Army Reserve Restructuring

[dapaterson]

NDHQ signature blocks with post-nominals and rank(retired) are interesting.

 

[PrairieFella]

So on ARes reform, we talk a lot about tooth reform, what about tail? What does reformed CSS look like for the reserves? What does first line/second line maintenance look like? Etc etc.

 

[MilEME09]

So on ARes reform, we talk a lot about tooth reform, what about tail? What does reformed CSS look like for the reserves? What does first line/second line maintenance look like? Etc etc.

right now ARes service battalions are being pushed towards handling all first line support, especially for DOMOPs. Things like Op Palaci, the army also wants 100% reserve now, difficulty there has been getting reserve weapons techs C3 qualified but the school this past year authorized decentralized local courses to try and get it done. Now its a matter of funding, and getting all the checks in the boxes as myself, and my Sgt are willing to take the time off to get it done, and we have a ref force tech willing to teach us. Long term we need to get set up with DRIMIS, SPSS etc likely either a reg force member or someone on a class B. We have a cell of trained techs who handle priority, we just need the enablers so they can turn wrenches.

 

[daftandbarmy]

So on ARes reform, we talk a lot about tooth reform, what about tail? What does reformed CSS look like for the reserves? What does first line/second line maintenance look like? Etc etc.

Too hard/ expensive to think about.

Let's practice more amphibious invasions instead!

 

[PrairieFella]

right now ARes service battalions are being pushed towards handling all first line support, especially for DOMOPs. Things like Op Palaci, the army also wants 100% reserve now, difficulty there has been getting reserve weapons techs C3 qualified but the school this past year authorized decentralized local courses to try and get it done. Now its a matter of funding, and getting all the checks in the boxes as myself, and my Sgt are willing to take the time off to get it done, and we have a ref force tech willing to teach us. Long term we need to get set up with DRIMIS, SPSS etc likely either a reg force member or someone on a class B. We have a cell of trained techs who handle priority, we just need the enablers so they can turn wrenches.

This has been a major problem with my armoured unit. The local service bn has the techs and desire to fix our GWagons but due to the lack of access to the parts system all maintenance needs to be done by the local air force base...which doesn't give a fuck unless it keeps planes in the air. The bureaucratic under-utilization of techs, some of whom make their living as journeymen mechanics, welders, millwrights, etc civvie side is a scandal imo.

 

[PrairieFella]

Too hard/ expensive to think about.

Let's practice more amphibious invasions instead!

Gotta give credit where credit is due to those BC units, certainly is ambitious lmao.

 

[shiska]

This has been a major problem with my armoured unit. The local service bn has the techs and desire to fix our GWagons but due to the lack of access to the parts system all maintenance needs to be done by the local air force base...which doesn't give a fuck unless it keeps planes in the air. The bureaucratic under-utilization of techs, some of whom make their living as journeymen mechanics, welders, millwrights, etc civvie side is a scandal imo.

From what I'm hearing, this might be getting better soon. They've got a handful of swiched on NCMs at Minto who are begging for more autonomy and from speaking to them there's some optimism that some of the barriers are coming down.

 

[PrairieFella]

From what I'm hearing, this might be getting better soon. They've got a handful of swiched on NCMs at Minto who are begging for more autonomy and from speaking to them there's some optimism that some of the barriers are coming down.

Perfection. There's a big, beautiful TAPV hangar at Strachan just waiting for them...not like the TAPVs need them lol. All we need is a set of lifts in one of the bays.

 

[CountDC]

Doesn't vehicle maint have to go to the civilian mechanics first?

One of my brothers joined and graduated Cornwallis as an immediate Cpl as he was already a licensed mechanic. Was posted to Borden where he completed his 3 year TOS and pulled the plug as he hated it. His entire time there he changed headlights on 2 vehicles as all the work went to the civilian mechanics to justify their employment. The military techs played cards all day which he wasn't fond of.

Hopefully they can and have moved away from the reg f trade protection that was so prevalent in the past. On one field ex the ML I had needed a rubber for the trailer hose connection so I went to maint. They were too busy to help so I asked for the rubber so I could do it myself. Cpl said they didn't have any, I pointed to the open tray and asked "you mean you don't have any of those?" . MCpl gave me the rubber. Their issue was that I was not maint fixing the vehicle and was on a reserve exercise so not worthy of their attention. I instructed on a dvr whl course in 1990 for the army reserves and we included a session with the reserve maint. It was really interesting to learn that the reserve ones were restricted on what they were allowed to do even though they had the knowledge and skills to do basically everything short of an engine rebuild ( I am sure that at least some could have done that too).

Always remember when it comes to vehicles - gun tape is your best friend. Snapped alternator bolt? Gun tape it!

 

[PrairieFella]

Doesn't vehicle maint have to go to the civilian mechanics first?

Nada. MSVS milcot does but GWagon doesn't.

 

[MilEME09]

Nada. MSVS milcot does but GWagon doesn't.

even MSVS milcot we are now out from the ISS contract and techs are now starting to work on things according to my last chat with G4. some of the bigger repairs are still going to civilians but first line work, and some second line is now going to be handled by units

 

[CountDC]

I get the impression my post wasn't understood when I referred to civilian mechanics. I was referring to DND civilians not outside contractors.

 

[Halifax Tar]

So on ARes reform, we talk a lot about tooth reform, what about tail? What does reformed CSS look like for the reserves? What does first line/second line maintenance look like? Etc etc.

