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British Military Current Events

Back to Future Soldier for a bit.

The bit that really intrigues me is the creation of what seems to be, effectively, a battle group devoted to Experimentation and Trials.

An infantry battalion supported by infantry, armoured, artillery, engineers and CSS trials and development units.


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british-army-announces-its-most-radical-programme-of-transformation-in-over-20-years.jpg
 
Back to Future Soldier for a bit.

The bit that really intrigues me is the creation of what seems to be, effectively, a battle group devoted to Experimentation and Trials.

An infantry battalion supported by infantry, armoured, artillery, engineers and CSS trials and development units.

While 2 Yorks (the inf bn tasked) is assigned that role, it doesn't appear that they will be doing that exclusively. They are still in the mix of operational units.

ENHANCED LIGHT ROLE INFANTRY
Experts in dismounted close combat, 2 YORKS have set the Army standard for Light-Role Infantry and after deploying to Morocco in November 2018, they deployed to Afghanistan in 2019 for the second time in as many years. The Battalion has since returned home for post-tour leave and assisted with COVID-19 Testing before moving to Cyprus for a 2-year tour of duty in December 2020.

Since returning from operations in Afghanistan, the 2nd Battalion has prepared for a change in role from Light-Mechanised infantry and will now spearhead the British Army’s Enhanced Light Force Battalion concept, the only unit in the British Army to do so. This is a 3-year, £10M programme that will transform how future light-role, infantry forces will operate and fight. While in Cyprus 2 YORKS will also hold readiness as the Regional Standby battalion as well as participate in sport and adventurous training.


And in the words of the CO, who (prior to taking command of the bn) was previously part of the team that wrote the Future Soldier proposition.

So, why has 2 YORKS been chosen for this role?

“The reason is multi-faceted,” said Lt Col Ashworth. “Being out here in Cyprus has factored into that.”

“We have a company rotation and that means we are able to generate a company’s worth of soldiers to do this trial and experimentation and having that stability of programme is a real asset.

“You then have what is a world-class training environment here in Cyprus: arid, hot and demanding conditions equivalent to places we may be operating in around the world.
 
I'm guessing that smile might not last ;)

Life as an infantry trainee in 2021​

22 NOVEMBER 2021

APONEC-OFFICIAL-20210715-040-031.jpg

The British Army continues to develop its infantry training as the impact of the Future Soldier programme starts to take shape.
The Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Catterick, North Yorkshire, is what awaits those joining this part of the British Army.

While the Covid-19 pandemic affected all aspects of life, routine at the ITC continued as best it could in the circumstances with the introduction of social distancing measures.

What also helped was the emphasis placed on mental resilience and teaching techniques to deal with adversity.

Lieutenant Colonel Brookfield, Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Infantry Training Battalion, said: “We require people to be capable of delivering on behalf of the country in the most arduous of terrains around the world. But we train them to get there. We have individuals here that have come in with all sorts of experiences.”

A major difference in infantry over the past few years has been the inclusion of female personnel, and the CO has recognised the benefits of a more diverse workforce.

He said: “We have seen a number of females come through the training pipeline. Regardless of sex, creed, and colour, this is an inclusive environment and the Army needs to reflect society. Ultimately, this is about us doing the best by all of our people that come through the door.”
The Combat Infantry Course develops over time, in line with the operational experience of British soldiers overseas, and recent advances have progressed training to a new level.

Trainees are now issued their Virtus body armour and helmet during their time at the ITC, rather than just before deploying on tour, and are taught to use the General Service Pistol as standard.

They also have the advantage of using the Virtual Battle Suite (VBS) system, essentially a computer simulation that encourages learning before moving out into the field phase: a step up from the whiteboard lessons of old.

This new training empowers recruits, many of whom would have had minimal responsibility in their civilian lives.

Rifleman Allen, who passed out of the ITC in July, said: “The last 24 weeks have been very challenging. But our training programme has been solid. I’ve loved it, I’ve always wanted to do this. The attack at the end [of the final exercise] was a culmination of everything we have done.

“I was tasked as the point man, the one posting the grenade, the first man through the door. Carrying all this kit was hard at first but you get used to it. All of the Section Commanders get a grip of us, it’s a well-oiled machine.”

Other members of the platoon on the final exercise in Norfolk were keen to express their gratitude to the staff of the ITC.

