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

[Eaglelord17]

Which we cannot do effectively. Look how long it can take to get a reservist into the field during fires or floods.
Because of the bureaucratic nature of the system. Hence why I think the system needs a redesign. It is extremely admin heavy, ridiculously so.

We don't have a lot of troops in the Army reserve.

We also don’t have a lot of troops in the Canadian Army. To be a useful force we should be looking for 250k, 100k being the minimum. The GoC will not pay for 100k soldiers to be sitting around full time, and the population I don’t think really wants to be part of 100k full time soldiers without incentive. Part time I could see as it is interesting and diverse enough to take a fair bit of pride in, well still not interfering with their whole life outside the military.

My thoughts with the 1 month only being Reservists could get there stint done then not have to deal with it year round if they wish, vs the current system which can use and abuse you year round and at the end of it there isn’t much to show.

It showed us that our reg force units were understrength. The reserves were not necessary, if we didn't have then we would have sent smaller units- as we are structured now. What if the CA as a whole didn't have to augment units to bring them up to strength? Would the the reserves be needed?
Afghanistan almost broke us. The Reserves were very necessary for that war, sad as it is.
Peer nation like who? We cannot effectively invade anyone. Therefore our peers cannot effectively invade us. So not needed there.
For starters we are part of this thing called NATO which gets us involved potentially around the world. Biggest threats to us being China, followed by Russia, followed by the potential for the US to destabilize itself and someone to decide we would make a great state.
I was in the reserves, I had a great time, it taught me a lot. I was also in a unit that had a defined cold war role and we practiced that. We deployed monthly to maintain and operate Central Relocation Units up and down the Ottawa Valley.
Don't know what it's role is now.

The role at the moment would be augmentation. To be more than that we need to restructure it to work. You could say the same thing about the whole CAF though as it is slowly breaking down.

The good news about that is there is a golden opportunity to rebuild from scratch what we have into something useful and effective.

 

[MilEME09]

In my experience, what ever the real role of the ARes, somewhere down the CoC it will be interpreted as what it is now. Why? That stupid systemic jealousy and fear of being deemed irrelevant by weekender. ARes will be given a task, fully supported by words, intension and not much ressources and then been told they failed.

It would need a loooooot of serious love from the political master for it to work. We all know that maybe if Canada is invaded it might happen, what ever the colour of the ruling party, end even then.

If someone have seen something serious since the end of the 80's beginning of the 90's in that direction, you can remind me. The ARes have been ''holding'' only by the effort of it's member and some RegF members, dispite of the CA directorates white towers.

I think the army is atleast waking up to the notion they need a strong ARes. When we are being asked to slow in on roto's as far out as 2026, tells me they are leaning on the ARes for years to come, but if they want people, they need to train us, and equip us.

 

[AmmoTech90]

For starters we are part of this thing called NATO which gets us involved potentially around the world. Biggest threats to us being China, followed by Russia, followed by the potential for the US to destabilize itself and someone to decide we would make a great state.

So not a peer threat.

Expanding to the levels people are proposing, >100k is a pipe dream at this point. We don't have an army that can mount a credible defense against a land invasion without massive US assistance.
Maybe if we survive an invasion (with US assistance, so not from them), public opinion might swing.
Currently the army is not going to defend the Canadian landmass. We have to stop a hostile power with security agencies, and sea and land power. Get rid of the Army reserve, keep a 4 CMBG sized brigade for NATO, from which we can deploy a Battle Group, and build air and sea power with those PYs from the army units.

 

[WLSC]

So not a peer threat.

Expanding to the levels people are proposing, >100k is a pipe dream at this point. We don't have an army that can mount a credible defense against a land invasion without massive US assistance.
Maybe if we survive an invasion (with US assistance, so not from them), public opinion might swing.
Currently the army is not going to defend the Canadian landmass. We have to stop a hostile power with security agencies, and sea and land power. Get rid of the Army reserve, keep a 4 CMBG sized brigade for NATO, from which we can deploy a Battle Group, and build air and sea power with those PYs from the army units.

CA RegF can't do a lot without ARes. Doing that, you just killing commitment after 6 months, maaaaybe 12.

 

[KevinB]

CA RegF can't do a lot without ARes. Doing that, you just killing commitment after 6 months, maaaaybe 12.

Doesn’t have equipment anyway…

 

[WLSC]

I think the army is atleast waking up to the notion they need a strong ARes. When we are being asked to slow in on roto's as far out as 2026, tells me they are leaning on the ARes for years to come, but if they want people, they need to train us, and equip us.

