captjtq said:We were using R22eR folks in my Roto to fill positions here and there, with great success.... PM me if you want more info, this was theatre-specific, obviously - it's an MP mandate, for the most part, with JTF-2 coming in on specific occasions, as they are still responsible for certain aspects of CP (I can mention that much without breaching OPSEC). It's a great go for the MP branch, I really hope that we can sustain it. As a branch, we're stretching thin to retain the capability, but it is good for us. I've got many buddies and troops who have gone CP. I'm seriously debating it in the next year as it's an amazing job overseas, and I want to feel some of that rush that my friends have gone through and related to me, and have tried to convince me to do, in terms of deployed-CP ops. Those folks who have mentioned that we're opening up the task to MSE-Ops are correct - we need drivers. It's definitely a good go. I don't know about opportunites for CP in other trades. It is a very physically and mentally demanding job... in *my opinion only* while it is a MP mandate right now, there is no reason why we couldn't open it to other trades who can qualify and complete the requisite training.
QV said:Wow, I don't really know where to begin.....for starters have you actually talked to any CP guys that have come back from theatre about some of this? The R22eR augmentees are not a "great success"..... From my experience they could barely keep the "great success" off of charge parade or from embarassing the VIP. One bad apple? Maybe. As far as training him in CP drills go - we couldn't where I was, everytime we started to practise something all the LEPs on camp would come out to watch .... not too mention the lack of space. You can't expect a guy to pick up all the drills in theatre during a few practise runs - so by no fault of their own - they were not good to have on the team. However, an untrained Vandoo was better then nobody at all. Still this should not ever happen.
Secondly the whole MSE Op thing. I don't know but I would suspect again that nobody asks the guys in theatre or the guys returning. I don't know who or where they seem to come up with these grand ideas. Let me make this very clear:
WE DON'T NEED DRIVERS!!!
Every CP member already knows how to drive, its part of the training, its required, is practised all the time. Each team needs someone who is skilled with comms equipment. Most meat heads don't know jack s**t about comms gear. Each team needs someone who is a skilled medic. Again most meat heads don't know any first aid past what is taught during pre-deployment training!! Many times you are far far away from QRF and medivac... so it would be nice to have some one who can treat a wounded member beyond sticking a tourniquet around his neck!
So basically CP operators know how to drive, know how to shoot, and they know how to protect the vip. What needs to be brought to the table are skills that MPs don't normally have and that won't be taught to them. Signallers, Medics, Mechanics, Infanteers - all have skills that are useful and that MPs don't have. These are the people that should be recruited for the CP program.