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  • Originally posted by trellheim View Post
    how ya good to see your still about ct, some old skulls still here posting
    I thought he had gotten too big for us now that he has become famous... Spelling "Defence" wrong and all.
    For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

    Comment


    • Originally posted by Auldsod View Post
      I'm not aware of this arrangement? So someone would have had to resign from the RDF to go overseas? What would happen when they had to go back to their unit? Rejoin the RDF? There isn't provision to keep rank if you leave and rejoin per R9.
      1. Yes, had to resign from the RDF and be enlisted in the PDF in the rank of 2 Star (thus neatly avoiding the scenario where RESERVISTS were going overseas
      2. What happened on return to unit - think that was still going around in the wash when the 2008 recession kicked in and the Public Service spending embargo kicked in
      "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)!"

      Comment


      • Originally posted by California Tanker View Post
        There are some counterpoints for that.
        The combat arms, infantry, artillery, air defense, cavalry, are the least important for an army on daily peacetime operations. If every cavalryman in the Army was suddenly transferred to the reserves, the vehicles would still require their routine servicing, annual overhauls, and just enough mileage to make sure the seals are lubricated. The mechanics would still need to be there. The medics would still need to be supporting the people on full time duty, logistics people will still be running trucks around the bases delivering supplies, Signals folks will still be running the IT network, and so on. Procurement folks will still be procuring. Your active force should be whatever is needed to keep things ticking over in peacetime, plus whatever you need on routine operations. I don't believe Ireland sends much air defense overseas, why are they a PDF unit? When was the last time Ireland needed to deploy 25pr or 105mm guns on short notice? Look at how much of the US's combat power is in the reserves, at one stage it was over half the tanks and over 2/3 of the artillery (I think it's dropped a bit since). (There's also a bit of the doctrine that said that having that power in the reserves means that large wars aren't going to be fought without activating reserves, which was an additional cost and political consideration). It's the lack of will to send reserve units overseas (we sent units, not individuals), which makes the Irish system inefficient.
        It's to be noted that just because someone is a mechanic in civilian life, or a construction engineer or a truck driver doesn't mean that they want to do it in the Army Reserve. It's an opportunity to do something a bit different. We have discovered in the US that arbitrarily assigning people to jobs purely on the needs of the army does not do wonders for retention. (of course, needs of the Army do come first, but some tweaking is still possible).
        Good hearing from you again C-T
        Agree on all the above

        Reminds me of a visiting delegation of British Army Reservists from NI to our callsign a few years ago
        One of them was a Col in the Med Corps (civilian occupation: GP in Co.Down)
        He was head honcho of the Reserve Med Corps units in NI

        Gave us a very interesting chat on what they were doing
        He had been compulsorily mobilized for Afghanistan once, and volunteered twice (don't tell my wife, she thinks it was compulsory, he said!)

        Then went on to tell us that as the Permanent Force medics had been mobilised for Afghanistan due to an uptick in operations, there was a gap in their commitment in Kosovo

        Result: The Reserve Med Corps unit in NI went to Kosovo as a formed unit for a tour
        "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)!"

        Comment


        • I wanted to talk about the lack of BSMs again ( keep the discussion from the other thread going)

          Timeline

          2005 - Lt Cols added to RDF
          2012 - Reorg - 2 extra Lt Cols added in DFHQ, W Bde Lt COl removed so now we have 5 lt cols.

          All AR Units disbanded and reformed into Single Force concept hence no BSMs bar one As "Reserve and Distance Learning"


          there was no consultation on CS4 on the removal of all the BSMs. Now I get it, you can only have one BSM in a unit but it screwed and continues to screw the senior NCO system for years . They should have +1'd a BSM to every RDF Lt Col with the same restrictions perhaps and there is no real problem with doing it

          there was never any consultation on ID Cards ( until I was told to go and get one lol ) or Sam Brownes - until the OC told me to go and get one. Peaked Caps were only issued for 2016 and then never taken back or any dress regulation issued because fk me diversity and show the reserve on parade right ? No

          The reserve have very rarely been asked what way to go suggesting parlayed stuff for BSMs is just tripe
          Last edited by trellheim; 3 October 2020, 22:45.
          "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

          "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

          Comment


          • In fairness don’t forget D Res ceased to exist in 2012.

