Divining the right role, capabilities, structure, and Regimental System for Canada's Army Reserves

[RCPalmer]

If we fix it so that it doesn't take a year for a soldier to join a part time outfit, as I have seen happen more than once, that would be the kind of transformation we should start with IMHO

Absolutely. Unfortunately everything I have seen with regards to the recruiting SLA to move to 60-90 day processing is that it is not going well...

 

[RedcapCrusader]

If we fix it so that it doesn't take a year for a soldier to join a part time outfit, as I have seen happen more than once, that would be the kind of transformation we should start with IMHO

It's getting there, in the good ol' Calgary, I think we've managed to get it down to 7 months.

It will get there.

 

[MilEME09]

If the PRes is going to train above IBTS, and our mandate requires that we do, we need units to train in. To train at Pl level we need a Coy HQ , and to train at Coy level we need a Bn HQ, etc. All I am advocating is that we move away from our current unsustainable model of 120+ hollow PRes battalions and 10 small CBGs to 12-15 real PRes battalions in 3-5 CBGs.  This would allow us to reinvest a considerable portion of our existing institutional overhead in real capabilities that would be of benefit to the individual augmentation mandate as much as the others. 

I think such a model could work, but I would stress that the CO of such battalions and CBG's could be in any of the locations of said formations, to not produce geographical favoritism. I mean if I joined as a NCM in Windsor, but got told I'd never be RSM because I don't' live in Toronto, i'd say that's retarded.

 

[Ostrozac]

I think such a model could work, but I would stress that the CO of such battalions and CBG's could be in any of the locations of said formations, to not produce geographical favoritism.

Every now and then the Reserve Force gets going on a remote workforce travel policy -- and then it kind of stalls out. I'm pretty sure that the current commander of 38 Brigade lives in Thunder Bay (while his HQ is in Winnipeg) -- but that's the only example that I'm aware of. I don't think that 6 Int Coy has ever generated a CO from one of the dispersed platoons in Vancouver or Winnipeg. How are things going in 37 Brigade? They've been doing the split unit thing with 37 Sig Regt and 37 CER -- both units have elements in both NB and Newfoundland. Is it a success story and the way ahead? Or is separating sub-units by 1000km and half a time zone too much of a burden?

 

[MilEME09]

Can't talk about them but my unit has the CO in calgary with the RSM in Edmonton, always has been that way, it is possible we could switch, but lets just say suitable candidates aren't around for a switch to happen, in both cases.

 

[RocketRichard]

It's getting there, in the good ol' Calgary, I think we've managed to get it down to 7 months.

It will get there.

The latest enrolment ceremony of 10 or so in YYC included individuals that started the process 8 months ago to well over a year. Let's keep working on this to get better.

 

[dapaterson]

There are numerous units with geographical dispersion - a few examples include 34 CER in Montreal and Rouyn-Noranda; 38 Svc Bn covers three provinces; 39 Svc Bn has Juan de Fuca between its subunits; 33 Svc Bn is spread over 800kms.

The challenge in time & space for C2 should be a planning consideration when identifying groupings.  If we assume that Reserve units will be commanded by Reservists, who have other full-time employment, then the geographic area that their unit spans has to be a reasonable space for them to be able to see their soldiers.  Otherwise there is risk that qualified and desirable individuals will be unable to command.

 

[RCPalmer]

It's getting there, in the good ol' Calgary, I think we've managed to get it down to 7 months.

It will get there.

That is still 3 times what the CDS has directed (60-90 days).  If the average processing time is 6 months (which is what it was for my unit's applicant's over the last FY), half of the successful applicants are still being processed in a longer time period.  Additionally, that doesn't count the unsuccessful applicants. Those who are processed for a period of time and are not successful, or give up are also an important demographic to consider.  In the case of those who give up, they represent a lost opportunity and wasted unit attraction efforts.

 

[RCPalmer]

There are numerous units with geographical dispersion - a few examples include 34 CER in Montreal and Rouyn-Noranda; 38 Svc Bn covers three provinces; 39 Svc Bn has Juan de Fuca between its subunits; 33 Svc Bn is spread over 800kms.

The challenge in time & space for C2 should be a planning consideration when identifying groupings.  If we assume that Reserve units will be commanded by Reservists, who have other full-time employment, then the geographic area that their unit spans has to be a reasonable space for them to be able to see their soldiers.  Otherwise there is risk that qualified and desirable individuals will be unable to command.

