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

[Kilted]

Security guards (commissionaires or other) would be more affordable and less wasteful of limited CAF resources.

Some of those building are pretty small or are being used by Battle School for parts of the year. Many of our buildings aren't exactly designed to be open to the public.

That being said, we probably could have a few additional recruiting locations, especially if it could be sent down to the unit level again. There are many times we have send people away who show up at our doors and tell to go to a recruiting office that is located multiple jurisdictions away.

 

[PrairieFella]

Some of those building are pretty small or are being used by Battle School for parts of the year. Many of our buildings aren't exactly designed to be open to the public.

That being said, we probably could have a few additional recruiting locations, especially if it could be sent down to the unit level again. There are many times we have send people away who show up at our doors and tell to go to a recruiting office that is located multiple jurisdictions away.

We've experienced a pretty big drop since the end of local recruiting. Went from right up to the SIP for 3-4 years in a row to maybe 40%ish a year.

Personally Id rather we build new facilities where there is sufficient training, recruiting and storage room. But thats neither here nor there.

 

[dapaterson]

The Army Reserve is fundamentally broken. The fixes will break the current construct, so they are opposed.

1. Units should not do recruiting or training to OFP. Units need to be in the business of collective training and skills maintenance. That's all.

2. SIP needs to be a national plan executed locally to generate the trained soldiers required, not sustaining units with unneeded capabilities.

3. SIP needs to be aligned with training capacity, not be pulled out of the asses of leaders who hope courses might magically appear.

4. A whole of Army approach to sustainment and training is needed, not a Reg vs Res fight.

5. Training units (Reg and Res) should be the top tier second tour COs and RSMs. For example, the Infantry school CO in Gagetown should have previously commanded a battalion.

 

[PrairieFella]

The Army Reserve is fundamentally broken. The fixes will break the current construct, so they are opposed.

Not sure where that opposition it because Ive yet to encounter anyone opposed to the reforms we need. Idk if its at NDHQ, local Bde HQs, etc. I cant get a truck fixed in 5 years by the local support base and just had to tell my troop 20% of our training got canned. None of us (anecdotally at least) areopposed to change. We're already at rock bottom.

1. Units should not do recruiting or training to OFP. Units need to be in the business of collective training and skills maintenance. That's all.

Agreed. Hopefully with local training establishments finally being given UICs they can act as holding companies until EFP training is complete.

2. SIP needs to be a national plan executed locally to generate the trained soldiers required, not sustaining units with unneeded capabilities.

No disputes there.

3. SIP needs to be aligned with training capacity, not be pulled out of the asses of leaders who hope courses might magically appear.

Pretty sure thats how how its done to begin with.

4. A whole of Army approach to sustainment and training is needed, not a Reg vs Res fight.

Not controversial.

5. Training units (Reg and Res) should be the top tier second tour COs and RSMs. For example, the Infantry school CO in Gagetown should have previously commanded a battalion.

Agreed.

 

[dapaterson]

Having been present in the room when the order went out to "recruit until your eyes bleed" with no parallel effort to build training capacity, I may carry some scars.

Units that want pre DP1 (hell, pre BMQ) soldiers on parade are... Challenging to deal with.

Units also need more civilian staff to do routine admin... Because the moment you have a MCpl clerk they get tasked away for A, Y and Z instead of doing actual admin. The delays in getting anything done due to military staff being tasked out are ridiculous.

We also need strong performance metrics for attendance. And COs held to account.

 

[GR66]

Some of those building are pretty small or are being used by Battle School for parts of the year. Many of our buildings aren't exactly designed to be open to the public.

That being said, we probably could have a few additional recruiting locations, especially if it could be sent down to the unit level again. There are many times we have send people away who show up at our doors and tell to go to a recruiting office that is located multiple jurisdictions away.

Put them in empty stores in malls and plazas. Go where the people are rather than making the people come to you.

 

[dapaterson]

There is a difference between "platoon meeting locations" and "company training locations" that the Army needs to embrace.

 

[Kilted]

Put them in empty stores in malls and plazas. Go where the people are rather than making the people come to you.

Are any of those places actually near people? I mean, they are empty for a reason.