Reserves - should they be deployed as the main force overseas?

[GrahamD]

I‘m not a member of either reserves or regular force, but as someone looking to get into the regular force infantry, I would have to say that I would rather not see the reserves taking up the overseas tours.

I recognise through the news and word of mouth that some soldiers feel as though they are constantly training for or are on a rotation overseas, and they feel streched thin, but I can‘t say that I understand that at all.

The main draw toward a life in the military for myself, is the training in the field, and the overseas deployments. Garrison duty seems like the least appealing part of the job, not neccesarily unpleasant, or bad in anyway, everyone like to spend time with their family, but if being close to your family is the #1 priority in your life, then soldiering may obviously get to be a real drag.

Back to my point, I want to join up in large part, to serve and represent my country, while we attempt to aid others, and make a difference in peoples lives. This being my primary motivation for joining up, it stands to reason that I would want to rotate overseas, and use my training as often as possible.

Am I having an unrealistic view of how I am actually going to feel if I get in? Is it far more of a strain than I can imagine it to be? Or is it just that a lot of people have been there and done that, and now would like some time off to spend with their families?

 

[MG34]

Mr Graham,you woun‘t be singing the same tune after your second tour in 18 months,coupled with career courses thrown in and let‘s not forget those summer taskings to train the Reserves as their own NCOs will not do the job because they are either unable to fufill their commitments or are unwilling to.
On average you will be away from home for 6-8 months in any given year with taskings,courses,and the odd tour,as a Pte and Cpl living in the shacks I loved it but now I have a house and all the nausea that goes along with it including a live in girlfriend,couple that with extra time spent at work dealing with admin problems with the troops,yeah we are stretched pretty thin.
As for helping people ,give it a rest after seeing that the people we are supposedly helping want nothing to do with us or want us there,screw them I and most others who have a tour or two under their belts are only in it for the cash.

 

[GrahamD]

Don‘t get me wrong, I don‘t mean at all to insinuate that anyone is being a complainer. Like I eluded to before, I have exactly zero experience in the matter and wouldn‘t presume to know anything about anything regarding actual peacekeeping missions, the preperation for them, or the rigors of life within the military.

Perhaps I am being overly idealistic regarding going overseas on peacekeeping missions, however, I still have a large desire to find this out for myself. I feel that regardless of the feelings of the people the missions are designed to aid, that the missions exist for good reasons, ie to help prevent genocide, famine, religious persecution, etc.

I appreciate your perspective on the subject, it does seem like a heavy load to bear, being away from home for so long. My overall point though is that I‘m looking forward to being that gung-ho private. That may very well change after I have my own experience, like you pointed out, but from the outside looking in, I can‘t wait to find out.

PS. Anyone reading this thread, or my posts on it in particular, I‘d be grateful for more opinions regarding my motivations for joining up and the reality of training for and participating on tours. I‘m trying to develop realistic views and expectations of life within the military, so that I don‘t have TOO many rude awakenings if/when i get in. I feel as though my slightly advanced age may cause a slightly more profound sense of culture shock than those going in at 17-20. Old dog learnes new tricks a little harder, you know?

 

[nULL]

By and large, I feel much the same way GrahamD does; still, I can‘t help but feel that reserves should be held in higher regard, as many of them will have to juggle university classes/part time jobs with their other responsibilities.

Is it really the "inadequete training" that reserves receive that makes people not want to allow them to participate, or is the fact that they actually want to be there to BE there, and not just because they have few other useful skills/talents?

I‘m curious, because a great many people seem to bash the reserves, and it‘d just be nice to know why.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Evolution, Null.
Reg force against reserves, reserves against cadets, cadets against civilians.

 

[R_J]

Null, it‘s not the popular PC thing to say, but the standards are lower. But the fault of that goes in a lot of directions and it certainly isn‘t lack of dedication or want (see my earlier post). Different course standards/durations, different experience levels at similar ranks, leadership,etc... I‘ll just hit on the experience issue, things are just being changed now (and I have no idea how the reserves have changed their system) but up until last year, a reg force pte got his Pte(t) hook after 3 years service and meeting several criteria. Reserves got theirs for completing QL3. Cpl also came quicker. I‘ve seen reserve leadership courses grad parades double as promation parades! If you look at it, reserves could do their QL2 and QL3 weekend to weekend. Compare that to the reg 24/7 courses and you will have different results. But you need to remember, for many reserves this is their "other" job.

Graham, I still enjoy going on tours and taskings. But I‘m also a work-a-holic. The best tours are the Roto 0‘s. First ones there, first to experience the place. Also since your the first there, you have the highest chances of getting to do something exciting and real (not Wind Wolf real but cordons and searches, first patrols into areas, etc). MG 34 made a good point though. Often by the tours end you have a bitter taste in your mouth that can last for a month or two after you get back, but, after a good "venting" out with the boys, everything falls back into place. My thoughts anyways.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Comparing the reg force to the reserves is like comparing the reserves to cadets though. (Well almost) their very different groups.

It‘s about as smart as comparing an athletes physical fitness to some guy off the street.

 

[R_J]

Ghost, it is a hard comparison, but when they deploy overseas (especially on the topic of taking over their own force), the comparison must be made, as the job is the same.

 

[Ruthless4Life]

It‘s about as smart as comparing an athletes physical fitness to some guy off the street.

Using that comparison,

If I consider a Regular infantry soldier is as fit as an athlete (which they are), a Reserve infantry soldier would be "some guy off the street?"

I always believed that the point of the Reserves is to be an equally qualified military force that can be mobilized and can are ready to carry out the same task as the Regular force. But looks like in real life that isn‘t necessarily the case.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Ruthless that could be an accurate way to see it. The reserves should be the same standard as the reg force if they are to augment them overseas or even go over as whole companies. Their not though.
Just using physical fitness for an example. Reg force soldiers (well, most of them) do PT every day. Reserves don‘t. Im sure you can get some reservests who can run reg force guys into the ground but thats not the average case. The gap between them is just very big. While everyone does it i dont think its fair to expect the two groups to be the same standard because of how things are set up.
Reserves train 2 or 3 hours a week usually doing something like theory of the defense or a cheapy mine awareness class. Is it any wonder training the reserves up to reg force standards is very difficult in the least? Even the mentality is completly different.

"Quit calling me sergeant your making me nervous, when its just the section call me steve"
compared to
"What?! Get your f**king heels together corporal, im a master corporal! Next time your getting charged".

People say reservests approach work more enthuastically (sp?) then the reg force because it‘s volenteer. I agree with that in a lot of cases,atleast at my level. The reg force though are a lot more relaxed and easy to work with and you get more done because of the same thing.