Reserve A-stan Tour in 2007; 36 bde

[Shades]

That 5 week would most likely be the Brigade Training Event (BTE) we spent 7 weeks with the 1VP in the feild.

 

[TN2IC]

I know CSS is going.. that is all I am saying.. and a certin someone put there name in.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

There seems to be some confusion amongst the tours, the one ive been refferring to is Roto-7. I think many of you are talking about roto-6.
Just attempting to clarify.

The most recent date I was given is that upon approval from home units, troops will arrive in aldershot, running through summer starting may 1st. After that, they go to gagetown to do work up with 2RCR, and continue as per normal.
My CSM told me that they would be taking a handful of the better troops from aldershot, and integrating them into 2RCR sections where they need/want fillers. The rest will be doing mostly D&S security on the camp gates.

Has anyone else heard anything similiar? different?
Is there anyone else here that plans on or is going on this tour ?

 

[armyvern]

TF1-07 for the 2RCR battle Group is out on the CFTPO, I was in looking at it on Thursday. Lots of posns tasked out to 36 Bgde personnel in the CSS areas. Unsure of exact numbers as I wasn't counting but there are blocks tasked out your way.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Can reservists opt to stay on for an aditional 6 (or whatever) months at the end of their tour?

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Not normally - many have tried, very (very!) few have succeeded.  An extension needs the DCDS' personal approval and it must be for an operational reason.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

Does anyone know how many spots there are on this particular roto?
I heard that something like 150 names were put forward for the workup beginning in may, and then there would be a selection process or something.

 

[Haggis]

Can reservists opt to stay on for an aditional 6 (or whatever) months at the end of their tour?

There's two issues here (and Teddy is right, the DCDS must approve):

Max tour length without approval is 210 days; and

There must be an operational requirement for you AND your specific skill set.  We had one on Palladium Roto 12/13.  PM me and I'll fill you in.

 

[Pte_Martin]

Does anyone know how many spots there are on this particular roto?
I heard that something like 150 names were put forward for the workup beginning in may, and then there would be a selection process or something.

Yes 150 people. And in Ontario I know they are doing there training for the tour every other weekend.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

Yes 150 people. And in Ontario I know they are doing there training for the tour every other weekend.

holy crap really?

we're going from may-september, monday to friday down here in aldershot.
I also heard that 20 or so will be integrated into 2rcr sections, and the rest will be D&S security platoon or something.
I'll be damned if i dont make it in with 2RCR.  :threat:

 

[Pte_Martin]

I'll have to ask my buddy whose on it but i know that their "work up" training starts in Feb and what they doing know is just practicing  their skills i think (I'll confirm Thurs) Yes some will go with 2RCR, good luck and getting with them

 

[jmackenzie_15]

are the guys youre talking about going on roto 6, or roto 7 ?

 

[RHFC_piper]

are the guys youre talking about going on roto 6, or roto 7 ?

I'm one of the guys he's talking about...  Its Task force 03 - 06

We're doing MLOC training every other weekend (one left thank god), and we start the work up in Feb, which runs until June-ish.

We're deploying in August of '06 and return in Feb of '07

This TF is Devided into Augmentees, Defence and Security and CIMIC... LFCA is Augmenting 30% of the 1 RCR Battlegroup in Kandahar and the rest are going to UAE to drink and stand guard at a gate...  The only way to get on CIMIC for this TF (for the most part) is to be female since only women can talk to women over there.

As far as I've been told, we still haven't made strength for the Augmentees and are now drawing from the D&S Coy.

Lucky me, I'm going as an Augmentee for D Coy 1 RCR.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

The only way to get on CIMIC for this TF (for the most part) is to be female since only women can talk to women over there.

As CIMIC, the males in our Det dealt with women all the time over there.

 

[RHFC_piper]

As CIMIC, the males in our Det dealt with women all the time over there.

I'm just tellin' ya what the CIMIC Co-ord officer was telling us.  They're desperate for women because, according to the CIMIC reps, in the south (Kanadaha) they are very strict about the whole women don't talk to men stuff, and they want to inform them about equal rights and such...

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I have no doubt that what you were told. We were given much the same perception before we departed is all. Just keep an open mind, and don't be suprised by things your told, vice the way they really are.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

RHFC, what you said sounds pretty much the same about whats going on here with us for roto7.

