The Future of the Army Reserve - Discuss

[Cryos]

2 battalions, 2 x 300
2 Regiments, 2 x 200
2 Tpt Coys, 2 x 50
2 Med Coys, 2 x 50
1 Training Centre, 1 x 20
2 x CIS, 2 x 50
2 x Eng Coys 2 x 50
2 x Cav, 2 x 70
2 x MPs 2 x 50

Total: 1700 approx

Like the figures, a degree of thought with it. Id bring Eng/CIS/TPT up to 70 to align somewhat to current unit config.

[Saab]

Good numbers midnight.

But RDF MPs don't really do very much so you can knock them out.
Tpt, you get 16 in a truck or minibus so that would mean you only need about 20 drivers, lets say 25 so instead of 2 coys they could be in as HQ sections in the Bns
Medics and CIS - always useful but since every infantry man should be FA and coms trained do you really need so many?
The Cav, maybe like 2 Cav they could be the RDF ceremonial unit but then you don't need 2 coys.

[midnight oil]

But RDF MPs don't really do very much so you can knock them out.

The 50 allows for pers in training & Ptes (no use as an MP), a HQ, officers and SNCOs that are not oing to do provost work

Tpt, you get 16 in a truck or minibus so that would mean you only need about 20 drivers, lets say 25 so instead of 2 coys they could be in as HQ sections in the Bns.

Again, pers in training, HQ, officers and SNCOs, remember 1 Bde will cover all the way up to Galway and 2 Bde up to Donegal

Medics and CIS - always useful but since every infantry man should be FA and coms trained do you really need so many?

More to being a medic than what a inf Pte is taught

A LOT more to CIS than what a wholloper in a trench is able to do

The Cav, maybe like 2 Cav they could be the RDF ceremonial unit but then you don't need 2 coys.

RDF Cav should have to do the PDF Recce course. Month long course, make it their FTT for the year. Run it as one block, not a weekend here and there as part of the recce course is being able to handle the degredation. Once this is done you now have recce companies in each RDF Bde

[Law of the sea]

2 battalions, 2 x 300
2 Regiments, 2 x 200
2 Tpt Coys, 2 x 50
2 Med Coys, 2 x 50
1 Training Centre, 1 x 20
2 x CIS, 2 x 50
2 x Eng Coys 2 x 50
2 x Cav, 2 x 70
2 x MPs 2 x 50

Total: 1700 approx

Are Air Defence part of the Regiment figures? And what about the slua?

[hptmurphy]

2

x Cav, 2 x 70

cav Sqdn is 126/24 all ranks.

I would suggest 1 reserve troop..(26) per brigade, directly attached to a PDF Sqdn.

Once this is done you now have recce companies in each RDF Bde

Too much.. Full Sqdn which equates to a coy would never be able to achieve the pass rate required.

The RDF and PDF brigades should be combined and give each PDF BN a reserve Coy, each corps unit a trp / bty of reservists.

Two command structures in what is geograhically the same region makes no sense and is wasteful, bring the reserve units under the control of the PDF units.

And what about the slua?

The NSR have a level of integration above that of the Army reserve but due to the qualifications required in the various skills before getting to be qualified for seagoing it takes a bit longer to have them fully ready to slot in..... but if they can manage to retain their people longer than most AR units they present quite good value for money.

[Cryos]

Good numbers midnight.

But RDF MPs don't really do very much so you can knock them out.
Tpt, you get 16 in a truck or minibus so that would mean you only need about 20 drivers, lets say 25 so instead of 2 coys they could be in as HQ sections in the Bns
Medics and CIS - always useful but since every infantry man should be FA and coms trained do you really need so many?
The Cav, maybe like 2 Cav they could be the RDF ceremonial unit but then you don't need 2 coys.

Theres only a so much an infantry man + 1 Sincgar (with all accessories) and some knowledge can do with that, But if you want to send someone out to the Glen and see how sucessfull your chat over the net with the nearest Barracks is, by all means go ahead. Common misconception that CIS provide only "Voice Operators" infact thats hardly ever provided anymore for the reasons you allude to. As SwiftandSure states, Network Infrastructure, Telecoms Services etc... are all the tools of a CIS Unit; The only exception with a reserve unit is that your not going to be maintaining or setting up "Operational" Equipment.

A Radio Platoon is only one of several element of the CIS and its fast growing smaller..

IMO, you can't have enough comms or medics.

You're also forgetting that CIS provide the network infrastructure that facilitates the infantry to communicate to higher formations and other corps/combat arm elements. So the better comms network you have, the easier it is to coordinate everything within the battlespace.

Also IMO, the RDF should be targeting its recruitment at the medical / telecoms / IT / cyber industries in order to harness the talent that that PDF can't afford.

[paul g]

i think they'll look at New Zealand, and model the reforms on that

Eventually that would mean three battalion groups, each with about three infantry companies.

