Posted by J Wilson <jbwilson@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca> on Sat, 26 Feb 2000 19:36:33 -0700 (MST)
In response to a couple of topics that have been discussed on the emails
lately I have some comments. Having served in the US Army 75th Ranger
Reg‘t and now in the Canadian Army I feel that Airborne and elite forces
play a vital and instrumental role in any army. Firstly, they raise the
standard, giving troops something to strive for, without it, we would be
happy with the minimun ex. MLOC Just like pro sport raises the standard
of amateur sportwithout the NHL to strive for the level of play of most
juniors would be far below what it is today.
Secondly they are an awesome recruiting tool. No onewants to join a
military where you arent considered to be "the best" by the rest of the
country. In the US, the majority of people in Basic were there to be
"Delta operators". 99 of them realize that it sucks however and go to
leg units. It does get however a very high level of recruit into the
army.
thirdly airborne units have a different psyche that "regular" units. A
get the job done attitude, higher PT levels, a model for the rest of the
army.
I feel that the Canadian mil is forgetting a number of these factors and
wishes to create a "business work force"and is moving away from what
makes effective soldiers and armies. Meanwhile in the hardcore
business community companies like IBM and Microsoft are rewarding their
employees more for increased fitness levels than the Cdn army is.
Not to diss the Canadian Army however, as I feel that the average soldier
here is far better trained in individual soldering and mentally sharp than
your average American
soldier.
JW
On Sat, 26 Feb 2000, Patrick Cain wrote:
> At 23:35 25/02/2000 -0600, Gordan Dundas wrote:
> >What we could really use is an airborne brigade plus a couple of light
> infantry
> >brigades to go with our three mech infantry brigades.
> >But since we barly have enough airlift for a battalion it‘s not likely to
> happen
> >is it?
> >
>
> It‘s that giddy pre-budget time: might as well dream.
>
> This ties in with a recent conversation I had, pleasing but not realistic,
> about what we could do with five brigades. The results, after a couple of
> pints, were:
>
> 1 CMBGHeavy armour Edmonton/Wainwright
> 2 CBGLight/airbornePetawawa
> 3 CBGShoreline opsGagetown/Aldershot
> 4 CBGArctic and mountain warfareChilliwack
> 5 CBGHeliborne opsValcartier
>
> A doctrinal dog‘s breakfast, but not all that different from what the Dutch
> do. The concept would be that militia in each army area LFWA/2 would
> train to either augment or to expand to replicate their corresponding
> regular army unit.
>
>
>
> Patrick Cain
>
> voice: 416 539-0939
> fax: 416 515-3698
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