Reserve initial kit issue ( merged )

[Disenchantedsailor]

A little example, I have almost everything ICE, no probably not entitled to it all, that said my support base issued ICE kit as replacements for IECS kit they were out of or didnt have in my size. (and of course a small pack on temp loan due to not having any rucks due to a dom op).  on a side note I see that the airforce rain kit is now being issued to the army (on an ops restriction of course) until our new stuff comes out.

 

[MikeL]

The new Army rain gear is already out, regardless if you're going on Operation or not. Some guys got issued the Air Force stuff though while the rest of us got Army rain gear.

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

Funny there was a message 3 weeks ago from LFWA HQ//G4// stating it was delayed and that the Air Force Convergant pattern will be issued to those deploying on ops only, the remainder got to use the good old CAG stuff until delivery of the new stuff.

 

[MikeL]

Maybe they don't have enough in the system for mass issue anymore.. dunno.  Back in April(I think) all Reg Force pers got issued the new CADPAT rain gear(most got Army, some got AF). The Reservists going on tour with us also got it sometime later in June I think.

 

[medaid]

the title has been modified to include teh correct capital R in PRes. I keep thinking about PRESS kit issuing and panick to think that I've missed something as the UPAR.

 

[toughenough]

...i can understand that you "want" all the GOOD kit, but do you really need it? probably not. Good things come to those who wait.

I'd just like to weigh in here with an opinion that seems to be contrary to most.

First of all, need is a relative term. I made it through a winter bmq with the old winter stuff with the jacket with the corduroy collar, MK3's, etc, and have no complaints there.

The issue, to me, comes in this whole attitude that, particularly in the PRes (not so much with Reg force) that you need it more after you're trained. The one weekend a month that most reservists spend in the field is very different to the nearly 50% of the time you spend in the field on SQ and DP1. On SQ we spent 6 out of 9 consecutive weekends in the field. Are these recruits not relying very heavily upon their kit, in comparison to a garrison soldier going to the field once a month at most?

And to reiterate, before any flames are thrown, I do respect the position of the PRes in line right after the Reg for guys. They obviously need it, especially those deploying. I am not comparing their needs to ours.

 

[kratz]

Vern has already stated the scale of issue to answer part of the question, but from
"front office"  (OR/SHO) experience, try collecting said gear from members who
are going to be releasing either 4C or 5F?

Experience has shown that the few items issued early one, means few items
required to be recovered later on, if needed. There is nothing in official policy
when I quote this, but observation is a useful tool.

 

[armyvern]

Maybe they don't have enough in the system for mass issue anymore.. dunno.  Back in April(I think) all Reg Force pers got issued the new CADPAT rain gear(most got Army, some got AF). The Reservists going on tour with us also got it sometime later in June I think.

Nope. Not even close to being issued to all RegF army. Not by a long shot. Your particular base/Unit may have been issued it due to its place on the priority list ... but most of the RegF army folks are still awaiting issue.

 

[armyvern]

Just the way people reacted to my bivy gave me the impression that it was a rare sight.  I had noticed a few others with it, but not many.

These are still quite a rare sight. They are not a CTS item. Rather, when the new contract was issued for their delivery into the Supply system by non-CTS means was last issued, it called for the cadpat pattern. They both are the exact same item, save for the colour. As the stocks of the OD type run out and they go N/S, the cadpat bivys will eventually take over.

 

[MikeL]

Nope. Not even close to being issued to all RegF army. Not by a long shot. Your particular base/Unit may have been issued it due to its place on the priority list ... but most of the RegF army folks are still awaiting issue.

Thanks for the clarification, I just figured it was starting to be general issue since people in the static unit got it(I believe they did anyways), aswell as all of us in Combat Arms units.

 

[armyvern]

I'd just like to weigh in here with an opinion that seems to be contrary to most.

First of all, need is a relative term. I made it through a winter bmq with the old winter stuff with the jacket with the corduroy collar, MK3's, etc, and have no complaints there.

The issue, to me, comes in this whole attitude that, particularly in the PRes (not so much with Reg force) that you need it more after you're trained. The one weekend a month that most reservists spend in the field is very different to the nearly 50% of the time you spend in the field on SQ and DP1. On SQ we spent 6 out of 9 consecutive weekends in the field. Are these recruits not relying very heavily upon their kit, in comparison to a garrison soldier going to the field once a month at most?

And to reiterate, before any flames are thrown, I do respect the position of the PRes in line right after the Reg for guys. They obviously need it, especially those deploying. I am not comparing their needs to ours.

Sure they're relying on their kit while they spend 6 out of 9 weekends (6 out of 9 weekends does not equal consecutive BTW) in the field. But like you've pointed out, the other kit will suffice. Heck, many of us lived for 6 weeks straight in it in Petawawa in -40 through Jan/Feb and lived to tell about it. Boys wore it for weeks on end in the arctic on ex...and lived to tell about it too.

No harm will come to any soldier having to utilize old kit in the field on BMQ or SQ. It may not be Gucci, and it may not be the latest gear, but it worked for thousands of soldiers for decades. It'll work for the new ones too.

The reason the IECS/ICE isn't issued to new BMQ/SQ has nothing to do with need really. It's all about release rates. Simply put, as Kratz has pointed out ... simply trying to track down the no-shows who just decide it isn't for them...never to be seen at the armouries again. It's called value for your money. When the odds are greatest that someone's going to skive off with the kit ... you don't issue them the most expensive kit that you have in the system when the old stuff does the exact same job and just doesn't look as pretty. Trust me, the taxpayers are thankful. It's the same reasoning that ResF Army NCMs are no longer issued DEU until 1 year of service or their QL3 is completed. Because a heck of a lot of them just don't make it that far. Why waste a few hundred bucks issuing out DEU that he'll never wear, you can't recover, or re-issue despite the fact it's brand new??

It just makes sense to me.

Edited for typo.

 

[armyvern]

Thanks for the clarification, I just figured it was starting to be general issue since people in the static unit got it(I believe they did anyways), aswell as all of us in Combat Arms units.

Your base.

There's quite a few combat arms RegF units around here that still don't have it issued yet.

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

Vern,

Correct me if I'm wrong but I just saw an ops restriction on the LWT Rain Gear (CADPAT) from LFWA??

 

[armyvern]

Vern,

Correct me if I'm wrong but I just saw an ops restriction on the LWT Rain Gear (CADPAT) from LFWA??

Vous êtes correct monsieur.

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

Mercis Madmoiselle

 

[LordOsborne]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does that mean that LFWA soldiers won't be seeing the raingear for a while?

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

Only those pers deploying for TF 1-08 will get the new kit for the time being

 

[LordOsborne]

Seen. That's as it should be anyways. cheers for the clarification.

 

[mysteriousmind]

so it's taken me about a year and a half to get fully kitted out, i can understand that you "want" all the GOOD kit, but do you really need it? probably not. Good things come to those who wait.

Actually, I don't need "all of it", but, autumn is coming... the Wet weather boots would be nice to have a few before I go on My SQ,  ill be comfy in it... nut putting them on for the first time during my SQ and well ill be working in the regimental QM, so a Gerber would be usefull (also usefull on SQ)

but...people did it without it...I can.

 

[armyvern]

About the DEU, does this apply to NavRes and AirRes as well?

Army only at this point in time due to the high failure/non-retention rates within the first year of service. This policy falls under the jurisdiction of the ECS' and therefore each environment decides kit entitlements, dates of issue etc on their own accord.