Rifleman Askew, who operated the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) during the final attack, said: “The training kicks in and the nerves slip away. You do what you’ve been taught to do. The Section Commanders help us with the pressure.

“This is the closest thing to being in the real situation, this is probably the best infantry training in the world, it’s top of the class.”

 

Russia will pay the price if it invades Ukraine: Foreign Secretary LIZ TRUSS underlines her determination to stand up to Vladimir Putin​

By LIZ TRUSS FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 17:04 EST, 30 November 2021 | UPDATED: 17:04 EST, 30 November 2021

We are defending and promoting the frontiers of freedom around the world. That is why I am proud of our soldiers, who are doing great work in places like Estonia – where I joined them yesterday – flying the flag for liberty and democracy.
These troops are out there supporting Nato’s collective defence. Estonia, like its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Latvia, is showing what freedom can deliver 30 years after the collapse of communism. Since being freed from Soviet rule, they have empowered individuals to succeed like never before.
Tomorrow, I am meeting our Nato allies in Riga, where we will show our determination to defend the frontiers of freedom. As part of the world’s greatest alliance, we stand united in our deep diplomatic and security ties which represent both the power and ideal of a network of liberty.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited British troops yesterday who are on deployment to Estonia as a part of the enhanced Forward Presence as they operate alongside other NATO troops in Tapa, Estonia
'As part of the world’s greatest alliance, we stand united in our deep diplomatic and security ties which represent both the power and ideal of a network of liberty.' Pictured: Liz Truss in a tank beside the Union Flag during a trip to Estonia


'As part of the world’s greatest alliance, we stand united in our deep diplomatic and security ties which represent both the power and ideal of a network of liberty.'

'The UK is positioning itself at the heart of a global network of diplomatic and security partnerships, which extends beyond Nato to relationships like our vital Five Eyes intelligence alliance'
It is time for freedom-loving democracies to work closer together to realise this vision, with a strong Nato a core part. The UK is positioning itself at the heart of a global network of diplomatic and security partnerships, which extends beyond Nato to relationships like our vital Five Eyes intelligence alliance. We are going further and faster with partners – such as through the newly-agreed AUKUS partnership

In the same spirit, we want to deepen our work with nations like Canada to cover regions such as the Arctic.
Together with our Nato allies, we are making clear that any incursion by Russia into Ukraine would be a huge strategic mistake. The UK stands ready to use all diplomatic and economic levers at our disposal to avoid such an outcome and impose a high cost should it occur. We cannot, and will not, look the other way while Russia builds up troops on the borders of Ukraine and undermines neighbours like Georgia. ...


🍻
 
I dig the scrim on some of those hats.
I was wondering about that myself

Westminster Abbey, London, UK. 9th Nov, 2017. Mercian Regiment members wear oak leaves in their hats when on Royal duty, in commemoration of their role in protecting a King taking refuge in an oak tree -​


 

HIV-positive diagnosis and treatment no longer a barrier to joining Armed Forces​

Historically, the military has not permitted candidates to join who take regular medications, citing the "logistical burden".

Being HIV-positive or taking preventative treatment for the disease will no longer be a barrier for serving in the UK Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced.

In an announcement to coincide with World Aids Day, ministers have said candidates taking medication to prevent HIV infection will be accepted to join the military, while serving personnel who are HIV-positive will be permitted to take part in operations.

Defence minister Leo Docherty said: "Drug treatment has revolutionised the lives and outcomes of people diagnosed with HIV.

"As a modern and inclusive employer, it is only right that we recognise and act on the latest scientific evidence.

"I'm delighted that an exciting and fulfilling career in the Armed Forces is now open to many more people."

As part of the changes, from Wednesday people who do not have HIV but who are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication to protect against potential infection will be able to join and serve in the Armed Forces with no restrictions.

The policy change was reached with the help of Lieutenant Commander Oliver Brown, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2019.

He told Forces News: “I feel lucky that I work in an organisation that is positive, open-minded, accepting of challenge and has allowed this opportunity to happen.”

He added: “It will change so many people’s lives – not just in defence or people that want to join defence, but people in any walk of life who now just know someone has stood up and said it’s ok.”

. . .
 
Nope.

There are plenty of folks who want to do things other than go "bang bang in the woods" every day. They like being mechanics and medics and logisticians and fin clerks because they find those jobs interesting, finds it helps them to get a civilian job, lets get to hang around with people like them and drink beer and - every once in the while - get to go into the woods and go "bang bang" and drive big trucks.

