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Yup. That was a special one to remember.
Just think about it - they're getting a Senior NCO rate of pay for being incompetent, hows that for value for money. It extends right up the ladder as well.
Ollie - Bang on the head with Same shit different year.
Luchi - Pln per Bn, Coy per Bde AFAIK
"The Question is not: how far you will take this? The Question is do you possess the constitution to go as far as is needed?"
The canteen doesn't open. All assessees and most assessors are out on the ground, and have been for at least 2 years. Which begs the question, why is there 100+ bods still in the camp ?
@ Luchi , my last assessments was 2 years ago and it was a pure session, canteen was packed and when it closed everyone either headed into Baltinglass or fentons, there was even a session in one of the trucks. No saint myself, but i did find it all a bit ott.
i wasn't there but plenty of lads i know were and none had any session. they were on the ground or getting ready to go out. Begs the question, what was your roll?
Originally posted by kermit
The canteen doesn't open. All assessees and most assessors are out on the ground, and have been for at least 2 years.
so how could there have been a session??
Which begs the question, why is there 100+ bods still in the camp ?
hangers on?
All i know is that this year I'm driving Trells boys and that means I won't be seeing the camp much.
The canteen doesn't open. All assessees and most assessors are out on the ground, and have been for at least 2 years. Which begs the question, why is there 100+ bods still in the camp ?
99% it was the 07 assessments, mrf was there so he might have the right year. the canteen was open both nights of the assessments.
Well let's hope there isn't a repeat of the fiasco last year whereby the shower blocks were all spotlessly cleaned and locked by campstaff (for this read 2*s) before the troops came off the ground. When I questioned this, I was basically told to mind my own business and "sure dont they all have them babywipe things anyway?" This was before I returned to my billet to find our gear "packed" and sitting outside the now locked door. Did I not like that!
So long as those in charge see the difficulties units seem to be having in raising a platoon then the current problems in the RDF might be addressed. The idea that a battalion cant find the numbers required is not too surprising given peoples experiences to date as related here. Are 2* still banned or will they be used to fill out numbers as normally happens?
From my own exp with the assessments i got the impression that some of the problems with finding bodies, getting kit etc were either ignored or overlooked by those in charge. Hopefully that has changed.
One question tho, does it still get treated as a chance for a mighty piss up as in previous years ??
ISister Coy was originally tasked with providing bodies for assessment pln. A PDF ex came up that required RDF to perform duties so questionable decisions came into play and that sub-unit took the weeks paid duties.
In our unit, sub-units are told what we are doing.
We provided 80% of the Assessment pln last year.
Long story short, this year our Coy can only provide 35%. The rest of the bods are coming from all the other Coys in our Bn.
Your coy can only do its best, not your fault! Personnally I don't look at it is as an assessment, I look on it as an exercise (with the DSs giving feedback), maybe that is a good way of looking at it or a bad way. I'll do my best no matter what it is called.
As of today, no complete sleeping systems are available to over half the pln, with many not having been issued CEFO let alone CEMO yet. Excuses being given for that nugget range from "Sure you know how it goes - they just disappear" or "Sure they don't need it till Friday"
My coy has 10 complete sets of PLCE (ex bivy bags - don't know of anyone that has them). It takes work to get them back but we do. All you need is 45 minutes to an hour to sort it out before travelling (too long IMHO, 30-45 mins should do it). If the kit can't be found tell them sorry no kit we don't need you, you may find next year it is easier to get!
Some have said they dont have any email addresses.
They may not have a computer!
Transport is still very much a Grey area. (read unconfirmed)
Seems to be the case all round.
Top it off with some NCO's who last did a PIA in the 60's
In fairness if they make the commitment, do their best and learn from from it, it is a bad thing?
Is that not exactly whats wrong with the RDF as a whole Zulu ? this "we ll muddle through " mentality is going to kill it. Year after year if the same issues keep cropping up then no one is doing something about it. Pulling bodies from everywhere to make up a platoon and using NCO's who dont know what to do might be enough to show heads on the ground but if they cant operate as a unit or keep going then it has to be noted and action taken.
Not sure about other units but we seem to have done relatively well inspite of muddling through.
Well let's hope there isn't a repeat of the fiasco last year whereby the shower blocks were all spotlessly cleaned and locked by campstaff (for this read 2*s) before the troops came off the ground. When I questioned this, I was basically told to mind my own business and "sure dont they all have them babywipe things anyway?" This was before I returned to my billet to find our gear "packed" and sitting outside the now locked door. Did I not like that!
In fairness, I'd prefer they sorted out the food situation once the coy's got back to camp (I may be confusing it with the E Bde Ex - but I don't think so)!