Even if they come to realized that fire do burns, the mindset is embed for ever. I once was told that if ARes can be mech (when properley organized and all), then you dont need RegF so what will be left for us. That was said by someone (RegF) at a somewhat influencial level, a couple of years ago.

 

[Furniture]

Even if they come to realized that fire do burns, the mindset is embed for ever. I once was told that if ARes can be mech (when properley organized and all), then you dont need RegF so what will be left for us. That was said by someone (RegF) at a somewhat influencial level, a couple of years ago.

I suspect that person was being kind and slowing smoke...

 

[KevinB]

Even if they come to realized that fire do burns, the mindset is embed for ever. I once was told that if ARes can be mech (when properley organized and all), then you dont need RegF so what will be left for us. That was said by someone (RegF) at a somewhat influencial level, a couple of years ago.

Maybe if the Army (combined) used half a brain they would realize that both Reg and PRes offer something to the mix.

 

[WLSC]

IMHO' we are doomed to fail because no senior CA GO are able/can break that powerfull white tower until bullet flight a lots againts us. I the mean time...

 

[WLSC]

Maybe if the Army (combined) used half a brain they would realize that both Reg and PRes offer something to the mix.

And fo most it's no more tha cpl's, maybe Mcpl or lt. Never they would acknowled that a sub unit (with the proper prep) could do the job. You know, we lack even that half brain...

 

[KevinB]

And fo most it's no more tha cpl's, maybe Mcpl or lt. Never they would acknowled that a sub unit (with the proper prep) could do the job. You know, we lack even that half brain...

If the ARNG down here can do Mech and Armor, the PRes could do it up there.

 

[WLSC]

If the ARNG down here can do Mech and Armor, the PRes could do it up there.

That has been my answers for at least 30 years. Always mets with a “no, you can’t”. So until I see real thing no plans, no commitment, no discussion. When I see $$ and physical ressources, then I will possibly believe it.

The RegF don’t even know what to do/can do for themself at formation level, I don’t think they know what to do with us at unit level.

 

[daftandbarmy]

If the ARNG down here can do Mech and Armor, the PRes could do it up there.

It took me a day with a brand new rifle company, pulled together from across Canada, to work up to doing pretty basic Combat Team drills in Wainwright one summer FTX.

But, of course, all we were doing was chatting on the radio and hopping in and out of APCs.

Regardless, given the right conditions, Reservists could do pretty well at most of the things we need them to do...

 

[ArmyRick]

It took me a day with a brand new rifle company, pulled together from across Canada, to work up to doing pretty basic Combat Team drills in Wainwright one summer FTX.

But, of course, all we were doing was chatting on the radio and hopping in and out of APCs.

Regardless, given the right conditions, Reservists could do pretty well at most of the things we need them to do...

Our old CO of the Foresters, Lt Col Shane McArthur (retired RCR) once stated he could save a $hit ton of money by making the 3rd battalions in each Reg F regiment predominantly reserves (some class B/some class A).

Having served both Reg F and P Res, the reserve infantry soldier is underestimated (Pte to MCPL level, excellent), SGT and WO (usually a little behind their reg f peers)

Their is NO reason to not have a ton of P Res Infantry at the very least. You can get a decent soldier on the cheap. But this is all talk, as the CAF has too many scared cows and refusal to acknowledge its own need to adapt.

 

[WLSC]

Our old CO of the Foresters, Lt Col Shane McArthur (retired RCR) once stated he could save a $hit ton of money by making the 3rd battalions in each Reg F regiment predominantly reserves (some class B/some class A).

Having served both Reg F and P Res, the reserve infantry soldier is underestimated (Pte to MCPL level, excellent), SGT and WO (usually a little behind their reg f peers)

Their is NO reason to not have a ton of P Res Infantry at the very least. You can get a decent soldier on the cheap. But this is all talk, as the CAF has too many scared cows and refusal to acknowledge its own need to adapt.

It’s summing all very well

 

[Halifax Tar]

Our old CO of the Foresters, Lt Col Shane McArthur (retired RCR) once stated he could save a $hit ton of money by making the 3rd battalions in each Reg F regiment predominantly reserves (some class B/some class A).

Having served both Reg F and P Res, the reserve infantry soldier is underestimated (Pte to MCPL level, excellent), SGT and WO (usually a little behind their reg f peers)

Their is NO reason to not have a ton of P Res Infantry at the very least. You can get a decent soldier on the cheap. But this is all talk, as the CAF has too many scared cows and refusal to acknowledge its own need to adapt.

