# Role of NSE Force protection on TF 3-09



## Trooper_Glock (26 Sep 2008)

I've got my name in for Task Force 3-09 and have heard they want to send us as National Security Element Force protection. Does that just mean gate guard? Is it different than Cimic FP or PRT FP. Does the NSE FP company provide force protection for all these groups or just the NSE on base. From what I've heard of gate guard it doesn't sound like a fun way to spend 9 months. Do they set it up so we get time outside the wire? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Are there any Reservist positions on the Battle Group that we can jockey for?

Thanks


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## MikeL (27 Sep 2008)

Expect to rotate between convoy security and KAF gate guard.  Yes, it is different than Force Protection for PRT.  AFAIK your only outside the wire time will be doing convoy security.  I would assume theres always positions within the Battle Group for Reservists. I just got back from 1-08 and there was a high percentage of Reservists serving in the Battle Group.


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## BDTyre (5 Oct 2008)

The way it was explained to me was that NSE is more likely to see action than battle group at the moment.  Not sure where the person telling me/us this got that idea or how accurate it is, but the consensus seems to be that NSE will see more action that force protection for PRT.

Everyone who put their name in at my regiment was assigned NSE but we were told we might get other positions, just that NSE was the only one with definite openings for us.  Most want battle group.  Personally, I've put a memo in expressing a desire to work with OMLT/POMLT.  Put my name in for a Chinook door gunner too, but I think we all know that won't happen for a reservist, especially one as low on the totem pole as myself.  ;D


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## HItorMiss (5 Oct 2008)

CanadianTire said:
			
		

> The way it was explained to me was that* NSE is more likely to see action than battle group at the moment*.  Not sure where the person telling me/us this got that idea or how accurate it is, but the consensus seems to be that NSE will see more action that force protection for PRT.




BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!    :rofl:


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## BDTyre (5 Oct 2008)

Yeah, that's what I thought when I heard that too.


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## medaid (5 Oct 2008)

Oh my... looks like they've been indulging in some of that BC wild flower there...


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## Blakey (5 Oct 2008)

Same old same old, "our" tour was the hardest, "we" were in the shit "more often" than them....blah blah blah


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## Franko (5 Oct 2008)

CanadianTire said:
			
		

> The way it was explained to me was that *NSE is more likely to see action than battle group at the moment.*  Not sure where the person telling me/us this got that idea or how accurate it is, but the consensus seems to be that NSE will see more action that force protection for PRT.



I call BS. End stop.

Regards


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## geo (5 Oct 2008)

CanadianTire said:
			
		

> Put my name in for a Chinook door gunner too, but I think we all know that won't happen for a reservist, especially one as low on the totem pole as myself.  ;D


Why do you say that.... I know a couple of reservists who are training up with the aviation battalion that is forming up with 1/09


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## BDTyre (5 Oct 2008)

geo - from what I understand, the number of positions is pretty limited.  Nothing's impossible...maybe I should put a memo in for that too.

Recce by Death - yeah, as I said before, that one really struck me as odd.  The person who told us this didn't qualify that statement either by explaining what was meant.  I think said person was just trying to get people to sign up regardless, as I know a number of people were disappointed that we hadn't been told if there were any battlegroup positions.


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## geo (5 Oct 2008)

what's the very worst thing that can happen ???

that they say no ?  No biggie in the long run


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## BDTyre (5 Oct 2008)

Geo - my thoughts exactly.  What're they going to do - send me to Afghanistan?  ;D

I'll give it a shot.  CoC is aware I'm interested (they gave us the options of NSE, OMLT or door gunner so I put my hand up for all three), but I'll remind them with a memo.


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## medaid (5 Oct 2008)

No... But they COULD send you to Alert ;D


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## BDTyre (5 Oct 2008)

Yeah, but my wife might like that...but only if she can come with me.  This is her idea of fun: she's hoping to get on a field school to...Siberia.


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## PhilB (6 Oct 2008)

As has been said, I would call bullshit on that NSE comment. I wasnt in FP on 1-08 but a bunch of guys from my unit were. From my understanding, PRT FP you are escorting CIMIC to wherever they want to go, manning towers at some JDCC's, and depending on the platoon you are in doing gate at CNS (if you are going in a "reservist platoon" I would say you are most likely going to being doing gate at CNS). As far as the NSE FP guys, they split their time half and half between gate at KAF and doing resup convoys out to the FOB's. I have done gate, it is not the best go, but at the end of the day a tour is a tour. One word of caution however, if your unit is saying "sign up for these positions now, and later down the road you can switch into a BG spot" I would be really leery. It has been my experience on 1-06 and now on 1-08 once you get stuck in a position you are not getting out of it. This may not be the case for you but just keep it in mind.


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## BDTyre (7 Oct 2008)

I'm not dissatisfied with NSE, but if could get another position like OMLT or even door gunner, I would take it.  I don't have my hopes up for battle group, but you never now.

I could always harass my way into a position via memo.  You know, bug them so much they give it to me just to shut me up/get rid of me. ;D

Although, regarding the door gunner position, I have heard (again, not official) that they're look for MCpls and up (not entirely sure why).


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## dangerboy (7 Oct 2008)

CanadianTire said:
			
		

> Although, regarding the door gunner position, I have heard (again, not official) that they're look for MCpls and up (not entirely sure why).



Our Coy put forward one name to OPs and he was a Pte.  Was told you have to be .50 Cal HMG qualified.