            Imho there needs to be a RDF BSM in each formation

            Comment


            • There is a a BDE RSM in the Office of each GoC.An RSM in Ceremonial Branch and ,at present ,an Ad Hoc DF RSM. I would suggest a better way to go would be to have an RDF CS in each of those Offices rather than a useless duplication of effort.
              "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

              Comment


              • I would not think it was useless. RDF enlisted need a career path too and in addition a RDF BSM can drive change. How many times do those BSMs consider reserve taskings or problems .

                Problem I see with the job is people taking it for 20 years at a time and tied to a single location whereas that would in no way be the case.
                "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

                "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

                Comment


                • I would not think it was useless.
                  Jobs for the boys when there is already an existing RSM in each of Units and also those offices.
                  RDF enlisted need a career path too and in addition a RDF BSM can drive change. How many times do those BSMs consider reserve taskings or problems .
                  Indeed they do but sometimes a career path can include sideways moves rather than upwards. An experienced CS who has done their time in a Battalion etc could move up into DF/BDE Appointments. In effect a promotion. An RDF CS could drive change as the RDF advisor to the PDF RSMs. No need for two birds in the one nest.

                  Problem I see with the job is people taking it for 20 years at a time and tied to a single location whereas that would in no way be the case.
                  Problem I see is that the suggestion for RDF BSMs in unworkable in practice.
                  "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

                  Comment


                  • Recruitment is where the focus must be, not CS, not BSM and not overseas. The numbers are dropping all the time. Not long before someone says, what's the cost of the RDF. Civil defence has been used to support the fight against covid and they are used more than RDF throughout a normal year. God help us if someone says could they not be transferred there. It would be a cost saving.

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by batterysgt View Post
                      Recruitment is where the focus must be, not CS, not BSM and not overseas. The numbers are dropping all the time. Not long before someone says, what's the cost of the RDF. Civil defence has been used to support the fight against covid and they are used more than RDF throughout a normal year. God help us if someone says could they not be transferred there. It would be a cost saving.
                      You're 100% correct. Recruitment is the issue, and the time frame it takes to process people in the door. Couple that with the skills we can bring to bear on the Covid battle. At present, the majority of the RDF can provide duties in barracks, there are some military first responders, drivers, but not nearly enough to be as effective as the Civil Defence have been in recent months. For the RDF to be more effective currently, we need to have drivers for weekend patient transfers, and people manning Covid test centers. This raises the question, should we modularise the drive conversion coure, ie, distance learning for drivers standing orders, two modularised 3 day weekends for training and assessments, run at brigade level and bringing all instructors in the brigade together. Forego on the trailer module for now.

                      That way, the RDF provide drivers, duties and test center personnel in the time the PDF is most in need for numbers.
                      What are you cackling at, fatty? Too much pie, that's your problem.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by batterysgt View Post
                        Recruitment is where the focus must be, not CS, not BSM and not overseas. The numbers are dropping all the time. Not long before someone says, what's the cost of the RDF. Civil defence has been used to support the fight against covid and they are used more than RDF throughout a normal year. God help us if someone says could they not be transferred there. It would be a cost saving.
                        Except we don’t have people to train them

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by ODIN View Post
                          You're 100% correct. Recruitment is the issue, and the time frame it takes to process people in the door.
                          No point in recruitment unless we retain at least 60-70% after 3 years.
                          People want to join an efficient worthwhile organisation where their time is valued ... we have the worthwhile bit.
                          We need to get every JNCO and junior officer to have a SIC2 done and make themselves available.





