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

[Brad Sallows]

I'm a Signals Officer and I still am appalled at the state of Vimy Barracks and feel the bulk of it needs to be torn down to it's foundations and rebuilt from scratch. Instead, either by funding or nostalgia, we train LEO Satellite theory in a former horse stable.

Having a cavalry tradition has consequences.

 

[markppcli]

At the risk of resurrecting this thread, I just thought I’d share something in the right direction:

70 reactions · 7 comments | A new video of 56 Field Artillery Regiment's (M777) C Troop. In June 2020 the Regiment was given the Mission Task of developing a M777 Troop to Augment... | By 56th Field Artillery Regiment / 56e régiment d'artillerie de

A new video of 56 Field Artillery Regiment's (M777) C Troop. In June 2020 the Regiment was given the Mission Task of developing a M777 Troop to Augment...

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56 Field is able to put a troop of M777 qualified person in the field and has exercised it as part of 2 RCHA. 11 of these pers are preparing to deploy in 25-02. It’s a good model to follow I think if you can have 2 Tp per Rgt made up of reservists.

 

[FJAG]

At the risk of resurrecting this thread, I just thought I’d share something in the right direction:

70 reactions · 7 comments | A new video of 56 Field Artillery Regiment's (M777) C Troop. In June 2020 the Regiment was given the Mission Task of developing a M777 Troop to Augment... | By 56th Field Artillery Regiment / 56e régiment d'artillerie de

A new video of 56 Field Artillery Regiment's (M777) C Troop. In June 2020 the Regiment was given the Mission Task of developing a M777 Troop to Augment...

www.facebook.com

56 Field is able to put a troop of M777 qualified person in the field and has exercised it as part of 2 RCHA. 11 of these pers are preparing to deploy in 25-02. It’s a good model to follow I think if you can have 2 Tp per Rgt made up of reservists.

I think 56 Fd has been punching above its weight ever since @Petard was there as an RSSO a decade or so ago. Which is interesting as its a dispersed regiment with armouries in each of Brantford, St Catherines and Simcoe.

Back in around 2009 and 10, the plan was made in support of Force 2013 giving ARes units specific mission tasks (in spite of but working within LFRR) In short, the 18 regts and independent batteries were tasked to form a total of 12 dismounted FOO parties, 25 gun dets, 12 gun troop CPs, 3 HALO tps and 3 LCMR tps for a total of 533 all ranks. The expectation was that this would allow the sustainable operational deployment of 2 FOO parties, a two-gun troop and 1/2 each HALO and LCMR troops per LoO 3 roto (for a total of 58 all ranks per roto.) A further 617 all ranks were assigned to domestic ops duties. At the time 56 Fd was only tasked with 1 x M777 gun det and 1 HALO tp.

Problematic was the equipment side of the equation as the STA gear could not be decentralized sufficiently, the availability of training opportunities on the M777 were inconsistent across the RegF regiments and the ARes gunner equipment was slowly self divesting itself. 2 RCHA has had a good record of supporting ARes training and involvement.

 

[daftandbarmy]

2 RCHA has had a good record of supporting ARes training and involvement.

That's the key to success, IMHO, for any ARes augmentation efforts for the Reg F. Without it, you're probably doomed to rapid failure.

 

[MilEME09]

That's the key to success, IMHO, for any ARes augmentation efforts for the Reg F. Without it, you're probably doomed to rapid failure.

absolutely, building relationships are key, we're trying to argue right now instead of mechanics going on a two week brigade or div ex, we should farm them out to base maintenance Wainwright for two weeks. having worked with them before, they would happily take the help, and would lead to better trained mechanics.

 

[daftandbarmy]

absolutely, building relationships are key, we're trying to argue right now instead of mechanics going on a two week brigade or div ex, we should farm them out to base maintenance Wainwright for two weeks. having worked with them before, they would happily take the help, and would lead to better trained mechanics.

Damn, now that's a great idea.

It's almost as if a Brigade Commander, or someone like that, should have come up with it first though

 

[MilEME09]

Damn, now that's a great idea.

It's almost as if a Brigade Commander, or someone like that, should have come up with it first though

wouldn't be the first time in my career someone got a commendation for something i did

 

[markppcli]

Damn, now that's a great idea.

It's almost as if a Brigade Commander, or someone like that, should have come up with it first though

How do they feel about exotic Shilo?

 

[childs56]

I think 56 Fd has been punching above its weight ever since @Petard was there as an RSSO a decade or so ago. Which is interesting as its a dispersed regiment with armouries in each of Brantford, St Catherines and Simcoe.

Back in around 2009 and 10, the plan was made in support of Force 2013 giving ARes units specific mission tasks (in spite of but working within LFRR) In short, the 18 regts and independent batteries were tasked to form a total of 12 dismounted FOO parties, 25 gun dets, 12 gun troop CPs, 3 HALO tps and 3 LCMR tps for a total of 533 all ranks. The expectation was that this would allow the sustainable operational deployment of 2 FOO parties, a two-gun troop and 1/2 each HALO and LCMR troops per LoO 3 roto (for a total of 58 all ranks per roto.) A further 617 all ranks were assigned to domestic ops duties. At the time 56 Fd was only tasked with 1 x M777 gun det and 1 HALO tp.

Problematic was the equipment side of the equation as the STA gear could not be decentralized sufficiently, the availability of training opportunities on the M777 were inconsistent across the RegF regiments and the ARes gunner equipment was slowly self divesting itself. 2 RCHA has had a good record of supporting ARes training and involvement.

