Army Reserve Restructuring

[McG]

A simple example: A unit in three locations. How often does the command team need to be present, together, in each? Do the CO and RSM have to be geographically co-located? What is the optimal, maximum distance to exercise C2?

Why do we need that consolidated as one unit under a LCol CO instead of separate as three units under Maj COs?

 

[dapaterson]

Why do we need that consolidated as one unit under a LCol CO instead of separate as three units under Maj COs?

At some point there is a CoC with responsibilities, that include being present.

 

[McG]

Sure, but there is a lot of responsibility and authority specifically placed in COs. So make the CO a major and keep it local. You then reduce the level of familiarity that some LCol two cities away needs to maintain.

 

[MilEME09]

I was talking to a guy last week from one of those units.

200 'effectives', 30 attending on a weekend exercise...

I saw one as bad as 60 ES and 8 TES, authorized str? 180ish

 

[ueo]

Are STDs that bad up in Barrie and Owen Sound ?

our attempt at humor just sux!

 

[CountDC]

Requirements to free up NCOs to staff locally run courses, which for some units essentially deprives them of key people to meet annual collective training goals.


And get the time commitment for COs back somewhere under 60 class A day equivalents.

last time I worked at a pres from May to end Aug I was for a large part the only full time staff at the unit. Everyone else was tasked as staff or instructing on course at the local base. Some would try to do what they could when they could (nights, meal times, etc) while others understood the task the were assigned away for was their job now and they didn't do anything for the unit.

Once had a new CO tell me during his "new CO brief" from the Bde Cmdt he was basically told that as a CO he was expected to put in full time hours at the job despite only allowed to sign in for 60 days.

Why do we need that consolidated as one unit under a LCol CO instead of separate as three units under Maj COs?

Would have been happy if this was the case at a unit I spent time with. The location I was physically at was great, the others not so much. At one point the CO was mainly located in another province. None were within an hour drive of each other and one was over 600 kms from the nearest other. All 3 largely operated as separate units which was a big problem in accomplishing anything.

 

[MilEME09]

Once had a new CO tell me during his "new CO brief" from the Bde Cmdt he was basically told that as a CO he was expected to put in full time hours at the job despite only allowed to sign in for 60 days.

sadly this is the reality for a lot of larger units both for jr and senior leadership, I get compensated two days a month for admin etc, i do enough work to justify 10 days easily but theres no money for additional compensation i am told.

 

[childs56]

sadly this is the reality for a lot of larger units both for jr and senior leadership, I get compensated two days a month for admin etc, i do enough work to justify 10 days easily but theres no money for additional compensation i am told.

I use to work my full time civi job, take time off for weekly runs as required (Fridays and some Thursdays) for the unit and put in 6-8 hrs evenings just to make things work. It was all for a better process going forward. We had three people putting in 30-40plus hrs a week keeping the Bty Operating.
Had we had the proper support, funds, equipment we could have staffed, trained and retained 100plus Soldiers. HQ always has other plans for the money.
Until they plan properly for success they will continue to get mediocre to failed results.

 

[MilEME09]

I use to work my full time civi job, take time off for weekly runs as required (Fridays and some Thursdays) for the unit and put in 6-8 hrs evenings just to make things work. It was all for a better process going forward. We had three people putting in 30-40plus hrs a week keeping the Bty Operating.
Had we had the proper support, funds, equipment we could have staffed, trained and retained 100plus Soldiers. HQ always has other plans for the money.
Until they plan properly for success they will continue to get mediocre to failed results.

or we just let things fail

 

[CountDC]

Sometimes letting things fail is the best solution. It highlights that there is an issue that needs to be fixed. I used to put in a lot of over time to get the job done. I no longer put in as many hours as I realized the effect it had. By working the hours I did no one realized that there was an issue. I also realized that I was setting up anyone that came in after me for failure if they were not able to match those hours. For example - as single I could stay at work for as long as I wanted to accomplish things and everyone was happy. The next person in as a parent cannot put in those hours without a negative impact to their home life. Naturally everyone questions their skillset not realizing I was putting in all those hours. Best solution would have been for me to let things fail drawing attention to the issue so something could be done. Redistribute responsibilities or add staff would have been a good solution.

 

[Halifax Tar]

or we just let things fail

That's exactly what I was told to do by a Capt(N) last year. He said it's time we start doing that.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Let the wheel break. By propping things up, you allow irresponsible people to continue pushing resources to things they'd rather do instead of things they should do.