What sort of things do infantry do when they are just reservists?

[clipper]

What sort of things do infantry people do when they are just reservists?  Is it hard core like the regs.  
And how long does it take to switch over from infantry to say comms.  I am not sure the infantry is the right thing for moi.

 

[enfield]

"hard core like the regs"????

We‘re talking about the Canadian Army, right?

It takes a while to change trades once your in and trained, since inf to comms involves changing units and trades. Inf to medic or storesman is easier, since you can be kept in the same unit.

 

[Doug VT]

One thing‘s for sure, the regular infantry is a hell of a lot more "hard core" than the reserve infantry. I don‘t care what you say, if you haven‘t done both(for more than a week) then you haven‘t got a clue. The overall profesionalism is head and shoulders above the reserve(inf).

What Enfield is saying is about right for the reserves, but in the regs, if you LOTP/COTP or OT, you move on to your new trade, where-ever they may post you after your new trade training. It‘s a long and drawn out process, but worth it if you really want to change.

 

[fortuncookie5084]

Some reservists are extremely professional and knowledgeable. I know that certain standards at my unit are way above others (I‘m talking res units here)...and some are lacking. It is important to remember that the regs are "better" because they do it full time. Do anything full time and you‘ll be head and shoulders above the ones who do it every tuesaday night and some weekends.

 

[enfield]

Regs are better because they do it full time, and the type of individual they attract is quite often more suited to the infantry life. As well, the battalions draw from across Canada, so that‘s an advantage as well. I made the comment about "hard core" because any unit in Canada has limited training options, so don‘t expect to be doing helicopter assaults and urban combat in mock cities every week. But the battalions ARE professionals at their trade.

That said, there are professionals in the Militia as well, and guys with tons of experience. Being a reservist is what you make it. You can be a bag of ****, or a JTF candidate - it‘s up to you. If you want to be a hard core death tech, than go Reg - that‘s what its for. If you have an interest in the military, want a challange, want a cool job, want get some experience before you do something else or move on, go Reserve.

I would say that for the life of me, I don‘t understand why anyone would join the Reserves in any trade but Infantry, or at least combat arms. I know some support types will flame me for this, but I‘ve never seen a non-infantry Res unit do anything that would provide a challange, create a professional, or instil pride.
However, that said, one of the best guys I ever met in the Militia is a cook with an artillery unit, and he was damn proud of being a cook.

 

[Infanteer]

"One thing‘s for sure, the regular infantry is a hell of a lot more "hard core" than the reserve infantry. I don‘t care what you say, if you haven‘t done both(for more than a week) then you haven‘t got a clue. The overall profesionalism is head and shoulders above the reserve(inf).

"hard core" is a state of mind.
I don‘t care if your a regular or a reservist, if your an assbag - your an assbag.
If your a warrior - your a warrior.

 

[clipper]

Thanks for replying, but could you maybe say what kind of things to expect. What sort of things would we do on the days that we do meet. I did a coarse in the summer, but it was a little easier due to the program i was in. I could see it was not as strict as the other coarses. So i am a little cautious about what i am now getting into. If we stay in this trade, do we have to do a coarse in the summer? I guess i should have looked into this more.

 

[Argyll_2347]

"Regs are better because they do it full time"

The Argylls (reserve unit) won a Bronze Medal in the International Cambrian Patrol competiton in Wales (Brecon Beacons) this year, beating the Canadian regs, American Delta Force, Green Berets, 82nd Airborne, and even Rangers.

That proves that some reserves can be better at some things!

(I was told this by a liaison to my corps, a MCpl)

 

[enfield]

I have no idea how the Argyls did this year, but I do know that a half dozen Militia teams failed or were disqualified for injuries this year. And i believe the Strats did the best out of the Canuck teams.

Clipper- wild guess, you were on bold eagle this summer? well, the real army is very different from that. If you want to know what the reserves is like, go to your local unit and take a look and talk to some guys there. Every unit has people that are paid just to talk to people like you, so go take advantage of it.

 

[bender]

Argyl_2347, i competed in the cambrian patrol this year with a reserve unit which finnished the patrol. Approx 50% of teams didn‘t even finnish. But i‘m willing to bet there weren‘t any U.S Delta‘s, Green Berets, or Rangers that got beat out by the Canadian Reserves. I didn‘t even see any U.S teams kicking around. And if Delta‘s and such prestigious soldiers where present i doudt very much we, the conventional soldiers from different country‘s would be told about it.

 

[recce_dave]

Bender... the Patrol is not for any special force units but since we were on the first serial we didn't get to see any US teams. I'm sure there were some though, they probably just paticipated after us in the next phases. Don't be playing down our team though, we were probably a lot more capable than some reg force teams... say the Checkoslovakians, but thats probably because they didn't speak English hahaha...

 

[pbi]

What sort of things do infantry do when they are just reservists?

Well-lets see:

Go to War when the country calls on them;

Go on overseas operations when they can, and sometines get into combat situations like Medak;

Train to do the above two, on 37.5 days of unit training time and a few weeks of summer training per year;

Go out to disasters like the Ice Storm, the Toronto Snow Storm, the Red River Flood, the Halifax Storm, and the BC Fire Emergency;

Balance military training with jobs, school and family life;

Represent the Army in all those Canadian towns and cities that have no Regular Army base;

and whatever else comes along.

