The Future of the Army Reserve - Discuss

[DeV]

Correct but not the 500 someone else suggested

[Bravo20]

Actually the figure is closer to 500. Their establishment is around 300 and there are nearly 200 in addition or SWA cadre (those who were on the establishment prior to the re-org but were promised their jobs so they couldn't be moved).

[hptmurphy]

he nay-sayers can gloat all you like but until that day, the rest of us have no intention of quitting.

I don't want to see the reserve abolished,it has been an integral part of Irish society both urban and rural for three generations and has provided many with a stepping stone to very illustrious careers in the DF and gave others a taste of military life without having to have the conscripted.

Unfortunately , the gifted who could save the reserve are not those who are always listened to!

If the reserve had pushed harder rather than accepted what came in the 2005 re org it might have had a more credible case to be able push as part of the VFM report , however, very little happened after 2005 and even the much cited integration programme was never the success it was intended to be.

IF the vfm does subsequently come back to say that the reserve is not valuable

The question is not whether the thing is 'valuable', it is indeed valuable beyond a level that can be quantified,the question is can it be economically viable and what could its contribution to reducing cost in the DF.Dress it up as 'Value For Money', but at the end of the day its cost containment.

I can't honestly say where the fault lies as much of this is around personalities in units and how they are run as opposed actual command ,control and management.

Actually the figure is closer to 500

I took the figure from a post on army numbers from here and some might want to reread what I said( up to 500!), it may have changed regardless of which as Paul G posted..300 people drawing an allowance to run an ever dwindling number of reservists is still quite a sizeable figure.

the rest of us have no intention of quitting.

If your units is disbanded or indeed if the whole reserve is disbanded ( which I doubt will be the case) the intention or choice won't be yours!

rather than for what they can financially extract from the state.

Interesting point

I wonder if payment was removed along with a grat,how many would still attend FTT?

we discussed in the past the options of tax breaks to employers to have reservists on their books.

How about remove pay for FTT and give tax breaks to the members that can only be claimed after a certain amount of hours registered every year?

Not sure how to accommadate those on social welfare but I'm sure there could be some sort of credit system.

How could the reserve become cost neutral and still commit to what it does?

[midnight oil]

In a recent discussion about the future of the reserve, someone proclaimed that as Ptes and Cpls they are very effective and useful and will pretty much do ANYTHING. Above that rank the role that their rank is supposed to perform far exceeds their level of training.

Discuss:

[hptmurphy]

Above that rank the role that their rank is supposed to perform far exceeds their level of training.

Lots of things to ponder in that one.

Historically it could be argued that people were prommoted to corporal far to early in their service and wouldn't have the
(a) experience
(b) variety of courses their PDF counterpart would have had.

In saying that you have to quantify it with it being dependant on the branch of the DF.

There are exceptions especially in the non infantry corps although it should be noted again that people entering these units don't have the same grounding in basic infantry training to the degree that an RDF infantry man or a PDF equivalent would have.

they are very effective and useful and will pretty much do ANYTHING.

'Will' as opposed to 'can'.

The variety of course available to RDF people at 3 star rank dependant on Corps is limited to say the least.

However from my own experience enthusiasm and flexibility ,while sometimes undermined by lack of experience and specialized training, the willingness to partake in what often seems mundane to the professional is beyond reproach.

Unfortunately the high turn over in the lower ranks means that the skills base always tends to be limited.

People are only as effective as there management allow them to be. If the person commanding hasn't got the skills or knowledge for what ever reason, his troops will also be restricted in how effective they are.

Chicken and egg really.

[chiefohara]

Im a sandbag.

I dont volunteer for the fun of it, i certainly dont volunteer for the respect.

Just give me and other sandbags a solid job to do. That's all we want.

[Mr. Tezza]

In a recent discussion about the future of the reserve, someone proclaimed that as Ptes and Cpls they are very effective and useful and will pretty much do ANYTHING. Above that rank the role that their rank is supposed to perform far exceeds their level of training.

Discuss:

Top heavy useless camp rats, the rdf is full of them, all they do is hang around during camp, doing nothing, drinking every night and wait for a paycheque at the end of the week... I've gone onto camp and been left sitting there waiting for someone to come up with " something to do" or told "go hide". This is all fine and good for some but I'm tired of that kind of crap.

The only ones I ever see making an effort when I go to training are Cpls and a few Sgts, also one or two officers make an effort too but thats all. There are far too many sgts and officers who go should be long gone in my opinion because they do "as little as possible" when on camp/training and spent most of their time avoiding duties or anything that involves effort.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this opinion but thats the way the organisation is at the moment, and its a damn shame...

[Goldie fish]

Does anyone else have units with people who, in this PC world would be considered "Special Needs"? It has shocked me the amount of them about. People who shouldn't be left alone with a sharp pencil, never mind a firearm.

[hptmurphy]

Does anyone else have units with people who, in this PC world would be considered "Special Needs"? It has shocked me the amount of them about. People who shouldn't be left alone with a sharp pencil, never mind a firearm

There is a legal requirement in the Public and Civil Service to have in their employ people with disabilities amounting to 3%.... obvioulsy some units have had more than their fair allocation.

in the past it would have been desciribe as some one witha a bit of a 'want'

The most notable I came across was a guy from the old 22nd Bn who was Cpl I/C of the 'jacks' for several of the PSOs......even had the stereoptypical monobrow!

[Infy]

We had one guy who lets just say wasn't the full shilling a few years back, currently paying Her Majesty's Prison in the north a visit. Something over a planned attack on a PSNI officer I think, it was mentioned on here at the time he was arrested.

[hptmurphy]

Are we shoehorning these special individuals into the Future of the Army Reserve somewhere

yeah might help upskill some units!

[hptmurphy]

That said, I hear that's the plan so they're migrating South

.

All vacancies filled in the south!

[trellheim]

Back from sunny USA ( Key West ) ... what did I miss ? been keepiing up.. RDFRA facebook seems to be rumors galore atm. I believe the minister is sick ?

[Goldie fish]

He was in Hospital for a while. Maybe the contents of the VFM caused him to take ill?

[Goldie fish]

Q157 of Thursday's questions to the minister may provide the answer.

Maybe.