I've done flood fighting and firefighting and its basically scut work for the vast majority of the people called out. You do get a level of satisfaction from being out there and helping people but quite frankly it takes little training and preparation. Sure some of the toolsets for LUSAR take some teaching and practice, but it's not a job where you will intellectually challenge someone for long. Sitting around waiting for your annual fire season or flood season quickly becomes tedious.

Disaster relief work would be much easier if provincial emergency measures organizations had enough of the right sandbagging and barrier laying equipment and fire fighting equipment and bigger civilian volunteer organizations and municipalities would stop approving the building of subdivisions in flood zones and on the slopes of hills filled with kindling. It's not climate change that's complicating things - its our unbridled expansion onto land that's dangerous to build on.

I've got nothing against disaster relief work, BUT as a secondary task that you get called into when it actually happens when all civilian resources are exhausted. The military reserves' primary job should always be war fighting and in my books being in a maintenance company or transport platoon or a fin clerk or a cook in the military is war fighting. More importantly, on the day that you actually need to fight, you'll never have enough maintainers and truckers and fin clerks and cooks unless you have them in the reserves.


You are way off base if you think the reserves are a "destroy" force. Even if they had their crap together.

The issue is having a credible force for defence and a properly organized reserve force provides a part of a credible force at a reasonable cost.

The reserves are not a club (regardless of how many of D&Bs former COs think it is). The military is an organization that is the last resort for a nation to use when nothing but violence will do. We're not an organization that needs to bring the snake eaters and the tree huggers together in a rousing chorus of "kumbaya". But, as a military organization we do need to bring together a wide variety of people with a wide variety of skill sets.

Sorry, mate. Let those for whom civil defence is the priority form their own club with their own gear and their own songs. Instead of trying to find kinder, gentler raison d'être for the reserves why don't we get back to the purpose of the Canadian Forces as established in the NDA:



There's a reason why the term "armed" is in that sentence. And do you want to know something else - there's no provision anywhere in the NDA that says that the reserve force will be the unarmed, or less-armed component.

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FJAG

I have to apologize to you. I let myself get way off base. And, again, let my temper get the better of me.

I am not going to tackle your post. In general or in detail.

The point that I have been trying to get at is the value to society and the military of having multiple tiers of support. I fear that in Canada we are generating a warrior caste isolated from the community. The community is happy to support their team during the "play offs" but they aren't there throughout the regular season and they aren't joining the minor leagues and bantams that feed their "champions".

I believe that this contributes to the frustration that we all feel about something we care about not being appropriately funded. As we isolate the warriors, the champions, from the community at large I believe we exert less influence on it and increasingly set the Armed Forces up for a fall. The more convinced the nation is that they are adequately defended the less likely they are going to be willing to invest more in their champions. Eventually, however, come the day, their champions will be over-matched and the nation will be disappointed, if not grievously wounded.

To prevent this it has been my longstanding belief that there is value in extending the involvement beyond the hard core of the military into the social realms. And this belief has been shared by others for a very long time, whether it be the Fyrd, the Posse Comitatus, the Militia, the Volunteers, or the Territorials. And I would add the Cadets, Scouts, Guides and Rangers.

It is useful to have the support of those people in peacetime, politically, financially and emotionally, as much as it is important to have them as a recruiting pool in time of crisis. Those people should be encouraged in their enthusiasms. Even if they are only available 24 hours a year. Or 60. Or 120. Or 180.

When things go pear shaped those people will be the first in line to volunteer for a greater engagement.

We talk in terms of Tiers of Special Forces.

I would talk in terms of Tiers of Volunteers - starting with the full-time regular force Volunteers.
Beyond them we have the C, B and A class Volunteers as well as the Rangers and the Supplementary List Volunteers.
I would simply extend the Tiers of Volunteers to include unpaid Volunteers after the fashion of the Home Guards of Scandinavia.
I would be equally happy to have them considered as an adult corps of cadets, or scouts, or auxiliaries.

The more people the community sees in uniform the better as far as I'm concerned. Those represent people talking to neighbours about defence matters and what their needs are. The more events they show up at, in uniform, to help out, the more positive the image and the greater the sense of need and utility. And the less need there is for the full time regular force Volunteers to disengage from their primary tasks.