Everything else, artillery, cav, engineers, might go to platoons in the battalion group's support company.

But they'll probably opt for an infantry only force.

[Galloglass]

And someone for the love of God sort out employment protection for the RDF. So finally, the lads and lassies can do all available training, courses etc. without having to worry about asking the boss for a week off here and there.

Until such protection is in place, I fear that the Reserve will keep going round in circles.

I agree that one of the most useful proposals would be to ensure employment protection (1 week annually) for RDF personnell.
Griping about percieved "failings" in the Reserve is unfair to Volunteers who give their time (including work holidays) and energies to the Defence Forces.
The Reserve constitute (at the very least) a pool of "militarised" citizens who can be mobilised quickly if the need ever arises in the next couple of decades. The Emergency Army could never have been assembled without the incorporation of the Volunteer Reserve of the time. The PDF in 1940 could not have managed it alone.
It's not easy to expand an Army should the need ever arise, (as distinct from giving out uniforms to civilians) I'm reminded of the Artillerymans' rhyme;

" This is my rifle, this is my gun...."etc.

[trellheim]

Was this report written by Godot or what... f**kin nora

[hptmurphy]

Was this report written by Godot or what... f**kin nora

Probably waiting for the talks in Europe to make some sort of a commitment to the bank debt deal and if theres good news he'll slip it in on the back of that,

(a) if the bank thing is good news, no one will notice

(b) if its bad news he'll hail it as required cuts.

Lose ,lose scenario.

[Left100]

i think they'll look at New Zealand, and model the reforms on that

Eventually that would mean three battalion groups, each with about three infantry companies.

Everything else, artillery, cav, engineers, might go to platoons in the battalion group's support company.

But they'll probably opt for an infantry only force.

Why would you expect the Dept of Defence or Dfhq to look at what other reserve forces do or good practice?
They never have before !!

[Saab]

The 50 allows for pers in training & Ptes (no use as an MP),

So should these be counted as PA ir Inf?
How many "qualified" PAs would be required annually?
So you should have a certain number of infantry men on the PA course at any one time but 50 seems high.

(TpT) Again, pers in training, HQ, officers and SNCOs, remember 1 Bde will cover all the way up to Galway and 2 Bde up to Donegal

Training would I assume be centrallised. So again how many do you need per year.
Once trained then the drivers are back to their Bn.
I am not saying there is no need for drivers. There could be 100 drivers spread accross the RDF. I just think 2 dediceted tpt coys is a bit much.

More to being a medic than what a inf Pte is taught

But it is specialised.
Every second tom dick and Harriette might do FA but there is only a small number of paramedics.

A LOT more to CIS than what a wholloper in a trench is able to do

No doubte true. But I am just basing my comment of what one sees out on the ground during an ex. A CIS man out with us. More likely because we were short on numbers. The CIS man I am sure is a skilled person and so wasted out where his skills are not required.
If there is a reduction in the use of high skilled to do low skilled jobs then you don't need so many spare people to fill in.

RDF Cav should have to do the PDF Recce course. Month long course, make it their FTT for the year. Run it as one block, not a weekend here and there as part of the recce course is being able to handle the degredation. Once this is done you now have recce companies in each RDF Bde

Although probably a good idea but when would they really get to use such training.

One thing though lads.
To date no TD has taken on the employment protection issue.
In fact on record there is atleast one minister saying its never going to happen.
Industry don't wan't it to happen.
The nearly 4 million citizens of Ireland not in the RDF don't give it that much consideration.
As much as people keep bring it up here the simple truth is that the RDF is such a non entity as far as the government and general population is concerned.
Employment protection is as likely for us as it is for members of Bird watch Ireland.

[Cryos]

No doubte true. But I am just basing my comment of what one sees out on the ground during an ex. A CIS man out with us. More likely because we were short on numbers. The CIS man I am sure is a skilled person and so wasted out where his skills are not required.
If there is a reduction in the use of high skilled to do low skilled jobs then you don't need so many spare people to fill in.

Not as common to happen anymore, its not the function of the CIS Corps; When it happens its normally for one or two reasons 1. Bad VP (normally sounds like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v7Z22jGNSo keep in mind whats happening the other end) which means any reports coming in are garbage and take about 10 times longer to get it clear and concise). 2. Someone decided it would be good to waste resources.

Ive experienced both in the last year. Whats very common however is that ive often had to be an NetOp for an ex purely because the unit running it hasnt trained anyone to a standard that they could run a Net...

[Saab]

so the more of us, trained correctly the less of you required.

Which was the point I was trying to make.

[Cryos]

so the more of us, trained correctly the less of you required.

Which was the point I was trying to make.

There isnt suppose to be a CIS person in the field anyway, look at the level the Corp is suppose to work at... A radio man in the squad is a job for a combat soldier not a signalman its important to draw that distinction.