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  • Originally posted by Fridge Magnet View Post
    Ya know what? You're right.

    We should continue as it is in most RDF sub units, with a bunch of lads turning up every week doing **** all meaningful.

    The situation S&S and I speak of involves Reservists making a positive contribution to the Irish contingent of a multinational Battlegroup and that contribution being highlighted within the DF.

    You can poke holes in it if you want, personally I think it's bloody brilliant. If people involved in the DF, both permanent and part time, did it solely for money they'd be very disappointed, very quickly.
    There is a huge difference between doing something to make money and not even getting expenses

    Comment


    • Originally posted by DeV View Post
      There is a huge difference between doing something to make money and not even getting expenses
      absolutely.
      RGJ

      ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

      The Rifles

      Comment


      • if you sell your labour for free, then you are subsidising the Dept of Defence, which, when last I looked, did not need subsidising as it's got a rich daddy. If they are too cynical to give you even basic expenses, yet expect you to turn out for free, then you are being played for a mug, notwithstanding your undoubted loyalty and willingness to contribute. The amount of money it would cost to give the RDF relative expenses is tiny. The RDF is still denied labour protection, which is doubly cynical and exploitative.

        Comment


        • On the one hand i agree with the lads - i often turn up for free etc - my unit is dying on its knees due to lack of new blood, so much so that im dedicating all available time this year to attach to a different unit so i can instruct on a course.

          however

          the DOD will eventually realise, that to have a viable, self sustaining, semi professional reserve component, they need to make it attractive and rewarding, both personally and monetarily, patriotism and the creed of volunteerism alone is no use anymore, not after the lean years we've seen, even harping back to the gratuity - it was a force motivator, made it easier to get people up and was a better reward system for making those attending put in an effort to meet KPIs - combine it with the modern KPIs and the RDF would suddenly be a different animal again.

          They need to go back to that model, if they wont move forward to a better compensation model, otherwise the numbers will continue to fall.

          The RDFRA need to make the above their number 1 priority in order to make the DOD show that the single force concept isnt a one way street and to ensure the future of the reserve because even without negative department intervention, we are dwindling at an astonishing rate.
          "He is an enemy officer taken in battle and entitled to fair treatment."
          "No, sir. He's a sergeant, and they don't deserve no respect at all, sir. I should know. They're cunning and artful, if they're any good. I wouldn't mind if he was an officer, sir. But sergeants are clever."

          Comment


          • I agree with GTTC's and morpheus' posts but whatever happens it'll be too late for me as I threw in the towel. It would have been not too bad travelling 4 or 5 miles to the local centre with the grat gone but I eventually got pissed at a 32 mile round trip to the barracks for the Tuesday night weekly parade plus then the same for anything that happened on Saturdays or Sundays. Add to that the expectation of having to take holidays for fitness, medicals and exercises. I didn't mind using my holidays for the annual FTT but a line had to be drawn, as morpheus alluded to patriotism and volunteerism will only stretch so far.
            Wages have been cut, taxes have risen over the past number of years and then they brought in that botch job of the VFM to suit the agenda of the political masters expecting people to provide their time and energy for zero, the grat wasn't much when divided by the time and travel put in but it softened the blow a bit.

            Comment


            • Only 32 miles? My last unit involved a 200km round trip which I was happy to do.
              For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

              Comment


              • Power to you.
                I knew a simple soldier boy.....
                Who grinned at life in empty joy,
                Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
                And whistled early with the lark.

                In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
                With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
                He put a bullet through his brain.
                And no one spoke of him again.

                You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
                Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
                Sneak home and pray you'll never know
                The hell where youth and laughter go.

                Comment


                • there comes a point when the effort does not match the reward and you know in your heart and soul that cynical civil servants,politicians and the seniors of the PDF don't give a **** about you. There have two major events, weather wise, recently, when an RDF presence should have been formally turned out to render assistance, the big Snow of 09/10 and the big floods of last year. The State did nothing. Every country in Europe turns out it's military and CivDef when things turn to shit, except Ireland. Who in their right mind, would refuse to formally deploy intelligent, young, fit, useful manpower unless they were of the opinion that said manpower would do no good or be too costly to deploy??!! If the State continues to treat you like a token, take your talents and abilities elsewhere.

                  Comment


                  • the DOD will eventually realise, that to have a viable, self sustaining, semi professional reserve component, they need to make it attractive and rewarding, both personally and monetarily, patriotism and the creed of volunteerism alone is no use anymore, not after the lean years we've seen, even harping back to the gratuity - it was a force motivator, made it easier to get people up and was a better reward system for making those attending put in an effort to meet KPIs - combine it with the modern KPIs and the RDF would suddenly be a different animal again.
                    Plus 1

                    Don't hold your breath

                    They need to go back to that model, if they wont move forward to a better compensation model, otherwise the numbers will continue to fall.
                    that is part of it, the other part being stop admin f*** ups (eg medicals, recruiting, black beret & Cultraca flash, audiograms & PWTs, etc)

                    The RDFRA need to make the above their number 1 priority in order to make the DOD show that the single force concept isnt a one way street and to ensure the future of the reserve because even without negative department intervention, we are dwindling at an astonishing rate.
                    As far as I have heard the DF side won't allow it near the table (ie it was a political decision).

