Divining the right role, capabilities, structure, and Regimental System for Canada's Army Reserves

[MilEME09]

I'm not going to beat the PRes Armd dead horse, but I agree that a lack of "simple" things like GPMGs and radios is pretty disgusting. There should be no excuses for that. And I'm sure that the mandatory lectures are a big hit with the troops...

Agreed, How can a Pres Service battalion do recovery properly if their wrecker has no radio? I've done convoys with Motorola's, and we were relaying messages from vehicle to vehicle, if they even worked. GPMG's and LMG tasked out, its the same old story, my only hope is with the new C6A1 being purchased, they get more then enough that units and training centers will have enough. That is just too much wishful thinking though I believe.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

If all we are going to do is 'peacekeeping', there is no need for silly things like guns and trucks.  ^-^

 

[dapaterson]

Not every unit is infantry centric. So not every unit fits into that simplistic synopsis. Some units are vehicle mounted. Those mounts require maintenance. Stovepipes and empires have arisen to the point where drivers are not allowed to change light bulbs on SMP vehicles and units are not allowed to self recover, amongst other ludicrous impositions.

True.  But roughly 40% of Army Reserve units are infantry - and therefore the concerns of the infantry take up a certain amount of heat and light.

And yes, permissible user maintenance needs to be expanded so that at least some level of common sense is in place - but remember, most stupid rules get put into place because someone, somewhere, pulled off something collossally stupid that got higher-ups excited and writing stupid rules.

The loss of essential vehicles and equipment to national courses, and the resultant maintenance and return times, ensure that home units seldom get, and hold, their equipment long enough to properly train, whether at the soldier level or higher.

A simple example is a unit sending all its extremely serviceable MGs to summer training, having them returned in December, in condemned condition and told no replacements will be forth coming in the near future. Typically, they get replaced just in time to be sent for summer training again. The same goes for vehicles and radios.

The user philosophy of "drive it like you stole it" extends to weapons and radios, and results in this situtation.  Add to it a lack of adequate fleet management (cyclical replacement and other basics) and we have the current situation.

The silver lining being the cumbersome, antiquated IBTS system taking soooooooo much time, there is seldom anything else to do.

Oh, and mandatory lectures, which have become absolutely comical in their sheer number.

In my semi-perfect world we'd see all those things moved to online training.  Complete them on your own time and, as a Reservist, get 2 days(?) pay; don't stay current, and you're not eligible for class B including career courses.  That frees up time at the armoury floor for some of the more relevant training...

 

[MilEME09]

In my semi-perfect world we'd see all those things moved to online training.  Complete them on your own time and, as a Reservist, get 2 days(?) pay; don't stay current, and you're not eligible for class B including career courses.  That frees up time at the armoury floor for some of the more relevant training...

I've suggested it this before, took flak because people thought they shouldn't be doing army "work" on their own time. Frankly if the private sector can do it, so can we, give them the two days pay upon completion and give them X amount of time to do it,

 

[Haggis]

I've suggested it this before, took flak because people thought they shouldn't be doing army "work" on their own time. Frankly if the private sector can do it, so can we, give them the two days pay upon completion and give them X amount of time to do it,

This approach is already in place for the DL portions of our NCM leadership courses, specifically ILP and SLP (ALP is all DL now).  You get a minimum of X amount of days pay to complete all your DL paid after completion.  We could do the same with some of the IS1 IBTS which is PowerPoint friendly (much like we did with the recent Security Awareness completion surge).

Heck, someday we may even get folks to qualify PWT1 from the comfort of their chesterfields via a DLN enabled Army specific "Call of Duty" interface.

 

[MilEME09]

This approach is already in place for the DL portions of our NCM leadership courses, specifically ILP and SLP (ALP is all DL now).  You get a minimum of X amount of days pay to complete all your DL paid after completion.  We could do the same with some of the IS1 IBTS which is PowerPoint friendly (much like we did with the recent Security Awareness completion surge).

Heck, someday we may even get folks to qualify PWT1 from the comfort of their chesterfields via a DLN enabled Army specific "Call of Duty" interface.

Everything from Harassment, Mine awareness, to ETHAR and Convoy ops could be done DL, all these annual power points need to come to an end some how, it consumes a good 2/3 of the reserve training calendar just to complete it all. This takes a lot of time away from doing our trades, what ever they may be.