Honestly from a Supply side of the house the days of managing a ball sheet for issues in the QM counter are over.

And I think an area like Supply needs full time work beyond just what 1 class b RQ can provide.

I would love see ARes SVC Bns be stand alone echelon support organizations for whole CBGs.

IMHO a great example is 36 CBG. Its success rests on the good graces of its supporting organizations like Greenwood and Halifax, and to those bases ARes functions come far behind servicing fleets of ships and planes. The Army would be smart to resources a Svc Bn like 36 to be stand alone and offer 2nd and 3rd line logistics and maintenance support, where possible, to its own units, and withdraw that support from CFBs like Greenwood and Halifax.

Too hard/ expensive to think about.

Let's practice more amphibious invasions instead!

Basically.

 

[MilEME09]

I would love see ARes SVC Bns be stand alone echelon support organizations for whole CBGs.

IMHO a great example is 36 CBG. Its success rests on the good graces of its supporting organizations like Greenwood and Halifax, and to those bases ARes functions come far behind servicing fleets of ships and planes. The Army would be smart to resources a Svc Bn like 36 to be stand alone and offer 2nd and 3rd line logistics and maintenance support, where possible, to its own units, and withdraw that support from CFBs like Greenwood and Halifax.

41 provides all 1st line support in southern alberta, northern AB just uses CFB Edmonton., Really we shouldn't so that its less a drain on reg force resources. The problem we encounter is everyone protecting their own empire, being in the same building with tech services who do second line work, its always a pissing contest to share anything. Example the weapons tech reg force position belongs to 41, but the workshop and spare parts room is connected to the tech services tool crib. I have keys for the weapons shop but not the tool crib, and no ones willing to give us a key for the tool crib, so unless we ask really nicely i can never get in.

 

[Halifax Tar]

41 provides all 1st line support in southern alberta, northern AB just uses CFB Edmonton., Really we shouldn't so that its less a drain on reg force resources. The problem we encounter is everyone protecting their own empire, being in the same building with tech services who do second line work, its always a pissing contest to share anything. Example the weapons tech reg force position belongs to 41, but the workshop and spare parts room is connected to the tech services tool crib. I have keys for the weapons shop but not the tool crib, and no ones willing to give us a key for the tool crib, so unless we ask really nicely i can never get in.

We have the same issues here. Which is why I think would be smart for the Army to make a clean break. Take its Svc Bn functions and establish them true. Removing everything from SCA Management to Weapons Maint from the CFBs and establishing them in the Svc Bns.

 

[MilEME09]

We have the same issues here. Which is why I think would be smart for the Army to make a clean break. Take its Svc Bn functions and establish them true. Removing everything from SCA Management to Weapons Maint from the CFBs and establishing them in the Svc Bns.

agreed, service battalions need to have their own facilities, with full control of them

 

[MJP]

We have the same issues here. Which is why I think would be smart for the Army to make a clean break. Take its Svc Bn functions and establish them true. Removing everything from SCA Management to Weapons Maint from the CFBs and establishing them in the Svc Bns.

Do you mean for the PRes? Or across the board?

On the RegF side of the house the Svc Bns are largely divesting institutional functions and putting them back to the bases or the base support formations. It makes no sense for a tactically orientated unit to be resp for institutional functions

 

[MilEME09]

On the RegF side of the house the Svc Bns are largely divesting institutional functions and putting them back to the bases or the base support formations. It makes no sense for a tactically orientated unit to be resp for institutional functions

There was to much cross over between the CDSG's and the service battalions, especially the service battalions taking people from base maintenance etc in order to support major exercises. The more we separate them the better we will all be, will that mean short staffing in the short term? could an ex not be as successful? sure but unless we let the system fail, the talking heads wont realize it needs fixing.

 

[MJP]

There was to much cross over between the CDSG's and the service battalions, especially the service battalions taking people from base maintenance etc in order to support major exercises. The more we separate them the better we will all be, will that mean short staffing in the short term? could an ex not be as successful? sure but unless we let the system fail, the talking heads wont realize it needs fixing.

Sure that is my point, what may work for the PRes as suggested by @Halifax Tar is a non-starter on the RegF side of the house. Properly manning and staffing tactical and institutional CSS roles and giving them the right ARAs is crucial, not jamming Svc Bns with every task.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Do you mean for the PRes? Or across the board?

On the RegF side of the house the Svc Bns are largely divesting institutional functions and putting them back to the bases or the base support formations. It makes no sense for a tactically orientated unit to be resp for institutional functions

I am only talking ARes. As this thread is about ARes Restructuring.

I am talking about a situation like 36 CBG has. Where is draws Log and Maint support from other bases that have focuses other than Army functions. Halifax is a great example. BLog (Basically a Navy Svc Bn) is focused on the RCN and rightfully so. That also means a lot of what 36 CBG needs by way of Log and Maint is secondary or tertiary tasks. It was a shock to some RegF Army folks in my CBG HQ to realize the big green machine is a isn't the show in NS. And you will take a back seat to getting ships to sea and planes in the air.

I was 36 CBG G4 Sup, I fully experienced where my CBG and units stood in the pecking order for our supporting services. I experienced what having units in my CBG being supported by other than Army organizations did for reporting and things like MAAP.

So I would love to see the army resource situations like 36 Svc Bn to provide all Log and Maint support to the CBG units, taking that responsibility from CFB Halifax and Greenwood.