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reservists are serving in Afghan, Bosnia and recently Haiti...........he may be referring to the last large scale call up of reserve forces to go to war........I am not sure when the last time that happened was.
When was the last time a reservist has been deployed. My buddy said it hasn't happened since WW2.
By Capt Russ Meades
The Calgary Highlanders (Calg Highrs) strengthened a 50-year bond with the Washington Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry (Mech), when 54 Calg Highrs mainly from A Company, joined the US unit for training in Yakima,Washington on April 5.
Friendships were first struck between members of the two units in the 1950's when the Highlanders' Pipes and Drums took part in the Spokane Lilac Festival parade. Since then, the units have alternately hosted Labour Day long weekend social visits in Spokane and Calgary, but despite many good intentions over the years to train together the units never did.
For the training exercise the Calg Highrs were split into groups and allocated to the various 1/161st companies. While newly appointed commanding officer of The Calg Highrs, Lieutenant-Colonel Lee Villiger, shadowed LCol Marlin Levendoski of 1/161st , the troops explored the Bradley AFVs and fired on the sniper range. Three Platoon, preparing for deployment to Bosnia, spent time with the 1/161st "dismounts", gaining exposure to the US version of section and platoon battle drills.
The Calg Highrs took part in the US Army Expert Infantry badge 12-mile (19.3 km) speed march. Carrying 16 kg, the US troops had to complete the distance in less than three hours.While many of the US troops didn't complete the course, most of the Calg Highrs, the majority carrying over 22.7 kg, covered the distance in well under three hours and only two didn't complete the route due to injury.
At a parade in the field, LCol Levendoski praised the Calg Highrs for the fighting spirit shown in completing the course so quickly, the winning time of Corporal Mike Kotuk getting particular attention. "Did y'all hear that," LCol Levendoski called to his unit on parade."Two hours and six minutes!" Master Corporal Curtis Sanhiem had the second fastest time of 2:16 with Captain Kyle Clapperton close on his heels. LCol Levendoski had specially-minted coins as reward for the fastest times by the march participants.All 15 of the coins were presented to the Calg Highrs on the parade.
It was a foot-sore but jubilant group of Calg Highrs, that left Yakima after a warm send-off from the members of 1/161st.
Similar events are being planned, budget allowing, and an invitation to the Americans to join the Calg Highrs for some winter training has already been suggested.
ziggy_99 said:Yeah, the last time was in 1939 when Canada declared war on Germany, This was the last case of full mobilization of the reserves where entire units are called up
Michael Dorosh said:The reserves did NOT mobilize in 1939. The Canadian Active Service Force was created as a seperate entity from the Canadian Militia and in 1940 was renamed the Canadian Army (Active). The Canadian Army (Reserve) remained in Canada, and units of the reserve were not mobilized. All units mobilized for overseas service were seperate battalions of their regiments.
Bill Smy said:General Order 124 mobilized some units of the NPAM on 26 August 1939. General Order 135, dated 1 September 1939, created the Canadian Active Service Force, and those units or details of units mobilized in August stood down.
Canadian.Trucker said:My unit is part of the DRU (Disaster Response Unit). Basically we have a portion of troops that prepare for situations such as ice storms, terrorist incidents, or anything else they might be called upon to assist with. This was put in place since the Sept.11th attacks. The reserve infantry do more than most would think, if you're aggressive enough and wanting to do quite a bit you have many options. The bonus for the reserves is that you are your own career manager. If you want to go overseas, you need to make sure you have everything in place to do so, or for such courses as basic para. There are many things that the reserve infantry soldier does, you just have to have the drive to find it all.
pbi said:Most smart Reservists know they will never be everything that Regular soldiers are, and most smart Regulars respect Reservists for what they do. Cheers.
pbi said: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.