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## BDTyre (7 Oct 2008)

I guess that answers the question of which gun you'd be using.  Maybe thats why they wants reservists to be slightly higher on the food chain - 50 cal qualified reservists Ptes are probably few and far between.


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## brihard (11 Oct 2008)

I'm with NSE FP right now.

The supposition that NSE FP gets lots of contact is blatantly false. The guys we just replaced had hardly any at all. We've yet to have any, no warning shots fired, nothing. (And I have no problem with that.)

Currently NSE FP is a two platoon organization that switches off between gate and convoys out to the FOBs. Do not assume it will work the same way in subsequent rotos.

What I can tell you is that all you're doing by putting your name down is exactly that- putting your name down. Don't assume your CFTPO position will bear any relation to your ultimate task. the only thing that seemed to make a difference for us was which stream you applied for- but a couple jokers still showed up on the last (six month) stream and landed in the battlegroup.

Any and all job specific courses that are needed - RG-31 driver, remote weapon system, TLAV driver, heavy machinegun, etc etc will be run during workup. In our case the platoon was entirely infantry, so a bunch of the guys got a driver wheeled on LUVWs to make sure we had enough guys who could then do airbrakes and RG. They're used to reservists showing up with little in the way of qualifications.

Everything I've said is subject to change on little or no notice. Things are changing right now, and how it ultimately shakes out is yet to be seen. I would like to give you more detail, but I'm not sure what of it is still considered OPSEC. I would suggest, though, getting your name in ASAP if you want a roto, and take whatever job you get.

If you do get Force Protection, it's a pretty good go.

Regards,

Brihard


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## Infanteer (11 Oct 2008)

0309 Battlegroup has spots for Reservists in every Rifle Platoon.  Not sure how those are sourced though.


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## BDTyre (12 Oct 2008)

My Pl Comd is going to push for me to get into OMLT, but that doesn't mean anything right now.  I told him if there's nothing available, I'll take whatever can be given to me.  I've already started DAG, so on the basis that everything goes okay with that, I'm just waiting for CoC to decide what I'm good at.


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## Love793 (12 Oct 2008)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> 0309 Battlegroup has spots for Reservists in every Rifle Platoon.  Not sure how those are sourced though.



CFTPO would be my guess! ;D


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## brihard (13 Oct 2008)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> 0309 Battlegroup has spots for Reservists in every Rifle Platoon.  Not sure how those are sourced though.



Fo$r this roto, 3-08, the reservists who volunteered for the earliest intake stream (roughly May 2007) got the battlegroup spots. The next lot of us showed up in September 07, filled up force protection and some other random spots, and then in January the remainder showed up to fill in the odds and sods. A few - a very few - guys from later streams got into battlegroup, but even fewer of those were in rifle section positions.

I'm not aware of any reservists occupying spots in the OMLT at junior ranks levels, but that said there's nothing saying they may not choose to source a few drivers and the like from the reserves. Most of the 'hard' OMLT spots are RegF SNCOs or officers.

And after all that is taken into consideration, it's still a tossup whether ops is drawing names from a hat or pinning them to a dartboard on any given day. Just when someone is well suited for a particular job, some joker will  occasionally put them somewhere completely different.

If you get a spot, content yourself with that. If you really want a solid tour, just go regs.

A reserve platoon commander has about a little say about where a reserve private will go on roto as the private himself. Don't fool yourself into thinking your Pl Comd really has any say in the matter, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. If they decide they don't have enough Cpls and take some Ptes to fill ranks, you'll go where they decide you're to be put. I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but they could (rightfully) care less about the druthers of any particular off the shelf reservist.


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## Infanteer (13 Oct 2008)

Brihard said:
			
		

> If you get a spot, content yourself with that. If you really want a solid tour, just go regs.



Yup.

The Reg Force Infantry isn't hurting for Pte/Cpl right now - it's MCpl to WO where we really need guys.



> A reserve platoon commander has about a little say about where a reserve private will go on roto as the private himself. Don't fool yourself into thinking your Pl Comd really has any say in the matter, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. If they decide they don't have enough Cpls and take some Ptes to fill ranks, you'll go where they decide you're to be put. I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but they could (rightfully) care less about the druthers of any particular off the shelf reservist.



Yup.


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## jbeach95 (6 Feb 2009)

Like Brihard said, don't expect to see any contacts in NSE FP. I know the media likes to portray convoys as the most dangerous job in Afghanistan, but reality is a bit different.

Canada no longer does gate at KAF. It was handed over to Slovakia in December. So most of the time is spent sitting around doing nothing, with the occasional CLP. Bring lots of stuff to keep yourself occupied.


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## FragSlag5 (20 Nov 2013)

geo said:
			
		

> Why do you say that.... I know a couple of reservists who are training up with the aviation battalion that is forming up with 1/09



Yup, half the door gunners were reservists.  good crew too.


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## FragSlag5 (20 Nov 2013)

CanadianTire said:
			
		

> Although, regarding the door gunner position, I have heard (again, not official) that they're look for MCpls and up (not entirely sure why).



No, They were looking for Senior Cpls and Mcpls.  PSWQ and/or .50 call qual. 

Now they are looking for Senior Ptes-Mcpls. mods 1-5, PSWQ.  and able to pass Air Medical Exam.


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## PuckChaser (20 Nov 2013)

Awesome 5 year necro post. Might be close to a record.


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## Journeyman (20 Nov 2013)

PuckChaser said:
			
		

> Awesome 5 year necro post. Might be close to a record.


It's OK, his third post is to a thread that's only been dormant for almost 3 years; he's catching up.   :nod:


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