may be served by sea going capable people.

To equalize it would be akin to the infamous border allowance...

[hptmurphy]

I think ODIN's last paragraph is typical of the place that a lot of reservists will find themselves in.

He has indeed been very committed to the reserve over the past number of years, being present at a lot of events I was at myself and probably even more so in recent years.I understand that level of committment and for a number of years was present at every opening of an envelope my former unit was tasked with..and more.I didn't get paid for most of what I did but it was a fine work/life/family balance.

The balance wasn't always correct and often fell in favour of the FCA /RDF, on more than one occassion I missed significant events...like my own 30th birthday party my wife threw for me , but I happened to camped out in Kilworth with a class of recruits and the real surprise to the party was I never showed up!

Anyway.... I think the writing is on the wall, and the whole thing is targeted toward a certain group, who quite strangely might not be the most suitable group to base any reserve on.

The RDF / FCA was in theory a an organisation drawn from across society , however while the cross section may have been equal on enlistment promotions and the trappings of power corrupted many who then went about protecting their own empires., including the RDFRA which became an empire for those who failed in the empire building of within the units, so if anything it could be levelled at RDFRA that are equally to blame for the predicted demise of the RDF, and the good guys like ODIN who gave freely and tried to make it work at their own level are now going to be forced out by their peers greed.

I made my own choices about getting out a few years ago, it would seem that some will not now have that choice and are being pushed out simply because what they joined for and what they have worked for has been taken from them because of greed.

[Fridge Magnet]

I'll leave you to ponder on this...

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

(Martin Niemöller)

I'll leave you to ponder on this....

First they came for recuitment,
and I didn't speak out because I'm a professional

Then they came for promotion,
and I didn't speak out because I'm a professional

Then they came for Overseas,
and I didn't speak out because I'm a professional

Then they came for the barracks,
and I didn't speak out because I'm a professional

Then they came for the Units,
and I didn't speak out because I'm a professional

Then they came for the RDF,
and RDFRA then came for us

- Fridge Magnet

Like I've already said, people trying to defend RDFRA can talk nonsense about "Once they're done with us, they'll come for you"... They've already come for us, multiple times and we got on with it. This nonsense of 70/30 was thought up by someone who isn't serving full time, most probably hasn't served full time in the past few years and has no idea what's actually going on in the job. Anyone who thinks the DF will continue on fine and dandy with 70% of it's current establishment serving full time is off their head.

[Fridge Magnet]

Ok so, let's compare the DF establishment with those other countries, once this RDF re-org takes place....

Regulars - 9,500
Reserve - 4,000
Total - 13,500

So... Anyone feel like doing the percentages?

[Fridge Magnet]

Also, none of the above mentioned countries actually wrote or contributed to the RDFRA report.

So, while I'm sure they know more than enough about the job.... The author of the RDFRA report, doesn't.

[Come-quickly]

Could RDFRA kindly cease digging the hole that none of us asked them to dig?

[Docman]

They didn't even bother driving up North to chat to a TA or BA unit to get an 'on the ground' assessment of how an integrated Reserve might actually work.

Why should they? There is plenty of evidence of how Integration can work on our own doorstep. But the RDF has to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new reality as we fairly much killed of the previous attempt at Integration. Now we have enforced Integration. As I keep saying, we are the architects of our own misfortune.

In saying that, the general feedback I'm getting back from most Reservists (except IMO) is one of optimism, then again most have no idea of the RDFRA document.

When told of it, the general reaction is:

[bunny shooter]

...................In saying that, the general feedback I'm getting back from most Reservists (except IMO) is one of optimism............

I reckon they ain't served much with the PDF so & how many of these reservists are facing travelling distances of something like 1 hour+ each way to get to a training centre most likely in their own transport?

[trellheim]

I disagree with this. I think the document deserves serious contemplation. Anyone who can't stand up here and have a serious debate about the topic without comments regarding "going behind people's backs" - isn't that a little silly ? We've debated 129 pages here on my screen and oodles more on other threads. I've debated it in the mess ad infinitum.

We don't decide policy on this stuff. Neither do the PDF. It is salutary that there has been little VFM discussion in comparison but as soon as this thing comes out look at it.

Really annoyed at a lot of people here ... a little swift to conclusions ? Anyone want to hazard some guesses how that document got pushed around so fast or do we not go there ? Read the thing judge the conclusions. Also wonder why the hatchet campaign on RDFRA... again this is serving another agenda

nb : not the author, I'm probably the 3rd last person to read it and had no hand in it. Member of RDFRA from day 1 but never been a rep.

[Docman]

I disagree with this. I think the document deserves serious contemplation.

I've read it several times. Backwards and forwards. I've debated it with a lot of people. It is an abortion of the highest order. As soon as I read it, I saw the problems. Everything that has happened so far has convinced me even more. Yes, some ideas have merit when taken in isolation but the fundamental idea behind it is flawed and cannot work. I have listened with an open mind but I just cannot see how this can be anything other than a really bad idea.

Could RDFRA kindly cease digging the hole that none of us asked them to dig?

And this kind of sums up the reason for the RDFRA "Hatchet Job" - it did come from RDFRA.

[DeV]

What did the VFM gloss over?:

77k annually to FLR grat for zero return not that is VFM

Mandays handed back every year due to not enough uptake

According to the reports on figures the average reservist will be non-effective on 1 January

[Truck Driver]

The balance wasn't always correct and often fell in favour of the FCA /RDF, on more than one occassion I missed significant events...like my own 30th birthday party my wife threw for me , but I happened to camped out in Kilworth with a class of recruits and the real surprise to the party was I never showed up...

So did you ever find out how the party went ???

I reckon they ain't served much with the PDF so & how many of these reservists are facing travelling distances of something like 1 hour+ each way to get to a training centre most likely in their own transport?

Have been doing just that myself for at least 12 years now...

[The Prisoner]

Hi Murph, here's a clip from your party. You missed a great night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXtx6N3ww7Y

[hptmurphy]

So did you ever find out how the party went ???

Well its a bit of sore topic as the wife didn't speak to me for three weeks afterward by which time I had gone to and completed a weeks camp to come home to discover she had spent the money on a new carpet and curtains ! I did enjoy the night though having staged two ambushes with the class of recruits 'taking out' the trained men on both occasions....might seem simplistic but its not every day you get to wipe out the officer corps of an FCA unit.....15 years ago now!