Most smart Reservists know they will never be everything that Regular soldiers are, and most smart Regulars respect Reservists for what they do. Cheers.

 

[nastysasky]

What sort of things do infantry people do when they are just reservists?  Is it hard core like the regs.  

So to drag this thread back onto its original track.   The reserve infantry (R031) do a number of different things depending on what rotation there training cycle is in.   An example would be Defensive Op's, Patrolling, or Offensive (A to C).  
  On a parade evening (like a Tuesday night) the platoon or platoons would be in lectures on everything from mine awareness to First Aid to learning regimental history.   They will also be checking and recheck the equipment required to the up coming weekends Ex such as going over tent groups to make sure lanterns & stoves are working properly.  
  On a typical weekend you would arrive at your armouries at around 18:30 â “ 18:45 and be loaded into vehicles and head out to whatever training area you are using.   Now depending on what is planned for that weekend you may be tactical as soon as you dismount the vehicles or not, it totally depends.

  If you are not in the military yet as a regular force member or a reserve members check with the local reserve unit and see if they run the Soldier for a day program, it's a great way to get an idea if it is something that you would like to pursue as a part time or full time carrier.  

  My best advice would be to show up and talk to a recruiter.

 

[HollywoodHitman]

When I was teaching in Wainwright last year a few Baby Patricias (troops who were going through training and not yet badged) were surprised to find out I was a 'rental'. The same was said to me when I was in Bosnia.......The Brit Recce guys I worked with were surprised to learn about 4 months into the tour that I was a reservist. I'd also go so far as to say that there are some seriously hard core reservists (I'm not one of 'em) but make no mistake that there are some out there. Lets all agree that no matter what you do, or where you go, you'll find the good ones and the bad ones. Professional bearing, attitude and skill should be the measure of a soldier. I've been on more than a few ex's with the regs and there's been plenty of time sitting around spinning on my thumb;

Professionalism is a state of mind Gents. I've seen plenty of non-hackers in the reg's too. Doesn't mean I lump them into the same category.

 

[CARROW]

The success of training in the reserves is based upon the quality of the training plan of the unit and the level of intensity that it is implemented with.  It is also dependant upon the quality and experience of the leadership of the Unit.  You need a strong experienced NCO and Officer cadre who know how to maximize the training days available.  It has been proven that a good reserve Unit can compete at the Platoon level effectively.  It is beyond Platoon when operating at the Coy level and beyond where Reserves lack the experience.

I would agree that operational experience is hard to beat.  At our Unit we encourage has many troops to take advantage of the opportunity to get a tour in order to see how the regs operate and learn from the experience of a longer training period.  At my Unit there is a "core" of very professional qualified troops that I would be willing to go up against anyone Unit reserve or regular.  It is not the fact that they are or were regs or reserve that makes the "core" good is it their commitment to the training, the troops and the Regiment. 

Another key component to a good reserve unit is the Reg Full Time Staff, if you have a good group of professionals attached to the Unit they can bring really make the success of the training plan. 

The Infantry and the Comms are totally different trades that require different skill sets and present you with different opportunities.  I would suggest that you check out the Unit that you want to go to.  Talk to the troops in that Unit they will tell how it works.

CArrow

 

[pbi]

Having seen a few of the world's armies, I'd put up our Army Reserve Inf against lots of other countries Regulars any day. And, as for other country's Reservists, from what I've seen over the years, ours are on average head and shoulders better. In the Canadian Army today, we clearly define Reservists as "professionals" (check out "Duty with Honour"). Do not confuse "professionalism" with "full time": one does not imply the other, even though in our society we constantly misuse the word "professional".

Reserve Infantry soldiers are very much like volunteer firefighters (I've tried that, too....). They must maintain their "normal" lives, but at the same time train and prepare for a demanding and dangerous task with only a fraction of the time available to the "full time", yet the potential riks they face are identical. The key, as CARROW suggests, is how well that time is used and how dedicated the Res soldier is.

Cheers.

 

[Lost_Warrior]

  but I've never seen a non-infantry Res unit do anything that would provide a challange, create a professional, or instil pride.

Thats a rather arogant thing to say.  I'm in an armd recce unit and our training is challengind, and creates professional soldiers.  I also have the utmost prode in my unit...

Different units have higher standards I guess..

 

[Highland Laddie]

What sort of things do infantry do when they are just reservists?

Well-lets see:

Go to War when the country calls on them;

Go on overseas operations when they can, and sometines get into combat situations like Medak;

Train to do the above two, on 37.5 days of unit training time and a few weeks of summer training per year;

Go out to disasters like the Ice Storm, the Toronto Snow Storm, the Red River Flood, the Halifax Storm, and the BC Fire Emergency;

Balance military training with jobs, school and family life;

Represent the Army in all those Canadian towns and cities that have no Regular Army base;

and whatever else comes along.

Most smart Reservists know they will never be everything that Regular soldiers are, and most smart Regulars respect Reservists for what they do. Cheers.

I couldn't add anything more to this PBI. And for those in doubt, these comments are coming from a Reg Force Infantry Officer who is / was a Brigade COS. 

 

[cgyflames01]

Go to War when the country calls on them;

Go on overseas operations when they can, and sometines get into combat situations like Medak;

When was the last time a reservist has been deployed. My buddy said it hasn't happened since WW2.

 

[NavyGrunt]

Bosnia had entire ROTO's bascially comprised of reservists...