I hope they didnt just randomly pick the guys to be augmentees? Id much rather be part of the augmentee force than do gate guard, but whatever happens is fine.... what was it in particular they looked at when choosing who goes where? Or did they just cut everybody in half and say you guys here, the rest over here?

 

[RHFC_piper]

RHFC, what you said sounds pretty much the same about whats going on here with us for roto7.

I hope they didnt just randomly pick the guys to be augmentees? Id much rather be part of the augmentee force than do gate guard, but whatever happens is fine.... what was it in particular they looked at when choosing who goes where? Or did they just cut everybody in half and say you guys here, the rest over here?

As far as I know, The members from My regiment were selected based on a simple criteria:
No Pte: - I'm a Cpl.
Time in: - the member w/ the least exp in my group is a 3 year... I'm at 7
Attendance: - I'm in the armouries 2 nights a week, everyone else in my group are in 1 (because I'm with the band)
Activity with the Regiment: - I don't know about the rest of the guys, but this is why the RSM put my name 2nd on the list for selection by the brigade
Who you know: - again, I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I talk to the CO a lot, the RSM and DCO are in the Regiments reenactment group with me, and my direct superior right now is the Pipe Major.

As far as I can tell the positions with the Battle group were selected by merit and time in.  All my PDR's say I'm an excellent infanteer with 7 years exp, and tend to leave out that I've been attached out from the rifle coy to the band for 3 years...  A lot of what we're doing in selection trg is a good refresher for me... its been a while.

So, its not random... but there are people who are currently augmentees who make me look like a super soldier...  But keep in mind, its just selection trg now... everything will change in pre-trianing. Nothing is for sure until you hit the ground in the A-stan.

I hope that helps.. as synical as it seems

 

[Jarnhamar]

So, its not random... but there are people who are currently augmentees who make me look like a super soldier...  But keep in mind, its just selection trg now... everything will change in pre-trianing. Nothing is for sure until you hit the ground in the A-stan.

Don't forget it's hard to judge someone by their PDRs sometimes.
Have many times have you seen a complete bag of hammers get a good PDR because their boss doesn't want to (or is told not to) say hey look this kid needs to be surprivised when tying his shoes. 
A reservist craps the bed all summer, gets a good assessment and heads back to their unit where the leadership reads it and says HEY good job we'll send you back next year.  Vicious cycle.
The regular force are great for catching these guys and saying HEY your outta here!  Have faith brother

 

[RHFC_piper]

Don't forget it's hard to judge someone by their PDRs sometimes.
Have many times have you seen a complete bag of hammers get a good PDR because their boss doesn't want to (or is told not to) say hey look this kid needs to be surprivised when tying his shoes. 
A reservist craps the bed all summer, gets a good assessment and heads back to their unit where the leadership reads it and says HEY good job we'll send you back next year.  Vicious cycle.
The regular force are great for catching these guys and saying HEY your outta here!  Have faith brother

Unfortunately, I've seen that first hand a lot... the last 3 taskings I've been on had tools on it which really didn't deserve the PDR's they got.  I got great PDRs for the last 2 tasking I had (PSTC role player, DHTC Role player) but my PDR from my summer tasking was 'average'.. which I guess is good... but It's nothing special.  But you're right.. Some in leadership positions in the reserve system just don't want to rock the boat and give useless plugs good PDR's.  I've even seen a troop yell at a superior for a bad PDR because it said she had a poor attitude remark... the Officer changed it to a good PDR even after she proved him right...

Then again, I can also see this working against me.  Like I've said, I've never had a bad PDR.. I've never had a red chit, a warning (verbal or otherwise) and I've never been charged (though I've come close a few times), and its all reflected on my UER, PERs and PDRs... But what isn't so clearly reflected is that I've been out of the infantry company for 3 years (attached to the band), and all my infantry experience since my move to the band has been as enemy force (so really, nothing usefull)... I haven't yet had a problem catching up, but I find most of the other infanteers, not attached to the band, have a very poor opinion of bandsmen (which isn't that much of a shock) but I'm not a bandsman. I'm 031 infantry by trade.  But that doesn't matter.  Once anyone finds out I'm with the band they seem to think that I have no idea what I'm doing. 

Some how I see this haunting me when I get to Petawawa.  But, oh well..  I'll just do my job.