Army Reserve Restructuring

[JLB50]

looks like we are taking a page from the Swedish and Fin's with home guard civil defense model for this new third reserve

The military plans for a volunteer force to defend Canada

Faced with rising threats from competing states and climate change, the top military minds in the Canadian Armed Forces are drafting a plan to bolster the nation’s defences by creating a civil force made up of 300,000 volunteers.

www.ctvnews.ca

The thing I like about the concept (as for the reality we will have to wait and see) is that it brings greater awareness of the military to the average Canadian. For too long, the military has been something both our politicians and the general public have, at best, tolerated. With Russia, China and now Trump all posing threats to Canada, this presents a great opportunity for a large number of Canadians to express their patriotism, especially amongst those who lack the qualifications to join the CAF We’re now seeing things start to change. On top of that, dealing with natural disasters could largely become the specialty of our own version of the Home Guard and free our military to concentrate more on dealing with international issues. Mind you, getting all of this approved in Parliament is another thing entirely. A Home Guard is something we should have had in place decades ago.

 

[MilEME09]

The thing I like about the concept (as for the reality we will have to wait and see) is that it brings greater awareness of the military to the average Canadian. For too long, the military has been something both our politicians and the general public have, at best, tolerated. With Russia, China and now Trump all posing threats to Canada, this presents a great opportunity for a large number of Canadians to express their patriotism, especially amongst those who lack the qualifications to join the CAF We’re now seeing things start to change. On top of that, dealing with natural disasters could largely become the specialty of our own version of the Home Guard and free our military to concentrate more on dealing with international issues. Mind you, getting all of this approved in Parliament is another thing entirely. A Home Guard is something we should have had in place decades ago.

My concern is how is it administered? will they be attached to the local reserve CBG? or administered more nationally? I've already read they wont get kit, so thats not an issue, but what kind of TOS will they have, 5 days a year is all they train, what if they miss those 5 days? lot of questions to answer

 

[FJAG]

Enthralled with all of this my eight year old self observed that my Dad had served, all my uncles had served, both my grandads had served and so had my Dad's mum.

Same with my family. After the war I had quite a few aunts - uncles not so much.

 

[OldSolduer]

The thing I like about the concept (as for the reality we will have to wait and see) is that it brings greater awareness of the military to the average Canadian. For too long, the military has been something both our politicians and the general public have, at best, tolerated. With Russia, China and now Trump all posing threats to Canada, this presents a great opportunity for a large number of Canadians to express their patriotism, especially amongst those who lack the qualifications to join the CAF We’re now seeing things start to change. On top of that, dealing with natural disasters could largely become the specialty of our own version of the Home Guard and free our military to concentrate more on dealing with international issues. Mind you, getting all of this approved in Parliament is another thing entirely. A Home Guard is something we should have had in place decades ago.

I like the sentiment of your post - I am a bit cynical however.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The thing I like about the concept (as for the reality we will have to wait and see) is that it brings greater awareness of the military to the average Canadian. For too long, the military has been something both our politicians and the general public have, at best, tolerated. With Russia, China and now Trump all posing threats to Canada, this presents a great opportunity for a large number of Canadians to express their patriotism, especially amongst those who lack the qualifications to join the CAF We’re now seeing things start to change. On top of that, dealing with natural disasters could largely become the specialty of our own version of the Home Guard and free our military to concentrate more on dealing with international issues. Mind you, getting all of this approved in Parliament is another thing entirely. A Home Guard is something we should have had in place decades ago.

So in addition to our economic woes, we are beset with recurrent fits of muscular nationalism.

A "home guard" ought only to be an expedient adopted when invasion looks like it really threatens.

 

[Remius]

So in addition to our economic woes, we are beset with recurrent fits of muscular nationalism.

A "home guard" ought only to be an expedient adopted when invasion looks like it really threatens.

According to Trump, Maple Maga and others, Canada has been freeloading on defence and screwing the US into protecting our shores from a pile of invasions and other stuff.

Canada should do everything it can to take care of itself now that the US is no longer a reliable ally that needs nothing from us. Right?

 

[Brad Sallows]

According to Trump, Maple Maga and others, Canada has been freeloading on defence and screwing the US into protecting our shores from a pile of invasions and other stuff.

Canada should do everything it can to take care of itself now that the US is no longer a reliable ally that needs nothing from us. Right?

It's not a "nothing or all" binary. Sure, we've taken the US for granted. Sure, plenty of people who discuss Canadian defence policy freely deploy the "US will not allow a foreign aggressor to attack Canada" premise, usually before they launch into proposals for more plowshares.

