How to Maintain Skills and Unit Cohesion while on PRes Shutdown

[Sonnyjim]

I really don't know the whole story here other than what I've heard from some Reservists attached to my Regiment. However, as we were talking about it we were saying that those people who joined not JUST for the money would show up for whatever training was put together anyways. The ideas of PT, camping without weapons, even some games(Full Spectrum Warrior?) are all great ideas. Would there be any reason that those that wish to come in for some actual training, with willing leadership, wouldn't be able to put something together say even one or two parade nights a week? What about section attacks in the drill hall, drill practice, urban operations training with tape in the drill hall, possibly those who are thining about the next tour learning some language skills of Pashto/Dari. You could lead drill but let the Pvt's and Cpl's have their try at it, train one level above them. It isn't much, but it will promote group cohesion, give those young Cpl's a chance to practice some leadership skills so they're not left in the dark for PLQ in the summer, and keep people's skills up to par. Some may think this is a bit far fetched that people won't work for free but when I was in the reserves I could have cared less about the money. You'd get those people who are really determined and possibly point to those with a possible future in the Regiment and future leadership. Just my thoughts. 

 

[Danjanou]

As someone who served during the decade(s) of darkness, when it seemed that every year the money ran out, all of these are valid ideas and I’ve done them in the past, aside from maybe the BWW idea ( nice idea though)

You may not get a lot of training value, but the building, maintaining of unit cohesion and esprit de corps are just as vital in the long term.


Movies with possible leadership other training values (BP etc.)
-Zulu
-Breaker Morant
-The Odd Angry Shot
-Platoon (more of a how not to)
-Gettysburg
-Band of Brothers
-Tunes of Glory
-Days of Glory (Indigenes)
-Pork Chop Hill
-Generation Kill (another how not to in many aspects in regards to leadership)
– Big Red One
-The Guns of Batisi
-Come and See (soviet WW2)
-The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
-The Battle of Algiers
-Stalingrad
-From Here to Eternity
-Bridge on the River Kwai


Not much on War of 1812, but in you neck of the woods Recce, battlefield tours are a possibility, although you start getting into admin costs ( buses etc.)

 

[Rheostatic]

PT/Sports is an excellent way for cohesion.  Using the Army Fitness Manual as a baseline, one could offer up a "challenge".  As an example, perhaps you could all meet on a Saturday afternoon.  Then do the following:
5 km run
Pushups
Situps
(No equipment required)
Afterwards, once you have your levels (1-4), agree to meet again in a few months for the next challenge.  In the meantime, get together as a running club/fitness club.

For suggestions like these, I'm wondering if you envision using CF facilities, given that these are going to be unpaid activities.

I really don't know the whole story here

Check this thread for more info on the situation in general.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Movies with possible leadership other training values (BP etc.)
-Zulu
-Breaker Morant
-The Odd Angry Shot
-Platoon (more of a how not to)
-Gettysburg
-Band of Brothers
-Tunes of Glory
-Days of Glory (Indigenes)
-Pork Chop Hill
-Generation Kill (another how not to in many aspects in regards to leadership)
– Big Red One
-The Guns of Batisi
-Come and See (soviet WW2)
-The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
-The Battle of Algiers
-Stalingrad
-From Here to Eternity
-Bridge on the River Kwai

I liked The Beast (how to work, or NOT, with indig forces) as well.

If you don't mind subtitles, a couple of others worth watching/discussing:
Beaufort (Israeli film, dealing with the last platoon working in an OP before ISR hands it back to LBN)
Prisoner of the Mountain (Caucasus prisoner flick)
No Man's Land (UN peacekeeping in Bosnia with more than one bad guy)

Following up on TV's wargaming idea, does anybody still wargame with little lead BMPs and T-72s anymore?  Is there an equivalent for light inf work?

- edited to add more titles, fix original ones -

 

[Redeye]

My CO's wanting Messes kept running to allow for the sense of family to continue, and I'm sure that the officers and NCOs will be working hard to develop ideas to get through the rut.  We've done camping trips that were "training" for junior leader candidates and so on - that sort of thing will likely keep happening, and perhaps some folks will take the initiative to sign out toboggans and so on - the biggest practical concern I have is that we basically have one exercise left and a lot of new guys with no experience in winter operations.  If we can get them comfortable with the equipment in a relaxed atmosphere on a "camping trip" then we can run a solid ex.

 

[vonGarvin]

Following up on TV's wargaming idea, does anybody still wargame with little lead BMPs and T-72s anymore?  Is there an equivalent for light inf work?

Axis and Allies is a pedestrian, but fun version of miniatures gaming.  And it's not too expensive either.  The rules are rather easy to learn, and a game can be done in very little time.