There are about 100,000 Cadets, Scouts and Rangers enrolled every year. Along with the 25,000 or so primary reservists.

I believe, based on the Danish numbers, the Rangers numbers, the Volunteer Fire Fighters numbers, and the Canadian Volunteer Community at large, that Perrin Beatty's 90,000 militia volunteers is entirely doable. In fact I believe that 300,000 is doable.

But not all of those 300,000 are going to be available for all training and every mission. The number available for any given call out will be variable. Their skill sets will be variable. The training deltas will be variable. But on any given day, a significant portion, even if it is only 10% will likely be available for Class C service and free to deploy with regular force skills.

This is not an either or situation. This is an all of the above situation.

60,000 Regulars?
300,000 Auxiliaries?
90,000 Home Guard?
30,000 Active Reserves on Class A, B and C?
Do we not think from a pool of 300,000 interested auxiliaries we could find even 10,000 useful bodies to fall in on the regs for a limited duration?
 
Kirkhill

Nothing to apologize for.

You and I simply have a fundamental disagreement as to how far the possible is possible in this country.

I've argued for years as to how we can take Canada's reserve force, which has very capable people in it but which as a group is highly ineffective, and make it a reliable and valuable part of the defence team. I've been shot down more times than I can count.

My point of view is simply that if we can't even get such a limited objective as creating a viable reserve force going in this country then the concept of a home guard is well beyond reach. In other words, if you can't get me, a wholehearted enthusiast for a large part-time volunteer force on board, then what hope do you have of convincing anyone else - especially those who like to start by creating a bulleted list of all the obstacles to success.

I enjoy the discussions though.

🍻
 
Kirkhill

Nothing to apologize for.

You and I simply have a fundamental disagreement as to how far the possible is possible in this country.

I've argued for years as to how we can take Canada's reserve force, which has very capable people in it but which as a group is highly ineffective, and make it a reliable and valuable part of the defence team. I've been shot down more times than I can count.

My point of view is simply that if we can't even get such a limited objective as creating a viable reserve force going in this country then the concept of a home guard is well beyond reach. In other words, if you can't get me, a wholehearted enthusiast for a large part-time volunteer force on board, then what hope do you have of convincing anyone else - especially those who like to start by creating a bulleted list of all the obstacles to success.

I enjoy the discussions though.

🍻

especially those who like to start by creating a bulleted list of all the obstacles to success

No disrespect to the Regulars but my concern is that much of the time you would have been arguing with foxes guarding the hen house.

I don't find much evidence for "National" Defence champions in this country. Certainly there is nothing that has the weight of 50 state governors and their National Guards in the US.

And given the budget situation in this country I can't blame the Regulars for seizing on every dollar available. On the other hand if the Provinces were to apply the same pressure on our Feds that the Governors put on the US Feds then I suspect that the purse could be forced open a bit more.

I see the Militia and the National Guard as parallel agencies. The problem could be that the Mililtia is seen as being more of an Army Reserve than it is a National Guard. The Militia has no champions. The National Guard has 50.


WASHINGTON MILITARY DEPARTMENT

Citizens Serving Citizens with Pride & Tradition

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION

During state emergencies, EMD manages the State Emergency Operations Center located on Camp Murray, near Tacoma, and coordinates the response to ensure help is provided to those who need it quickly and effectively. The EOC is designated as the central location for information gathering, disaster analysis, and response coordination. Other state agencies with emergency roles may come to the EOC to help coordinate the state response. Federal government agencies, along with state and local volunteer organizations, also may provide representatives. At the EOC, information gathered is used by executives to make decisions concerning emergency actions and to identify and prioritize the use of state resources needed to respond to the emergency. The EOC may issue emergency warnings or disseminate critical information and instructions to government personnel and the public who may need to take emergency protective actions.

THE WASHINGTON STATE GUARD

The Washington State Guard is an all-volunteer unit organized under the Military Department of the State of Washington. Its members come from all walks of life. They normally serve without remuneration and meet monthly, or more often as needed, within organized units stationed at strategic locations throughout the State.

The mission of the Washington State Guard is to provide organized units that are equipped and trained in the protection of life or property and the preservation of peace, order and public safety under competent orders of State authorities.