 

[Kirkhill]

Somebody recently suggested returning the Army List to the old concept of Half-Pay, just like the Navy used to.  That system said that when their weren't jobs for commanders they were taken of the strength and put on Half-Pay until their services were needed again. 

The problem with that system is maintaining currency.  Any officer (or NCM) that has been put ashore on Half-Pay for too long gets rusty and becomes less useful.

One way to deal with that is to make the member requalify every year for their Half-Pay.  While on Half-Pay they have the opportunity to double-dip and earn a second income.  The price for their Half-Pay could be staying current on all the DL stuff and having them come in once a year for a fire-arms and fitness check.

Staying current on one's own time is an expectation of any profession.  Unions get Development days.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Somebody recently suggested returning the Army List to the old concept of Half-Pay, just like the Navy used to.  That system said that when their weren't jobs for commanders they were taken of the strength and put on Half-Pay until their services were needed again. 

We Class A reservists are a lot cheaper than that (but better looking, of course )

 

[Kirkhill]

We Class A reservists are a lot cheaper than that (but better looking, of course )

My Granny aye said: You get what you pay for....... >

 

[McG]

Somebody recently suggested returning the Army List to the old concept of Half-Pay, just like the Navy used to.  That system said that when their weren't jobs for commanders they were taken of the strength and put on Half-Pay until their services were needed again. 

The problem with that system is maintaining currency.  Any officer (or NCM) that has been put ashore on Half-Pay for too long gets rusty and becomes less useful.

One way to deal with that is to make the member requalify every year for their Half-Pay.  While on Half-Pay they have the opportunity to double-dip and earn a second income.  The price for their Half-Pay could be staying current on all the DL stuff and having them come in once a year for a fire-arms and fitness check.

Staying current on one's own time is an expectation of any profession.  Unions get Development days.

I think you have found an answer to a question that does not exist.  Between PRes and Sup Res, there are options to keep guys in the CAF without keeping them on full time employment.

... and I am not entirely sure this idea/suggestion is on topic with the thread.

 

[Kirkhill]

I think you have found an answer to a question that does not exist.  Between PRes and Sup Res, there are options to keep guys in the CAF without keeping them on full time employment.

... and I am not entirely sure this idea/suggestion is on topic with the thread.

I only said I would try.....

 

[McG]

What size population is able to support a company sized PRes organization? 
Most of Canada's top 100 population centers have a PRes presence (and a few communities that don't make the list).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_100_largest_population_centres_in_Canada

Based on where I have heard of struggling units, the minimum population to support a company would be 30,000 if not higher.

While some small communities may not be able to sustain the PRes footprint that is currently aspired to, the top 6 to 9 cities could probably support additional sub-units.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

The rule of thumb we used to use was that every 1000 in population would yield you one recruit for a reserve unit.

University towns and some place the Maritimes are exceptions that prove the rule.

 

[McG]

So, 60k should be the minimum size community to try and sustain a small company within.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Recent CDS direction regarding the Reserves. Looks like we're here to stay, at least on Parliament Hill:

 

[RocketRichard]

Thanks for this daftandbarmy. As a high school administrator and former soldier methinks  this bodes well. Hopefully it pans out...

 

[McG]

I see both the GGFG and CGG are supposed to grow by a company each.  I wonder if "they" will look at more formally grouping the guards units under a common HQ?

Canadian Guards

• Ceremonial Guard
• A Bty, Canadian Guards Artillery, RCA (Ottawa)
• A Sqn Recce, The Governor General's Horse Guards (Toronto)
• B Sqn Recce, 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards (Kanata)
• A Coy Infantry, Governor General's Foot Guards (Ottawa)
• B Coy Infantry, The Canadian Grenadier Guards (Montreal)
• C Coy Infantry, Governor General's Foot Guards (Ottawa)
• D Coy Infantry, The Canadian Grenadier Guards (Montreal)
• S&T Coy (Ottawa)

 

[Haggis]

Recent CDS direction regarding the Reserves. Looks like we're here to stay, at least on Parliament Hill:

Remember that this letter pre-dates the election.  Effective 04 November, all bets are off, and the CDS took this into account at para 10b.

 

[ArmyRick]

650 positions for the growth of the army reserve is spread across every unit I assume? So its really not much growth.

 

[Remius]

650 positions for the growth of the army reserve is spread across every unit I assume? So its really not much growth.

I was under the impression it was for units that could sustain growth. Some certainly can.  Others not so much.