 

[Danjanou]

As long as we're going down the wargaming route, odds are the average unit has 1 or 2 grognards in it to begin with. Getting them to host an evening of gaming and beers after should not be hard. Odds are it would be more a social gathering/helping to build and maintain the cohesion rather than lessons in small unit taftics , dependent on the game systems used, but as noted that in and of itself is important.


Anyone in the GTA area is welcome to join my groups weekly excuse to get away from the domestic niner nights (PM me for details).

 

[OldSolduer]

Here's an idea....I do have a few every now and then.

Try geocaching. All you need is a GPS and go to www.geocaching.com

Then you work in teams of 2-3 and attempt to locate these geocaches. You don't need a military issue GPS, one of the Garmins or Magellans will do.

 

[dapaterson]

As someone who served during the decade(s) of darkness, when it seemed that every year the money ran out, all of these are valid ideas and I’ve done them in the past, aside from maybe the BWW idea ( nice idea though)

You may not get a lot of training value, but the building, maintaining of unit cohesion and esprit de corps are just as vital in the long term.


Movies with possible leadership other training values (BP etc.)
-Zulu
-Breaker Morant
-The Odd Angry Shot
-Platoon (more of a how not to)
-Gettysburg
-Band of Brothers
-Tunes of Glory
-Days of Glory (Indigenes)
-Pork Chop Hill
-Generation Kill (another how not to in many aspects in regards to leadership)
– Big Red One
-The Guns of Batisi
-Come and See (soviet WW2)
-The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
-The Battle of Algiers
-Stalingrad
-From Here to Eternity
-Bridge on the River Kwai


Not much on War of 1812, but in you neck of the woods Recce, battlefield tours are a possibility, although you start getting into admin costs ( buses etc.)

Of course, you forgot about the greatest Army move ever made.

 

[Petard]

Nijmegen teams practice in uniform on the canal all summer. I think they've gotten used to the big bad army in the last ten years.

Actually, you missed the point about the last occurrence happening in the fall of this year.
But like I said, there really is no harm in making contact with the local police to let them know you will have people doing BFT practice, especially if they're going in onesies and twosies at odd hours (low light).

If I could make a suggestion of one more wargame to throw in the box, how about America's Army?
Yeah, I know, different equipment and TTP's etc, but I think it can keep you refreshed at least on the knowledge required for some of the fundamentals
Plus the download is free, and after getting through the training phase individuals from the same Reserve unit can link up on line to form sections and complete various missions/tasks
http://www.americasarmy.com/

 

[Fusaki]

Do you have any movie in particular?

I can't believe no one has mentioned Black Hawk Down!

At the end Mark Bowden's novel is a section outlining lessons learned from the Battle of Mogadishu.  It's a critical analysis of things that went right and what went wrong.  In Paul Howe's book Leadership and Training For the Fight he makes extensive reference to the battle, and lays out his lessons learned in point form and then discusses this thoughts in detail.  If the OPI for movie night were to have read these books beforehand, he would have plenty of material to guide a discussion of small unit tactics in a high intensity urban battle.

A few key points off the top of my head:

-EVERYONE needs know the route in convoy operations.  You do not want to be driving around lost in a city where everyone wants to kill you.

-The effective use of air support depends on your ability to clearly mark target/communicate with the pilots.

-Never, EVER, listen to the dude who says "We won't need NODs, man. We'll only be gone for a few hours!"

-Why do we do PT?  Because sometimes there just isn't enough room on the trucks...

I've considered using Black Hawk Down to teach voice procedure.  While the radio traffic in the movie has been diluted for the sake of understanding by civilian audiences, the movie still provides context and situations for students to generate their own radio reports. For example:

Pause the movie at the point where the Ranger convoy first takes fire from down the street.  Capt Steele (Tom Sizemore) tells the Ranger "Shoot back!".  Have a student send a CONTACT report as if he were that Ranger.

The Rangers and the Delta guys are moving to the second crash site.  Pause the movie and have a student sent a SITREP as if he were one of the Rangers.

Assume that MEDIVAC were available.  Pvt Blackburn falls while fastroping into the target.  Pause the movie, have a student send a 9Liner is if he were a first aider.

Blackhawk Down can also be a source for TCCC scenarios.

What phase of TCCC are the Rangers in as they are holed up in the ruined building, attempting to clamp the femoral artery of the wounded soldier?

Given today's TCCC SOPs what first aide would be provided?

What care would be provided to Pvt Blackburn? 

What did the Ranger who had his thumb shot off do right?  (He stayed in the fight.)

Food for thought...

 

[Spanky]

I like the whole Blackhawk Down plan.  How accurate is the Sharpe series (Sharpes Rifles etc)?  I know that after reading all the books, a lot of the things we do, like platoon drill, slow marching the Colours etc were put into clear perspective. 