There is no direct line from "pick up more of the (inter-)national share of security" to "gotta have a Home Guard (or conscription, or nukes, etc)".

The assumption the US is no longer a reliable ally just because the administration is almost neolithically protectionist is absurd. So is the assumption that spending a bunch of money on defence is going to sway Trump or Putin. I think the people who are using the latter as an excuse for incontinent federal spending are insufficiently critical.

I can get behind growing to a one-division regular army with a reserve frame for a three-division corps. Much of the rest is downright Churchillian in its impracticality and unsuitability to any useful national aims.

 

[quadrapiper]

My concern is how is it administered? will they be attached to the local reserve CBG? or administered more nationally? I've already read they wont get kit, so thats not an issue, but what kind of TOS will they have, 5 days a year is all they train, what if they miss those 5 days? lot of questions to answer

5 days suggests a multi-intake recurring evolution; both all at once and two weekends, one of them long, run repeatedly over the year.

 

[Kirkhill]

So in addition to our economic woes, we are beset with recurrent fits of muscular nationalism.

A "home guard" ought only to be an expedient adopted when invasion looks like it really threatens.

No. A Homeguard can cover the turf of Rangers and Katimavik, neighbourhood watches and volunteer firefighters, Red Cross and St John's, ham radios and rescue services and auxilliaries. Volunteer drivers and infrastucture security. And all you require to invest is some training information, security clearances and some baseball caps hoodies and pins.

And a reporting structure.

If the Guard decides they want to up their service then they can move on to the primaries or the regs. Alternately they can go to the sup list or the Cadet instructors.

We need the Scouts, Guides, Cadets and Junior Rangers.

 

[Brad Sallows]

No. A Homeguard can cover the turf of Rangers and Katimavik, neighbourhood watches and volunteer firefighters, Red Cross and St John's, ham radios and rescue services and auxilliaries. Volunteer drivers and infrastucture security. And all you require to invest is some training information, security clearances and some baseball caps hoodies and pins.

And a reporting structure.

If the Guard decides they want to up their service then they can move on to the primaries or the regs. Alternately they can go to the sup list or the Cadet instructors.

We need the Scouts, Guides, Cadets and Junior Rangers.

We already have those things.

To put them under a government umbrella is to watch them disappear.

 

[FJAG]

It's not a "nothing or all" binary. Sure, we've taken the US for granted. Sure, plenty of people who discuss Canadian defence policy freely deploy the "US will not allow a foreign aggressor to attack Canada" premise, usually before they launch into proposals for more plowshares.

There is no direct line from "pick up more of the (inter-)national share of security" to "gotta have a Home Guard (or conscription, or nukes, etc)".

The assumption the US is no longer a reliable ally just because the administration is almost neolithically protectionist is absurd. So is the assumption that spending a bunch of money on defence is going to sway Trump or Putin. I think the people who are using the latter as an excuse for incontinent federal spending are insufficiently critical.

I can get behind growing to a one-division regular army with a reserve frame for a three-division corps. Much of the rest is downright Churchillian in its impracticality and unsuitability to any useful national aims.

I've been trying to analyze where my visceral negative reaction to this whole 300,000 SuppRes thing comes from and the more that I think about it it's because NDHQ, once again is mixing apples and oranges like they did with the old snakes and ladders boys in the '60s.

To me a SuppRes is a trained CAF member who has released, and agreed for further service if shit gets real. To me it looks like the 300,000 are being recruited as a Katimavik for adults with an aim to use them as cheap? volunteer labour for this and that - I see flood and fire fighting as their main contribution to the national effort. I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the reliability or not of our estranged southern cousins. Rather than military value, I see them as a military distraction if not a hindrance.

But again, the real problem is that we have no idea as to what is running through the CDS's mind or that of the Tiger Team working on this. It's really super strange. Something of the magnitude of this thing-regardless of what it really is-needs to come out with a super slick and convincing communications program. I've never seen such bureaucratic incompetence in messaging in my life. This is one of those incidents where, IMHO, the senior leader should fall on her sword.

 

[PrairieFella]

I've been trying to analyze where my visceral negative reaction to this whole 300,000 SuppRes thing comes from and the more that I think about it it's because NDHQ, once again is mixing apples and oranges like they did with the old snakes and ladders boys in the '60s.

To me a SuppRes is a trained CAF member who has released, and agreed for further service if shit gets real. To me it looks like the 300,000 are being recruited as a Katimavik for adults with an aim to use them as cheap? volunteer labour for this and that - I see flood and fire fighting as their main contribution to the national effort. I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the reliability or not of our estranged southern cousins. Rather than military value, I see them as a military distraction if not a hindrance.

