Independent DF?

[hptmurphy]

If you look at the df logically we no longer will have an independent army in the future...we will be an element of a multinational force incapable of operating as an independent defence force!

[strummer]

Don't hold your breath. We'll all likely be a long time in the ground before it ever gets off the ground.

Later.

[hptmurphy]

would somebody please remind me not to think out loud any more!!!!!

[faughanballagh]

Originally posted by hptmurphy
would somebody please remind me not to think out loud any more!!!!!

Don't think out loud anymore.

[DeV]

To be part of a multi-national force, you have to have the capability and facilities to training, deploying & sustaining a military force overseas. This involves having most of if not all the capabilities, the DF currently have, and more.

Very few countries operate by themselves anymore, look at the "coalition on terror", US isn't operating by itself in SFOR, KFOR, ISAF or Iraq.

[hptmurphy]

Yes ...agreed, but does this mean a decline in resources required to operate independently of the outside organisations?

The upgrading of the reserve would indicate that the army will now have a force 'on call' and successive ministers will now be in a position to down grade the standing DF as the threat from internal agression, in theory, has diminished.

In years to come, will the army be in a position to operate indepently of other nations without having to rely on its reserve to fill out the vacancies caused by downgrading the PDF? To an extent it is already happening with the NS. Recruiting is not as high on the agenda as there are a considerable amount of reservists available to crew ships where in the past ships were tied up when there were manpower shortages.

Can we see a time when most of the army will become training tools for the reservists who will have to be on a higher degree of alert and will have to be more readily available for deployment?

[JAG]

"Can we see a time when most of the army will become training tools for the reservists who will have to be on a higher degree of alert and will have to be more readily available for deployment?"

Only if my biggest fantasy is transformed into reality.

[Vice Admiral]

Recruiting is not an issue - it's an almost constant evolution. The NS have taken at least 6 classes of recruits in the last two years. That's a lot of people. The NSR have a lot of people out there but we're not making the kind of contribution HPT suggests.
That said, almosts every NS ship on patrol from Feb to Nov will carry at least one reservist. From May to Sep it's a lot more.

[hptmurphy]

In fairness to the current usage of NSR personel aboard NS vessels it is a far cry from my days in the NS when members of AN Slua Muiri were actively discouraged from visiting NS vessels. We felt that they had no place aboard them and were duely treated with the contempt we believed and were encouraged to be believe that they deserved .

I had previously served with #3 coy SM and was acutley aware of the misguided attitudes and shortcomings of the SM members and would myself have actively discouraged their presence aboard operational naval vessels.

I would have to say have spoken to many of my contemperorarys that they are quite happy to have members of the NSR on board as the enthusiasm that they portray is an inspiration to many new crew members and their wiilingness to learn is a new lease of life for many instructor qualified ships personel. ships need crews to be operational and what does it matter where we draw crews from..if these guys are prepared to give up their holiday time to do this should they not be applauded for this...have we the Army reserve a lesson to learn from this.....?