 

[vonGarvin]

Wonderbread:
That is an outstanding way to both enjoy the movie and to get some useful thinking out of it!

As for which era/which movie, hell, almost any movie with even a semi-military theme would suffice.  Hell, as I once heard about BMOQ-L, which uses the section to teach leadership, that Intergalactic tactics could be used.  Leadership is leadership.


But I think the main thing here is cohesion.  Geocaching reinforces navigation skills.  Getting together to play some sort of sports reinforces physical fitness.  Watching movies and then discussing/injecting reports and returns reinforces, well, reports and returns.  I think the main thing to remember is that you are more than a group of employees.

And for God's sake: stay away from these guys!

 

[foresterab]

Speaking from a pure civvy side of things...

Contact some other agencies.  We're constantly working with communities and industry groups doing very basic training on forest fire suppression organization and emergancy response set-up.  ICS 100 (at least that's the course name in Alberta) is a very simple course that can be done in 1-2 hours...and ICS 200 is a group based exercise that might take 4-6 hours.  I know it's a different focus for reserve units but it is about organization and planning for emergancy situations. 

Not sure exactly what the course is called in other provinces but your local ministry of natural resources may be willing to provide it gratis.

2 cents worth anyways.
foresterab

 

[Bass ackwards]

I'm seeing some great suggestions here and it's very heartening to see this kind of dedication, but I have to ask this question:

What would your military status be on these get togethers ?

I am referring specifically to the outdoor group activities, and the reason I ask is that there is a section in the Criminal Code of Canada that prohibits private citizens from assembling for the purpose of military training.
For guys getting together for paintball, airsoft, or even using pieces of driftwood as weapons, where does that line get drawn ?
It might seem like a no-brainer given that everyone involved is a reservist trying to keep their skills up, but bear in mind you do have both the Canadian government and (worse) the Canadian press to contend with.
If this isn't an issue -great. But I thought it worth at least mentioning.

Spanky: re the Sharpe's series. I like them, but unfortunately, budgetary constraints (how ironic, eh?) are a real detriment to their historical accuracy. Too bad. I've read the books over and over -they're awesome. I would have loved to have seen that series had it been produced with the kind of budget/logistical support that the 1970 movie Waterloo had! 

 

[Dissident]

Wonderbread:
That is an outstanding way to both enjoy the movie and to get some useful thinking out of it!

+1

Right on. Now I have to go back and watch all the my war movies/shows and make a script to do that with the guys.

 

[Redeye]

And for God's sake: stay away from these guys!

What kind of idiot would ever want anything to do with that pack of losers?!  I get a little annoyed seeing them in OD107 stuff and cringe at the thought of them being mistaken for actual CF members by the great unwashed.

 

[Rheostatic]

Actually, you missed the point about the last occurrence happening in the fall of this year.
But like I said, there really is no harm in making contact with the local police to let them know you will have people doing BFT practice, especially if they're going in onesies and twosies at odd hours (low light).

I didn't say anything about Gatineau. Nor would I recommend dressing in "fatigues" for this PT, since we're talking about strictly off-duty activities here, aren't we? Also, I find the idea of seeking police permission to exercise on a public trail distasteful (chalk that up to philosophical differences, I guess).

Anyway I have the perfect solution, incorporating physical training, competition, charity, and of course, socializing.  :cheers:

The Carleton Cup is a triathlon (Skate*Run*Drink) that has been held annually in Ottawa, Canada, since 1989. The race was originally conceived as a way to make winter a little more tolerable for Carleton University students. Since then it has grown to become an event that attracts participants from all over North America. "The Ultimate Canadian Triathlon" has become for many a celebration of Canada itself, a self-conscious recognition of how resourceful we as Canadians can be in overcoming the adversity that our climate presents us with. It's just too damn cold to argue about national unity in the middle of a Canadian winter, when the only things that really seem to matter are hockey and keeping warm. The cold weather binds us together, and the Carleton Cup has always been about forgetting one's differences and coming together in the name of sport and good cheer.

 

[Blackadder1916]

There are a few tools on the Air University site for Teaching Leadership Using Movies.

Found (among other useful items) some lesson plans for films with a military flavour on a Wildland Fire Service leadership program site. 

These are all in “.doc” format for downloading.
We Were Soldiers
Gettysburg
Courage Under Fire
Master and Commander
K19: The Widowmaker

 

[daftandbarmy]

We could start unit "Hiking Clubs".  Take a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, toss on a ruck with a bunch of buddies, go for a walk on local fitness/nature trails, and you've got some BFT work-up.  Retire to a mess with some chilli, brews and football on the big screen.

We're doing this tomorrow 'militia' night: Bergans, then burgers and beer. After all, you don't want to give the wife the impression that you're available all of a sudden on a night you've reserved for the mo!