But again, the real problem is that we have no idea as to what is running through the CDS's mind or that of the Tiger Team working on this. It's really super strange. Something of the magnitude of this thing-regardless of what it really is-needs to come out with a super slick and convincing communications program. I've never seen such bureaucratic incompetence in messaging in my life. This is one of those incidents where, IMHO, the senior leader should fall on her sword.

It really makes you wonder if they know something we dont and its really gonna pop off soon.

 

[Brad Sallows]

It really makes you wonder if they know something we dont and its really gonna pop off soon.

Yeah, governments have an awesome track record foreseeing shit coming down the track.

 

[Brad Sallows]

But again, the real problem is that we have no idea as to what is running through the CDS's mind or that of the Tiger Team working on this. It's really super strange.

A lot of weird squirrelly shit emerges from governments and public agencies when they think they need to be seen doing something and advancing some sort of idea/plan.

Never ascribe to brilliant cunning what can be explained by panicked spit-balling.

 

[Furniture]

I've been trying to analyze where my visceral negative reaction to this whole 300,000 SuppRes thing comes from and the more that I think about it it's because NDHQ, once again is mixing apples and oranges like they did with the old snakes and ladders boys in the '60s.

To me a SuppRes is a trained CAF member who has released, and agreed for further service if shit gets real. To me it looks like the 300,000 are being recruited as a Katimavik for adults with an aim to use them as cheap? volunteer labour for this and that - I see flood and fire fighting as their main contribution to the national effort. I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the reliability or not of our estranged southern cousins. Rather than military value, I see them as a military distraction if not a hindrance.

But again, the real problem is that we have no idea as to what is running through the CDS's mind or that of the Tiger Team working on this. It's really super strange. Something of the magnitude of this thing-regardless of what it really is-needs to come out with a super slick and convincing communications program. I've never seen such bureaucratic incompetence in messaging in my life. This is one of those incidents where, IMHO, the senior leader should fall on her sword.

The real problem is a media predisposed to paint anything the CAF does in a negative light, and the fact so many have their hobby horses to trot out when anything is said. There was a leak of information, that was twisted to make it as sensational as possible.

From what I heave heard (second hand) is that the idea was to explore new ways to incentivize and capitalize on expertise and experience that already exists int he PS. If Chantal is already a heavy diesel mechanic working for the GoC, why not offer her an easy way to volunteer to help the CAF is times of need, without the normal fuss of becoming a member of the PRes?

"Journalists" and reddit twisted it into something it was never intended to be.

The GoC is looking at Ukraine, and realizing that Canada isn't ready to fight a modern total war, and the CAF/CDS are looking into ideas for ways to make Canada less unprepared. If you think the CDS should fall on her sword because of that, you're part of the problem.

 

[RangerRay]

I've been trying to analyze where my visceral negative reaction to this whole 300,000 SuppRes thing comes from and the more that I think about it it's because NDHQ, once again is mixing apples and oranges like they did with the old snakes and ladders boys in the '60s.

To me a SuppRes is a trained CAF member who has released, and agreed for further service if shit gets real. To me it looks like the 300,000 are being recruited as a Katimavik for adults with an aim to use them as cheap? volunteer labour for this and that - I see flood and fire fighting as their main contribution to the national effort. I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the reliability or not of our estranged southern cousins. Rather than military value, I see them as a military distraction if not a hindrance.

But again, the real problem is that we have no idea as to what is running through the CDS's mind or that of the Tiger Team working on this. It's really super strange. Something of the magnitude of this thing-regardless of what it really is-needs to come out with a super slick and convincing communications program. I've never seen such bureaucratic incompetence in messaging in my life. This is one of those incidents where, IMHO, the senior leader should fall on her sword.

It almost sounds like they want a civil guard, under military auspices, doing jobs already done by others.

 

[Brad Sallows]

If Chantal is already a heavy diesel mechanic working for the GoC, why not offer her an easy way to volunteer to help the CAF is times of need, without the normal fuss of becoming a member of the PRes?

What's the gain here, compared to offering people an easy way to volunteer to enlist after a serious war has started?

It's not as if people are forbidden from coming forward to help during public welfare emergencies.

 

[Furniture]

What's the gain here, compared to offering people an easy way to volunteer to enlist after a serious war has started?

It's not as if people are forbidden from coming forward to help during public welfare emergencies.

The gain is that people have some exposure to the CAF, and a basic understanding of military things...

The more the reality of their CAF is exposed to people, the more likely people are to join. When people watch Full Metal Jacket and think that's the CAF, they tend to not want to take part or encourage their kids to take part.

Also, every week of training delivered in a non-emergency situation, is a week or two of training not needed in the middle of an emergency.