                    Originally posted by GoneToTheCanner View Post
                    there comes a point when the effort does not match the reward and you know in your heart and soul that cynical civil servants,politicians and the seniors of the PDF don't give a **** about you. There have two major events, weather wise, recently, when an RDF presence should have been formally turned out to render assistance, the big Snow of 09/10 and the big floods of last year. The State did nothing. Every country in Europe turns out it's military and CivDef when things turn to shit, except Ireland. Who in their right mind, would refuse to formally deploy intelligent, young, fit, useful manpower unless they were of the opinion that said manpower would do no good or be too costly to deploy??!! If the State continues to treat you like a token, take your talents and abilities elsewhere.
                    Plus one

                    At the same time the deployment of PDF resources during these periods was inadequate as well.

                    Having said that the floods were probably the biggest use of RDF for ATCA since the foundation of the State

                    Comment


                    • Posted by Kieran M in the other thread. Prizes awarded ( although I don't know ) as to who is coming up with these

                      Defence Forces Personnel Data

                      250. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications approved and the number of positions taken up to join the Reserve Defence Force, by Army and by Navy, in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date, in tabular form. [7099/16]

                      251. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of persons who left the Reserve Defence Force, by Army and by Navy, in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date, in tabular form. [7100/16]


                      252. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications for Garda Síochána vetting made by the Defence Forces for prospective members of the Reserve Defence Force in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date. [7101/16]

                      253. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the number of days spent at sea by members of the Naval Service Reserve in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date. [7102/16]

                      254. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the personnel strength of the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve at the end of each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date. [7103/16]

                      258. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Reserve Defence Force services, by Army Reserve, by Naval Service Reserve, by rank, at the end of each of the years 2012 to 2015. [7107/16]

                      Minister for Defence (Deputy Simon Coveney): I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 254, inclusive, and 258 together.


                      It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. My Department will seek to compile as much of the information as is reasonably accessible within the resources available. I will provide the information directly to the Deputy as soon as is practicable.


                      Defence Forces Reserve

                      255. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence if there is any legislative impediment to members of the Reserve Defence Force serving overseas alongside their colleagues in the Permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7104/16]

                      Minister for Defence (Deputy Simon Coveney): There is no provision in the Defence Acts to allow Reserve Defence Force (RDF) personnel to be deployed overseas. However, it was identified in the White Paper 2015 that there may be professional skills that on occasion may not be readily available in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF). Arising from the fact that there may be individual members of the RDF, who by virtue of their professional civilian qualifications have the competence to undertake such specialised tasks , the Government have decided that a panel of such professionally qualified members of the RDF, to be known as the Specialist Reserve should be established.

                      As part of the White Paper implementation process, a skills survey will be undertaken to identify those individuals in the First Line Reserve (FLR), Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) with relevant professional qualifications and their potential availability. In tandem with this project, my Department will identify the options available to underpin the engagement of the members of the Specialist Reserve, whose personal circumstances would allow them to undertake required tasks, including on overseas missions.

                      As also alluded to in the White Paper, the Secretary General, in conjunction with the Chief of Staff, will bring forward proposals for the operation of a scheme that affords a small number of suitably qualified members of the RDF, whose personal circumstances allow them to do so, the opportunity to undertake operational duties at home and overseas.


                      Defence Forces Strength

                      256. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the up-to-date strength of the Permanent Defence Force, by Army, by Naval Service, by Air Corps, by ranks and by gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7105/16]

                      257. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent Defence Force by Army, by Naval Service, by Air Corps and by rank at the end of each of the years 2012 to 2015. [7106/16]

                      Minister for Defence (Deputy Simon Coveney): I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together.


                      The following tables set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of 29th February, 2016, the latest date for which figures are available, across all three services and ranks, broken down by gender. The figures provided are for whole time equivalent posts.
                      "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

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

                      Comment


                      • The DoD are holding up the whole show when it comes to the specialist reserve and reservists serving overseas. It's my opinion that they are even working actively against the white paper statements on these issues

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by TangoSierra View Post
                          The DoD are holding up the whole show when it comes to the specialist reserve and reservists serving overseas. It's my opinion that they are even working actively against the white paper statements on these issues
                          I genuinely cannot understand the logic when it comes to the DoD and the RDF being part of the operational framework domestically and overseas.

                          Reservists are relatively cheap, capable and there's international precedent of their successful utilisation. All they need to do is put in place measures that guarantee quality and availability through employment protection legislation, employer engagement, and a fair remuneration for service. With that, recruitment and retention would sort itself out.

                          It is an absolute no-brainer and yet the DoD says no.

                          Comment


                          • It is an absolute no-brainer and yet the DoD says no.
                            The DoD is not where the smart civil servants go. Maybe its a bit better if they got some new blood who wanted to be in Newbridge
                            "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

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

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by TangoSierra View Post
                              The DoD are holding up the whole show when it comes to the specialist reserve and reservists serving overseas. It's my opinion that they are even working actively against the white paper statements on these issues
                              There are priority projects as to what is done in what part of the lifetime of the WP, it obviously isn't priority.

                              Originally posted by SwiftandSure View Post
                              All they need to do is put in place measures that guarantee quality and availability through employment protection legislation, employer engagement, and a fair remuneration for service. With that, recruitment and retention would sort itself out.
                              That is would be probably the biggest sea change in the history of the RDF and of course with that would come a change from the volunteer ethoes (potentially). It would cost millions.

                              Comment


                              • But Dev, without such a sea change, as much as it pains me to admit, the RDF on the whole is just a pointless waste of money.

                                Comment

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