Armoured Soldier Reservist Q's

[ex_coelis]

If the King's Own will participate with South Alberta Light Horse in fall 09 (Sept - Dec) weekends, you might be course loaded on a DP1 Armoured Recce course so you can be considered for Afgan tour.

You can apply for tour with just DP1?? That's interesting news considering DP1 is not even "Armoured Recce" but "Driver" and without DP2 Observer you're not even trade qualified.

 

[ajp]

My few cents worth...

I know reserve crewman who lived in FOB's and drove LAVs for a tour and were seen as some ofthe best drivers on their tours.  They saw some vere cool action.  THey also saw the worst of what was out there.  I know Res Pers of all ranks that have served on CIMIC tours and on other tasks. 

The platform at home may be G Wagon, but when they go overseas thay may be tasked with anything, and the men and women I know that dod tours were broought up to speed through a full cycle of training.  It is doubtful that the reservists would get Tank tasks, but there are a lot of LAV and Coyote qualified reservists out there.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Aside from the valid comments from people familiar with the PRes Armd Recce world, I am curious about your education.  Not that its my business, but I wouldn't 'plan' on taking a year off school to work full time in the Reserves.  Until you are MOC (trade) qualified, you can't even apply for Class B (full time employment in a Reserve position) or Class C (filling a position in the Reg Force that is vacant) positions. 

Giving up your education for a year might be something you want to rethink.  Also, even if/when you are MOC qualified, getting a Class B/C contract or tour is never a sure thing.

Just something to think about before you put your education on hold.  If you do want to go on a tour, thats great, just realize its not a given.  Having an education to fall back in if you don't like the CF/get injured/don't complete the trg for "any reason" is a smart thing, IMO, if at all possible.

If you are interested in a full time career (Reg Force) as a Crewman, the trade is understrength and taking people now.

If you are interested in a full time career as an Officer, being that you are working towards your degree, have you looked at the CEOTP program for Officers (Reg Force)?

If you are interested in a career with the RCMP, are you aware they are recruiting 2000 new members actively at this time?

Lots to think about...

 

[brihard]

I guess I'll throw in here too.

I'm deployed right now in a platoon that's half reserve infantry and half reserve armour (plus one poor RegF RCR MCpl). We do the convoy escorts for the national support element. Earlier in this thread, convoys were mentioned as a 'rear area security' task, which I can't agree with. The concept of a 'rear area' in Afghanistan is misplaced.

I digress though; our platoon accounts for the majority of the reserve armoured guys deployed overseas right now, so for the near future at least any deployment has a good chance of doing convoys.

HOWEVER, that being said, there are some tasks that reserve armoured guys have also been farmed out to do. There are a couple with the armoured and recce squadrons, and a few with CIMIC. There are also at least one or two employed essentially as GD guys.

There's the chance that more PRes armoured guys will be getting picked up for the tanks and recce squadron in future tours, but by all indications convoy escort will continue to be the primary employment. That said, these things can change very quickly as a new task force assembles.

Hope that helps you a bit.

 

[Xiang]

You can apply for tour with just DP1?? That's interesting news considering DP1 is not even "Armoured Recce" but "Driver" and without DP2 Observer you're not even trade qualified.

Most R011's who end up on tour rarely get actual recce positions.  It is mostly convoy escorts, or gate duty.  (almost) Everything they need to know is taught during ramp up training.