OK, bear with me, it's late, I'm tired, I've had a couple. ;D too many.
The report on the (medical) field force restructure was released yesterday (Our Day Staff Ski Day, I heard about it tonight). From the O Grp, and discussion in the mess afterwards:
The HS as you knew it is gone. By 2009 (for the Regs) and a date TBD (Watch 2010 for the reserves, starting on the West to accomodate the Olympics) for the reserves, the HS structure will become Regiments, Squadrons, and Dets. (I suspect Troops will fall in there somewhere too).
The 14 reserve Fd Ambs will become 5 Regiments, based on their JTF (X) region. So, 11 and 12 become "Pacific Medical Regiment" or somesuch. 15, 16, 17, and 18 become "Prarie Medical Regiment".
Apparently a Reg Regiment will be 600+ pers. The roll of the Reserve Med Tech becomes far, far less important. A "Squadron" is 120-140 pers, and includes approx 21 Nursing positions. The list of capabilities is long, but I wasn't willing to access and read it on the last parade night of the year; I'll post a summary later in the month or you can get it from your CoC. Some existing units will be reduced to Det status.
Thoughts that immediately spring to mind:
I hope that some lots of the MLVW replacements are coming to us. Moving these beasts is going to be a bitch of a task.
I suggest that we take advantage of the reduced unit size to establish, quickly, new medical establishments in smaller communities. For instance, the BC Interior could probably support a Det (whatever that is in terms of actual numbers), already having 4-7 12 Fd Amb members there, and a solid, relatively untapped recruiting base. Nanaimo could possibly stand up an independant det. Likewise for Red Deer, and other similar communities.
I've just Written, and deleted, about 6 other additional comments. As per Para 1, I will now stop typing. G'Night.