Well let's hope there isn't a repeat of the fiasco last year whereby the shower blocks were all spotlessly cleaned and locked by campstaff (for this read 2*s) before the troops came off the ground. When I questioned this, I was basically told to mind my own business and "sure dont they all have them babywipe things anyway?" This was before I returned to my billet to find our gear "packed" and sitting outside the now locked door. Did I not like that!
What gear was packed? Your living out of a cemo for 2 days??
In regards food. I'm just hoping for a decent cq, one who doesn't give our food away to another coy, resulting in me and my lt begging for food off others for our troops, all the while watching a certain supposedly coy cmdr pushing their way to the top of a que to get seconds
"The Question is not: how far you will take this? The Question is do you possess the constitution to go as far as is needed?"
I'll not be there this time. But it looks like it'll be an interesting weekend what with all the (appropriate) bitching about what did or did not happen, and will it/won't it happen.
I'm off to Venice for the weekend (job paying) so I'll be thinking of you all sunning yourselves in the dry Glen - weather forecast is dry, and canteen will be dry.
Well I'm just after getting back from a parade night having rehearsed our PIA. Despite being 6-8 bods short, which we'll hopefully be making up for at the weekend, our attacks moved along like a well oiled machine. But then it would in a Bks. Looking forward to getting it on in the Glen!!
BTW is anyone else having lads not going to the assessments on account of them having PDF interviews on the Monday?
In regards food. I'm just hoping for a decent cq, one who doesn't give our food away to another coy, resulting in me and my lt begging for food off others for our troops, all the while watching a certain supposedly coy cmdr pushing their way to the top of a que to get seconds
Hope your Lt went through the CQMS for a shortcut - doesn't sound like he did, though
As regards you latter point, as a rookie, it was always "troops, then NCOs, then officers"
Only divergence from this would be for duties or essential bods needed back out, e.g; medics,etc
Surely this hasn't bloody changed ???
BTW is anyone else having lads not going to the assessments on account of them having PDF interviews on the Monday?
Wha' ????
They're back Sunday evening, and it's an interview, not the damn fitness tests !
A suppressed yawn in an interview could swiftly be explained away with
"apologies, I was just back yesterday evening from a tac ex with the RDF...."
Surely brownie points there for commitment ???
"Well, stone me! We've had cocaine, bribery and Arsenal scoring two goals at home. But just when you thought there were truly no surprises left in football, Vinnie Jones turns out to be an international player!" (Jimmy Greaves)!"
99% it was the 07 assessments, mrf was there so he might have the right year. the canteen was open both nights of the assessments.
Correct, thats the year indeed, we were assigned as convoy protection with a couple of FFRs I was 2i/c detail.
It was the first year we carried the USPs and were hounded by youngefellas wanting a peep.
The mess was open Friday and Saturday night. Attended on the saturday night as we had no major tasking on the Sunday and bugged out mid morning.
The whole think from an umpiring point of view was a cluster ****. Couple of real injuries that year as we doubled as casevac as the ambulance had to go to hospital.
Very un convincing assessment.
I had been at the one previous year in the Southern Briagde again as security element and ammo party for Pln in attack.
The impetus for performance began to trail once the higher ups had left.
Realistically as assessments they are a waste of time.
Far simpler was the PSO scenario where you brought a group a way for two or three weeks, worked out all the problems, refined the basics and then ran like clock work for a 48 hrs ex.
From my own perspective the first two years of PSOs I learned far more about operating on the ground as a corp unit with other units that I had in the previous ten years.
Everybody who tuned up was tasked. After the 1st year our PDF support was pulled and we went in the second year alone, but were well capable. Problem on the day was the brigade staff forgot about multitasking and once we had completed our first taskings we gave 14 hours awaiting our next tasking, which was stupid given the mobility and flexibility we had.
Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe
Far simpler was the PSO scenario where you brought a group a way for two or three weeks, worked out all the problems, refined the basics and then ran like clock work for a 48 hrs ex.
From my own perspective the first two years of PSOs I learned far more about operating on the ground as a corp unit with other units that I had in the previous ten years.
Everybody who tuned up was tasked. After the 1st year our PDF support was pulled and we went in the second year alone, but were well capable. Problem on the day was the brigade staff forgot about multitasking and once we had completed our first taskings we gave 14 hours awaiting our next tasking, which was stupid given the mobility and flexibility we had.
What level were the PSOs untaken? (in effect we are talking probably around a battalion (including attachments) for the assessments).
Would the fact you have you 2/3 weeks to prepare not make it an unjust reflection of the level of general training?
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) so I'll be thinking of you all sunning yourselves in the dry Glen - weather forecast is dry, and canteen will be dry.
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