"But the decision to send mostly reserves into COVID-infested facilities shows there is still an institutional command-level bias towards reservists as temporary, expendable “proles” better suited for the dirty, cumbersome, “fatigue duty” jobs that generate no real operational credit to a well-defined career progression and standard set by senior regular force personnel.
Yet there is a significant difference to Operation Laser that calls out and shames any lingering command prejudice towards the reserves, which is that the service personnel performing emergency personal support worker and other public health and custodial duties are getting wounded — yes, wounded in large numbers. Let’s not for a moment assume that the numerous confirmed COVID-infected soldiers coming out of Operation Laser just have really, really bad colds.
Further, based on the squalid conditions in the homes the military recently divulged, the risk seems quite high that one of these COVID-19 wounded reservists will die in the course of their duties."
As I recall it was not a decision to send mostly reserves in, they all voluntarily signed up for Class C's of around 6 months in order to be available to deal with any government requests including COVID-19. A large portion of our Regular Force medical staff were deployed from across the country (try to get medical attention at your local med sect, can be quite a feat but they are doing the best they can for stripped down sects). We lost some Class B members as they opted to go on Op Laser instead of staying here. Generating a force of 24000 members for a domop is naturally going to lean heavy on reserves. For anything 24000 is a large number for the military.
Where does he get the information to support his claim the risk is quite high that one will die? Stats do not support that statement as over half of deaths are the elderly from these homes that we now are supporting and 90% are over 60. Last count I saw was 20 cases and they were not identified as reserve or regular force. As far as we know that could be 20 regular force doctors, nurses, medics, etc, etc, etc. I am reasonably sure that none of our members are over 60.
Sensationalized reporting at best. Service in the 80s and 90s is not the same as today thankfully (he retired in 2004 as an Int Capt after approximately 20 years). How about looking at the number of Regular Force members of today that have Reserve time and completed a CT then lets talk about attitudes between the reserves and regulars.
Perhaps he preferred that regular force members be deployed from their work positions instead of the reserve members hired for this sat in Borden training.
Don't know about everywhere but at some reserve and regular units participation in a domop is a feather in the cap, has influence at merit boards and could make the difference in who gets promoted. Medals are not everything.
In the end I think he is perhaps 16 years out of tune looking to stir the pot.