The Washington State Guard serves at the direction of the state’s Adjutant General. It is always ready to provide trained personnel to support civil government authority, provide for the protection and preservation of life or property during natural or manmade disasters or civil emergencies, and rapidly and effectively respond to search, rescue, or recovery operations. Additionally, the members of the Washington State Guard effectively execute State Homeland Defense missions and participate as active members and contributing citizens of our local communities.

THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD

The Washington National Guard is made up of more than 8,000 citizen soldiers and airmen who are dedicated to our mission of safeguarding lives, property and the economy of Washington State. First organized in 1855, the Washington National Guard has a long history of serving our communities.

Our men and women are Washington residents who are invested in their communities and care deeply for the people we serve. We are your neighbors, co-workers, friends and family members. We come from different towns, professions and backgrounds but come together for a common goal to serve those who need our help – across our state, nation and world.

At the call of the Governor, the Washington National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their efforts to protect lives and property. The Washington National Guard is also subject to the call of the United States President to serve as part of the total U.S. Military.

In return for a commitment from the National Guard the State gets supplied with useful federal kit like Chinooks and Blackhawks.

 
Kirkhill, I don’t disagree with the spirit of your desire to see proponency for a militia/guard-like, but I see a fundamental difference in the base of both nations being compared…America is a Republic of States, and the States have a very strong tie to their respective Guards and through the Senate structure, entirely equal (less D.C.) representation amongst the States. Canada, as a Federation of Provinces and Territories have no direct link from Lieutenants-Governor to directly command standing forces of citizen soldiers. The Feds care little enough about the militia(s) with no vested protection of their employment domestically (or deployed). The Country overall, doesn’t care enough, and the sub-sets of Provinces have no inherent command skin in the game. In the end, I don’t think the comparison holds the day, even for consideration as to what could be in the future.

Regards
G2G
 
No disrespect to the Regulars but my concern is that much of the time you would have been arguing with foxes guarding the hen house.

I don't find much evidence for "National" Defence champions in this country. Certainly there is nothing that has the weight of 50 state governors and their National Guards in the US.

And given the budget situation in this country I can't blame the Regulars for seizing on every dollar available. On the other hand if the Provinces were to apply the same pressure on our Feds that the Governors put on the US Feds then I suspect that the purse could be forced open a bit more.

I see the Militia and the National Guard as parallel agencies. The problem could be that the Mililtia is seen as being more of an Army Reserve than it is a National Guard. The Militia has no champions. The National Guard has 50.
It's not just the Regulars that are the issue, its also the senior Res F leadership. For close to nine years I sat at the Res F big boy & girl table and the support there was mixed. Meds and Sigs were pretty well off on their own (that's before Sigs became part of the Army). Navy was doing well in those days and air - well air is air. The Army Res were always the problem. No independent vision but basically towing the Reg F line.

I'm really not sure money is the real issue. It's toys. The good toys have always gone to the Reg F - just look at the Bison fiasco. AVGP was a small nod. Javelins another small nod. Equipment is a money factor but the big money factor is the recurring annual PY costs.

I think there are two key fears/excuses.

1) if the reserves could adequately field certain equipment heavy capabilities then there would no longer be a justification for Reg F PYs for them; and

2) the reserves are not capable of managing and using equipment so we shouldn't give it to them - which makes them incapable of managing etc etc - basically a vicious cycle of - you're incompetent so you can't be trusted and you're incompetent because we don't trust you.

As to the US, it's not just the governors who champion the reserves - there are 336,000 army national guard who have a state role but there are also 189,000 army reservists who work for no governor. What motivates the army and country's leadership is that they both know that they need a very large military and cannot afford one on full-time salaries. It's either a draft army or a volunteer reserve. Either way it needs gear or its of limited value. As a result the whole US army is equipped but half of the equipment - the part that isn't needed day-to-day - is in the hands of the guard and reserves.

Canada does not need a large army and it really has no idea how large an army it needs. There's a constant tension between government, who wants to get away with as little as possible, while the army tries to maximize its capabilities with what the government gives it.

I think the concern within the army is that if it was to admit that it could do the job required with a large trained and equipped reserve component then it would lose a dramatic number of PYs. Similarly, simply asking for more equipment for the reserves would require justifying that the Army needs more equipment than it already has. That would be a hard sell to the government especially when you consider that, with the exception of certain glaring capability deficiencies, we have more and better equipment then we had during the Cold War. We would have killed for a LAV or a Leo 2 or even a TAPV back in the 80s. Add to that the fact that the Army has spent the last two decades convincing the government that it has built a wonderful medium, agile all-singing, all-dancing Army.