I'm sure the ARes does some very basic soldering very well. And can probably contribute ptes and cpls almost seamlessly to a rifle coy.

But when it comes to CSS* it's a complete disaster. Despite the best efforts of some very dedicated and motivated pers. And half of that is that the systems in place don't jive with ARes routine. They were established only thinking about Reg Force Svc Bn and 3rd line and back support construct.

* Sorry @rmc_wannabe I didn't include my sigs brethren as I don't feel comfortable speaking outside my lane that far

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I'm sure the ARes does some very basic soldering very well. And can probably contribute ptes and cpls almost seamlessly to a rifle coy.

But when it comes to CSS* it's a complete disaster. Despite the best efforts of some very dedicated and motivated pers. And half of that is that the systems in place don't jive with ARes routine. They were established only thinking about Reg Force Svc Bn and 3rd line and back support construct.

* Sorry @rmc_wannabe I didn't include my sigs brethren as I don't feel comfortable speaking outside my lane that far

You're bang on for us as well.

We can have Atts and Dets to fill common Sigs tasks here and there, but anything beyond detachment level gets messy. We simply don't have the amount of kit in inventory to have parity of equipment between the Reg F and the P Res.

We also have struggled massively trying to implement StAR and FTSE level initiatives because it would take roughly 3 summers to get a Signaller to DP1. Also, certain trades just... aren't employed by the A Res Signals environment (IS and Cyber comes to mind).

Digitization will add its own amount of chaos to the Reg F. I can see the gap widening even more with the P Res.

 

[daftandbarmy]

You're bang on for us as well.

We can have Atts and Dets to fill common Sigs tasks here and there, but anything beyond detachment level gets messy. We simply don't have the amount of kit in inventory to have parity of equipment between the Reg F and the P Res.

We also have struggled massively trying to implement StAR and FTSE level initiatives because it would take roughly 3 summers to get a Signaller to DP1. Also, certain trades just... aren't employed by the A Res Signals environment (IS and Cyber comes to mind).

Digitization will add its own amount of chaos to the Reg F. I can see the gap widening even more with the P Res.

I've only had a passing acquaintance with the local ARes Sigs Sqn, but I was always impressed with the quality of their kit and professionalism of their troops.

Of course, being Infantry, I had no detailed knowledge of what they were up to, but they always seemed to be 'switched on' regardless

 

[WLSC]

I'm sure the ARes does some very basic soldering very well. And can probably contribute ptes and cpls almost seamlessly to a rifle coy.

But when it comes to CSS* it's a complete disaster. Despite the best efforts of some very dedicated and motivated pers. And half of that is that the systems in place don't jive with ARes routine. They were established only thinking about Reg Force Svc Bn and 3rd line and back support construct.

* Sorry @rmc_wannabe I didn't include my sigs brethren as I don't feel comfortable speaking outside my lane that far

I have a white tower/trade non sense story for you.

One guy is a civil servent working as a mechanic during the day. He put on is uniform to go to is unit which is the same unit. No RegF WO to supervised him, can't work on the SAME truck because you know, he ARes. True story. We keep shooting ourself on both foot with 25mm and we like that.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'm sure the ARes does some very basic soldering very well. And can probably contribute ptes and cpls almost seamlessly to a rifle coy.

But when it comes to CSS* it's a complete disaster. Despite the best efforts of some very dedicated and motivated pers. And half of that is that the systems in place don't jive with ARes routine. They were established only thinking about Reg Force Svc Bn and 3rd line and back support construct.

* Sorry @rmc_wannabe I didn't include my sigs brethren as I don't feel comfortable speaking outside my lane that far

Part of the problem is, or used to be, Res units weren’t authorized to hold parts and spares etc like a Reg force unit is auth. There was an article in the Armour Bulletin, probably back around the late 90s written by a Capt Graham (who went on to become CO of the RCD I believe) who spoke to the differences - as the 8 CH had returned to Canada and formed a Total Force Regiment - this was a growing pain they had as the Cougar Sqns couldn’t hold spares etc to the needed levels. Something like that.

Having decent infantry soldiers at the Platoon to Company level is one thing but can they be supported beyond the A and B Ech level? Can they be supported at the A and B Ech level for more than 48hours?

My understanding is the average reserve unit could not properly kit out the majority of its soldiers if they all showed up for a weekend ex. Not enough comms, not enough vehicles etc.