                          This raises the question, should we modularise the drive conversion coure, ie, distance learning for drivers standing orders, two modularised 3 day weekends for training and assessments, run at brigade level and bringing all instructors in the brigade together. Forego on the trailer module for now.
                          It is modular. I was on one of the first ones ran.
                          We did a weekend for DSOs, accident procedures, pre-driving checks and admin etc (which we then had to learn in our own time) and then separately 5 days FTT. We didn’t do the trailer as there was too many students (course was over subscribed).

                          How the training is conducted is flexible to a degree but it is dependant on instr and tester availability.

                          There is nothing to stop it being

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by DeV View Post
                            No point in recruitment unless we retain at least 60-70% after 3 years.
                            People want to join an efficient worthwhile organisation where their time is valued ... we have the worthwhile bit.
                            We need to get every JNCO and junior officer to have a SIC2 done and make themselves available.






                            It is modular. I was on one of the first ones ran.
                            We did a weekend for DSOs, accident procedures, pre-driving checks and admin etc (which we then had to learn in our own time) and then separately 5 days FTT. We didn’t do the trailer as there was too many students (course was over subscribed).

                            How the training is conducted is flexible to a degree but it is dependant on instr and tester availability.

                            There is nothing to stop it being
                            I'm going to sound like a broken record here but I think pay would help with retention. 1/4 of a day for training nights and return of the grat.

                            When it comes to making SIC2 trained NCOs and officers available; I think planning and not necessarily availability is key here. Course dates need to be planned and known six months in advance if possible (and earlier). It's very annoying to get confirmed dates for a course only two weeks before it is due to start and then you are the worst in the world because you can't attend due to a holiday, etc. I know there are valid resourcing reasons that make that planning difficult but it's that kind of messing around that causes people to become disillusioned with the organisation and not make themselves available in the first place.

                            If I can give the wife dates at the start of the year, she's much happier to see me gone out the door than the situations where I tell her that I might be gone three out of four weekends next month but nothing confirmed yet! It frankly makes it seem like I'm not involved with a competent organisation at all.

                            That's very interesting about the driving course. I didn't know they could run the MOD 2B without trailer. I always assumed that the only way you would get a 154 without trailer is to fail that aspect of the course. Good call to remove it if not needed though. It took up a significant proportion of the course I was on. Could definitely fast track without it.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by DeV View Post
                              No point in recruitment unless we retain at least 60-70% after 3 years.
                              People want to join an efficient worthwhile organisation where their time is valued ... we have the worthwhile bit.
                              We need to get every JNCO and junior officer to have a SIC2 done and make themselves available.
                              Chicken and egg, if we don't recruit, we won't have a chance to retain, if we don't retain, we won't have the JNCO/Officers to train future recruits.




                              Originally posted by DeV View Post
                              It is modular. I was on one of the first ones ran.
                              We did a weekend for DSOs, accident procedures, pre-driving checks and admin etc (which we then had to learn in our own time) and then separately 5 days FTT. We didn’t do the trailer as there was too many students (course was over subscribed).

                              How the training is conducted is flexible to a degree but it is dependant on instr and tester availability.

                              There is nothing to stop it being
                              This is needed now though, like the course is in need now as there aren't enough drivers to do details at present.
                              What are you cackling at, fatty? Too much pie, that's your problem.

                              Comment


                              • Truck Driver will no doubt be along to tell us soon either way. I was not aware Mod2B could run without the trailer component. While I very strongly appreciate the need to focus as always on recruitment and retention, discussing all aspects of the RDF is allowed as well and that includes long term career planning for SNCOs who basically had the legs cut out from under them in 2012 and no interest taken in their group "as A GROUP" . BQMS disappeared entirely and BSM down to 1 on the establishment leaving us with an overhang that screwed anything Cpl and above for the best part of a decade and its still not fixed ( can the reserve change CS4 themselves ? No. Do I want to fix it ? RDFRA have no scope of representation on organization so no way to officially raise ). Despite the Department doing comical Ali "RDF are not employees" they still hold us to the ECF framework so we can't go over the numbers ìn formations but fk me the DOD look good right
                                "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

                                "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

                                Comment

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