A lot of the arguments made on this forum in favour of the RCAF and the RCN as a defence priority are quite valid. The Army has only two defence missions in its favour - 1) small scale training or peacekeepingish missions or defence against small territorial incursions (which it can more or less handle from within its existing resources) or 2) international deterrence of Russia where, again, we face the conundrum of how little can we get away with. (I don't think we can deter China with land power)

I tend to think deterrence is a big deal. I think this because my entire military career was spent as part of a successful deterrent force. There were very few low-hanging fruit for the Soviets to gather in Europe on my watch. The situation has changed drastically and I took it very seriously back in the early 00s when a Russian diplomat told one of my seminars that "If the Baltic States join NATO, Russian tanks will roll". They've rolled in several places already. I'm keeping my eyes on the Suwalki gap these days as well as the Ukraine.

Back to what will make people serious about building up the reserves - only one thing in my mind: NATO gives Canada an ultimatum to forward preposition a flyover brigade, backed up by a division and Canada decides not to add another PY to the force in order to do it. That should logically force the issue for the Reg F.

I'm not holding my breath though.

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I think there are two key fears/excuses.

1) if the reserves could adequately field certain equipment heavy capabilities then there would no longer be a justification for Reg F PYs for them;

PRes Class A? B? That aren’t eligible to deploy beyond Canada until they become Class C (ie. Temp RegF equiv.)
 
PRes Class A? B? That aren’t eligible to deploy beyond Canada until they become Class C (ie. Temp RegF equiv.)
The answer is in the NDA:

  • 31 (1) The Governor in Council may place the Canadian Forces or any component, unit or other element thereof or any officer or non-commissioned member thereof on active service anywhere in or beyond Canada at any time when it appears advisable to do so
    • (a) by reason of an emergency, for the defence of Canada;
    • (b) in consequence of any action undertaken by Canada under the United Nations Charter; or
    • (c) in consequence of any action undertaken by Canada under the North Atlantic Treaty, the North American Aerospace Defence Command Agreement or any other similar instrument to which Canada is a party.
PRes Class A can, on a moments notice, be turned into full-timers for operations anywhere in the world.

The answer is simple - at the same time I do not underestimate the military bureaucracy's penchant for making simple things very complex. Where there's a will, the law already paves a way.

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ie. Conscription of the Reserve component to involuntary service.

So why hasn’t any PM (with the GG’s endorsement, of course) after WW II done so?

There is no will. Won’t ever happen again like it did in WW I and WW II…
 
The answer is in the NDA:


PRes Class A can, on a moments notice, be turned into full-timers for operations anywhere in the world.

And those who've been married for more than 10 years are hoping... ;)
 
ie. Conscription of the Reserve component to involuntary service.

So why hasn’t any PM (with the GG’s endorsement, of course) after WW II done so?

There is no will. Won’t ever happen again like it did in WW I and WW II…
There is a vast difference between conscripting someone who is not a volunteer and sending them off to war and taking someone who has volunteered for military service, signed enrollment documents attesting to his willingness to serve and then having him do so.

Note that service with the reserve force is for other than continuing, full-time military service when not on active service.

I haven't seen a CF 444 in quite a long time (1978 if I remember correctly) but when I was swearing people into the P Res I made sure (as I was required to) to ensure that they understood their full obligations including the fact that they could be ordered to go and die for their country (not using those exact words).

Whether or not a government has the will is a question neither you nor I can answer as we don't know what crisis a future government has to face. The fact of the matter is that there is no discernable difference as between sending a Reg F soldier off to war or a reservist. Both have volunteered to go.

I found over my years that this issue about calling up the reserves seems to be a bigger issue for the Reg F to accept than for reservists themselves. I've given numerous terms of service lectures to both Reg F and Res F audiences and the push back usually came from Reg F participants which I always found curious.

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I found over my years that this issue about calling up the reserves seems to be a bigger issue for the Reg F to accept than for reservists themselves. I've given numerous terms of service lectures to both Reg F and Res F audiences and the push back usually came from Reg F participants which I always found curious.

🍻

Apparently, and ironially, dozens of Class A reservists are begging to be called up to help with the floods in BC, but the red tape is proving harder to get through than the flood waters ;)
 
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