The British Army Reserve takes it a step further.  Virtually all of their units are split across multiple armories, often in the Coy or Pl sized elements, and they have a number of "national" units.  4 Para for example, is split across 9 armories in England and Scotland.  The C2 implications are definitely a consideration, and the British geography creates a different dynamic in terms of travel time, but splitting in this way creates some opportunities to broaden occupational choices, particularly in smaller communities.  I think it makes sense as long as we go where the people are. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

The British Army Reserve takes it a step further.  Virtually all of their units are split across multiple armories, often in the Coy or Pl sized elements, and they have a number of "national" units.  4 Para for example, is split across 9 armories in England and Scotland.  The C2 implications are definitely a consideration, and the British geography creates a different dynamic in terms of travel time, but splitting in this way creates some opportunities to broaden occupational choices, particularly in smaller communities.  I think it makes sense as long as we go where the people are.

And, although things may have changed, as I recall, the TA have about 10 times the Reg F support per unit than we have, including a full training team of SNCOs and support staff, drivers etc, usually headed up by a 'Training Major' (a job that I narrowly dodged at one point .... whew )

 

[dapaterson]

If the average processing time is 6 months (which is what it was for my unit's applicant's over the last FY), half of the successful applicants are still being processed in a longer time period. 

No.  Average usually refers to arithmetic mean, not median.  For example, if enrolment times were 2, 2, 2, 3 and 16 months, then the average is 5 months, but 80% of applicants were below average in time. (EDIT: See http://www.purplemath.com/modules/meanmode.htm)

(Not to say that work isn't necessary to shorten recruiting times).

 

[RCPalmer]

No.  Average usually refers to arithmetic mean, not median.  For example, if enrolment times were 2, 2, 2, 3 and 16 months, then the average is 5 months, but 80% of applicants were below average in time. (EDIT: See http://www.purplemath.com/modules/meanmode.htm)

(Not to say that work isn't necessary to shorten recruiting times).

Well, you've got me on my arts major math. 

To provide some context, our fastest processing time (for enrolled applicants) was 4 months and the longest 11, but most applicants were clustered pretty tightly around the 6 month mark.

 

[Kirkhill]

No.  Average usually refers to arithmetic mean, not median.  For example, if enrolment times were 2, 2, 2, 3 and 16 months, then the average is 5 months, but 80% of applicants were below average in time. (EDIT: See http://www.purplemath.com/modules/meanmode.htm)

(Not to say that work isn't necessary to shorten recruiting times).

And to complete the pedantic trifecta the mode is 2.

 

[blackberet17]

36 Bde has the Bde Comd from Nova Scotia Highlanders, while the Bde SM is PEIR.

My enrolment from the time I dropped off the papers to swearing in was just over three months.

These days, it's a year. We were able to squeeze a couple new enlistments in, in under five months, to be on the latest BMQ.

But the ones we've lost over the last three years just because they waited too long, and found other employment...



edited to correct Bde Comd's home unit. Thanks to Harris for letting me know.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Yup, all these computers and programs sure have helped make us more efficient!  ^-^

 

[Kirkhill]

Yup, all these computers and programs sure have helped make us more efficient!  ^-^

Don't mock, EITS!  I am sure the Army, like every other organization is now much more efficient at killing trees and sequestring carbon in filing cabinets.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The things we did back in the day when Op's tasked, moving a battery to Shilo from Vancouver for a shoot, without much in the way of computers I might add.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

OBVIOUSLY staged;  how could that have happened without a 99 slide Powerpoint to detail everything out, use buzzwords and all the important stuff?

What...did you just use, you know...a basic orders format with, timings and all that on it? 

 

[The Bread Guy]

What...did you just use, you know...a basic orders format with, timings and all that on it?

And maybe even a bit of carbon paper here and there as well ...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

And maybe even a bit of carbon paper here and there as well ...

If only they would have supplied that somewhere convenient...like the back of the pad you used in the field for messages!  :blotto:

Oh, I miss the days when the runner (usually the Tp Ldr's dvr) would go from callsign to callsign in the hide, with a copy of the Warning Order...which you would read, copy the important parts into your FMP and then initial that you'd read it.  Back in the day when, people actually talked to each other and stuff...