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

[HollywoodHitman]

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. 

 

[the 48th regulator]

man oh man,

that's all I will say.

Cheers pbi for clearing things up


tess

"Proud Infantry RENTAL, as I would rather be rented than owned!"

'nuff said

Hehehe more than a week and we will have a clue.   hehehe

 

[ziggy_99]

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

 

[pbi]

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

The question was about "deployment", not "mobilization". They have deployed lots of times, but you are right: have not been mobilized since 1939. Cheers.

 

[recce_dave]

Lets not forget that entire units were called up for the ice storm... no matter how bogus THAT deployment was. It seems your 'buddy' was mistaken. But at least he's aware of the fact that we are around... or is he?

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

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.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Check out this contrast between one US reserve unit and a Canadian unit.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/community/mapleleaf/html_files/html_view_e.asp?page=vol5-25p6-7

Scroll down to this article:

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.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

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

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. 

 

[pbi]

Michael: If you read Farley Mowat's The Regiment, he describes the wording of the mobilization telegram received by the Hasty P's in 1939. I think we may be into semantics here: IMHO designated NPAM units were mobilized, but were not deployed as part of the NPAM. They were deployed under the CASF, as you pointed out, although we could argue if the units that went overseas were the "actual" NPAM unit or just the name with new faces. Cheers.

 

[Kris1NSH]

Michael: Just wondering if what you said about the reserves becoming active soldiers during WW2, was that because that was when Canada separated from Great Brittans controll? And what I mean by Great Brittan controll is that Canada still belonged to them by power of the Queen.

 

[pbi]

Canada got control of its foreign and defence policies under the Statute of Westminster issued by HM Govt in 1931, to a great extent as a recognition of the WWI service of the "White Dominions" (the Indians and others, who contributed thousands of troops, did not get it...). This act really marks the beginning of our "independence" as a nation, not Confederation in 1867 which merely reconstituted the colonial structure in BNA and gave us some domestic powers.

As a result, while we went to WWI as an Imperial dependency, in 1939 we had the freedom to make our own decision, and did not declare war until several days after HM Govt, following a debate in the House. Cheers.

 

[Bill Smy]

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.  

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.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

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.

Did they mobilize in August? I thought they were "called out for local protective duties".   Isn't there a difference?

 

[foerestedwarrior]

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.

To start with, atleast in LFCA, EVERY unit is expected to provide 34(not entirely sure) people to form a platoon form each unit, to make within each brigade, an unit, or people that have some extra trainign, in domestic ops, and all that come with it(media, ROE's and the such). Many units are not taking this very seriously, I know my unit did. Or platoon commander and Pl sgt. set up two other units DRU platoons. Also some units, treated it as a normal exercise, jsut telling people about it and hoping enough peopel showed up.

I'm surprises that no one pointed out that this was almost 3 years old when it was resurected a few weeks ago...lol

PBI, I whole heartedly agree with you, about the roles of the infantry. Also, I think that any reg force person that has a shred of common sense will realize that reservists are important, and should be respected for the fact that we are expeceted to stay just as current as them, while balancing normal life and a full time job. You see this in Meaford in the summer alot, alot of reg force guys just off their BMQ, waiting for SQ, think they are better than some "toon" who only has 6 years in.......I surprises some guy liek that in the barber shop this summer, we were both in civis, he was rudley awakened when i informend him I am a Cpl, though that was after he called me usless....oops, his bad.  ^-^  

 

[mo-litia]

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

People like you keep the army stong 

 

[mo-litia]

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.

. . . half the training . . . all of the drive