They were allocating taskings in early 2000. We hired the people, promised them things would get better, it only got worse. Equipment was short supply and budgets kept getting cut.
We had a standing offer from the ANG in Yakima and a Reserve Marine unit to get training on their guns and equipment. They were even going to send a training gun(s) to our Armories for us to use Either or both Towed and SP. All we had to do was provide man power. They even talked about using their allocation of transport aircraft from McChord AFB to pick us up and transport us to cut down on travel time.
Our COC told us we did not train on US equipment, a few months later I watched videos of the Reserve units out East getting their C3s lifter by helo in by the US in the US.

It really is a shame they don't buy more equipment and put more money into training. What 56Fd and 2RCHA have done is a success. Needs to be built upon to keep the momentum growing.

 

[FJAG]

It really is a shame they don't buy more equipment and put more money into training. What 56Fd and 2RCHA have done is a success. Needs to be built upon to keep the momentum growing.

I went to 2 RCHA in 1972 for four years after two years in 3 RCHA, then after two years in RSS back to 3 RCHA for another three years. 2 RCHA was heads and shoulders above 3 RCHA in how they dealt with the regional ARes regiments. The momentum has been going in 2 RCHA for decades now. 3 RCHA - now 1 RCHA - has been hit and miss depending on the leadership at the time. I can't speak for 5 RALC.

For me the issue is that ARes support shouldn't depend on serendipity depending on who is running the local RegF regiment; it needs to be institutionalised in a practical, effective and sustainable way. Too often, the chain of command, both Reg and ARes, is the problem and not the solution.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I was never impressed with 3rd Herd, must be something in the Shilo waters. ! RCHA in Germany was a joy to work for.

 

[Petard]

I think 56 Fd has been punching above its weight ever since @Petard was there as an RSSO a decade or so ago. Which is interesting as its a dispersed regiment with armouries in each of Brantford, St Catherines and Simcoe.

While I had a part in mentoring many of the good soldiers of that unit, the real authors of that unit's success are the former CO's of 56 Fd and 42-30 Fd Regt's, respectively LCol Pitt and LCol Causey. Many of the 4 Div P Res Arty units were bolstered by their change in IT planning. They envisioned dispersed trg up to DP 3 lvl over the calendar year, each yr focusing at a different lvl, all integrated with 2 RCHA's trg plans. This is contrary to the "summer concentration" model. Units within a geographical area would gather at the nearest armouries on weekends, and Crse FTX were integrated with unit trg plans. They were subsequently well supported by 2 RCHA to complete supplemental and/or conversion training.

This did require buy in by RCAS, for what normally would be national level courses, which they got. Oddly, they were not that well supported by their respective Bde's, but it's hard to argue against success. The photo shows what 56 Fd was able to put out in the Fd for a typical weekend FTX, c 2016, compared to what they could achieve after 4 yrs using the dispersed method. This approach was adaptable enough that it was even sustained through the pandemic, additionally it helped resolve leadership succession problems typical of P Res units.. It has certainly created more FG depth for Fd Arty tasks within 4 Div. It doesn't, however, address STA and Air Def personnel deficiencies, but perhaps that's more of a 5 Div issue. It is questionable how successful this approach might be elsewhere. 3 Div units face greater logistical challenges, not the least of which are the enormous distances units are apart. I'm not sure how well it might be accepted within 2 Div; unfortunately, there does seem to be an obstinate "us and them" culture there. It's too easy to make something not work, so BZ to the Gunners of 56 Fd for leaning into it, showing a method that can.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The Reserve+ Regular force solution, I think is geographical specific. So a "National system" might not work.

 

[FJAG]

The Reserve+ Regular force solution, I think is geographical specific. So a "National system" might not work.

It is, but doesn't need to stay that way.

I interviewed both Pitt and Causey with @Petard for WAFGs and understand where they are coming from. My idea for reform runs a bit different from theirs but I must admit when I was at 26 Fd we had a tremendous advantage with ranges and NRQS/ARTS 25 kms away. We'd do 4 or 5 exercises a year configured like 56 Fd's 2020 version and do everything up to DP2 in-house at the armories and DP 2 and DP3 at Shilo in the summer - easy.

Decentralization works but is resource intensive. Centralization is resource effective but generally fails to train the masses necessary to achieve unit growth. A better solution is needed as we've flipped back and forth between these two systems and never seem to be satisfied.

Effectively, the 30/70 format is designed specifically to ensure that the 70% ARes component has the appropriate leadership, equipment and training available via the 30% RegF component through a mostly decentralized trg process. That means that to a large extent the RegF needs to be where the ARes is. That can be a challenge as it requires a grouping concept that neither the RegF or Ares would like - and we all know how Fitch's little grouping of ARes units concept was received. But - as I've always said; a compromise that both sides are equally unhappy with, is a good one.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The Reserve+ Regular force solution, I think is geographical specific. So a "National system" might not work.

Especially in BC where there are several thousand reservists but no Reg F Army presence... apart from some long suffering RSS staff of course

 

[FJAG]

Especially in BC where there are several thousand reservists but no Reg F Army presence... apart from some long suffering RSS staff of course

How many Class Bs do you folks have out there?

Continuing, full-time service by any other name is ...

 

[daftandbarmy]

How many Class Bs do you folks have out there?

Continuing, full-time service by any other name is ...

A 'thrilling' amount

 

[MilEME09]

A 'thrilling' amount

Plenty of crown land to build a base.....I hear kamloops is nice

 

[daftandbarmy]

Plenty of crown land to build a base.....I hear kamloops is nice

DRC 3 was supposed to be located in Vernon, at the Cadet Camp, as I recall...

Just sayin'

 

[Colin Parkinson]

How many Class Bs do you folks have out there?

Continuing, full-time service by any other name is ...

In my day it was a Clerk and Storesman, supported by 3 RSS staff, Captain, Warrant and M/BDR. When Ops tasked I think we added a vehicle tech, another clerk and for awhile a transport NCO to manage vehicles.