Some Weird Swerve About Deployments [from the Coronavirus thread]

[dapaterson]

There are defined processes within APM145 for NES release which must be followed.  Not overly onerous, but they are time consuming fir the limit HR staff within most PRes units.

That said, many soldiers, on receipt of their first NES letter, will chose to release.

Delays in release processing for part time Army Res members are another problem set, also driven mostly by inadequate personnel committed to the function.

 

[BDTyre]

A record of minimal attendance has a myriad of effects, from "official" things like being passed over for course (seen it happen), not being considered for deployment (seen it happen, and to bring it back to the original topic) to much more administratively difficult things. We have a member who paraded occasionally for a number of years but never put in much effort. He wanted to deploy. He was passed over because he hadn't shown commitment to training. Fast forward a few years and he hadn't changed. He paraded a minimal amount, often to the point of being considered NES. He decided to transfer to another unit as geographically it was easier for him. Our unit started the process and had him turn in his regimental kit. The unit he wanted to be in hasn't accepted the transfer. So now he is stuck in limbo - not parading with us really and not feeling like a member of our unit, but not being able to parade with his desired unit.

On the other hand, when soldiers that have a record of consistent attendance and participation suddenly stops showing up it raises alarm bells, and the CoC reaches out to ensure everything is okay. I've seen it happen, even when people have communicated a legitimate excuse for every absence.

 

[Furniture]

One of the big reasons guys (and girls and other) don't want to go is they just got back from their third deployment in four years because some cubicle dweller with a photocopier strapped to his *** and a five doughnut a day habit refuses to step up and take his bite of the crap sammich, and is plain burned out.

Having experienced this personally myself I can attest to it being a real thing. It's not something you'll see in the cubicle farm in Ottawa for the most part, but it exists in the field/sailing/flying world.

In five years posted to the West coast I spend more than two of them at sea(794 Sea days), add in the time spend alongside in ports while deployed/training and the number jumps to closer to three years away. I was completely burnt out, but kept going because I was asked to and I enjoyed the job(mostly). That I didn't get charged or placed on admin measures by the end of my time out there due to my slipping attitude is a minor miracle.

As one of my old bosses liked to say "If everyone takes a bite of the S**t sandwich it's not so bad." Unfortunately not everyone does, so often it's the same people over and over having to eat the whole thing.

 

[daftandbarmy]

A record of minimal attendance has a myriad of effects, from "official" things like being passed over for course (seen it happen), not being considered for deployment (seen it happen, and to bring it back to the original topic) to much more administratively difficult things. We have a member who paraded occasionally for a number of years but never put in much effort. He wanted to deploy. He was passed over because he hadn't shown commitment to training. Fast forward a few years and he hadn't changed. He paraded a minimal amount, often to the point of being considered NES. He decided to transfer to another unit as geographically it was easier for him. Our unit started the process and had him turn in his regimental kit. The unit he wanted to be in hasn't accepted the transfer. So now he is stuck in limbo - not parading with us really and not feeling like a member of our unit, but not being able to parade with his desired unit.

On the other hand, when soldiers that have a record of consistent attendance and participation suddenly stops showing up it raises alarm bells, and the CoC reaches out to ensure everything is okay. I've seen it happen, even when people have communicated a legitimate excuse for every absence.

It was an interesting experience watching the 'marginal paraders' come out of the woodwork during the whole AFG thing.

One of them, who I argued should not be supported in his (fervent) wish to be deployed because of what I perceived to be a largely self-interested and inconsistent approach to his part time military commitments, was sent anyways.

Tragically, he was seriously wounded on the next tour.