Halifax Rifles returned to Order of Battle?

[Old and Tired]

Having helped do up some of the presentations for the "Old Mafia Types" that they used in pleading their case, they did have some interesting, concrete data that was supplied to them from CFRC and freedom of information requests.

One thing that I found interesting while doing up slides was that there have been a large number of people go into both the Duke Street Recruiting center and the 36 CBG Recruiting office before it's move out of the Armouries who turned around and left because they wanted to be Armoured or Engineers.

One Construction Contractor in particular is even willing to write a clause into worker contracts to allow protected time off for employees that join the reserves.  In some cases, there not being an Army Engineer unit in Metro, some applicants are travelling to the ARAF flight either in Pictou or Bridgewater to join their preferred trade rather than join something else more local.

I'm not saying that any of this will materialise or that it's something that is needed.  I don't know.  I do know that some fairly extensive research was done to support the position that another unit of a different kind is viable from a requiting/manning point of view.

 

[Michael OLeary]

All well and good, but can you confirm that there were no new positions created to stand up this unit?

If that is the case, we're only robbing Peter to pay Paul once more, ensuring an armoured recce job at the expense of an infantry or logistics or artillery one.  It seems especially ironic considering the repetitive comments we see here about the mis-match between training of Reserve armoured recce soldiers and the in-trade employment opportunities on operations.

 

[Old and Tired]

As of 30 Apr, thee were NO NEW POSN created, that i do know.  All members that where the Rifles badge (4) are currently held on the PRL of the PLFus.  No new UIC has been created yet either.  As for gaining posn, what is happening thus far is a look at units that have been historically under strength, and by how much and taking some or all of those unfilled posn and transferring them from one UIC to another so they can be manned by the "NEW" unit.

Other than that, I've been out of the loop[ since I arrived in G'town on task.

 

[McG]

In some cases, there not being an Army Engineer unit in Metro, some applicants are travelling to the ARAF flight either in Pictou or Bridgewater to join their preferred trade rather than join something else more local.

It seems to me that there is an option for those who want the Engineer capbadge.  However, the difference between Engineers in the Army reserve and the Air reserve is very huge; pers looking for a construction trade will not find it in the Army reserves.

One thing that I found interesting while doing up slides was that there have been a large number of people go into both the Duke Street Recruiting center and the 36 CBG Recruiting office before it's move out of the Armouries who turned around and left because they wanted to be Armoured or Engineers.

Since a new Engineer unit was not created, how many people walked out of the recruiting centre because there was not an Armd unit (and what percentage of total applicants did this group constitute)?

One Construction Contractor in particular is even willing to write a clause into worker contracts to allow protected time off for employees that join the reserves.

Was his willingness conditional upon the creation of a new Armd or Engr unit, or is this little fact a Red Herring in the argument? 

 

[dapaterson]

I will refrain from too much comment here; all I will say is (1) the recruiting stories are anecdotal at best (ARAF offers more employment, likely a drawing card more than "engineers not in Halifax" - an issue this fails to address; besides, ARAF will offer construction trades, something a CER in Halifax would not); (2) this was a purely political play, not a military requirement at all; and (3) the Army Reserve is over-headquartered already, adding the Halifax Rifles to the mix does the Reserves no favours.

We should go back to the original plan in '65: amalgamate the PLF and Halifax Rifles as a single unit, perpetuating both.  Problem solved.

(And then, if we really need engineers, rebadge them to 36 CER (The PLFHR)).

 

[Eye In The Sky]

One thing that I found interesting while doing up slides was that there have been a large number of people go into both the Duke Street Recruiting center and the 36 CBG Recruiting office before it's move out of the Armouries who turned around and left because they wanted to be Armoured

Well, that confirms it then.  There are some intelligent people living in the HRM. 

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I will refrain from too much comment here; all I will say is (1) the recruiting stories are anecdotal at best (ARAF offers more employment, likely a drawing card more than "engineers not in Halifax" - an issue this fails to address; besides, ARAF will offer construction trades, something a CER in Halifax would not); (2) this was a purely political play, not a military requirement at all; and (3) the Army Reserve is over-headquartered already, adding the Halifax Rifles to the mix does the Reserves no favours.

We should go back to the original plan in '65: amalgamate the PLF and Halifax Rifles as a single unit, perpetuating both.  Problem solved.

(And then, if we really need engineers, rebadge them to 36 CER (The PLFHR)).

Off tangent here but.....

Not sure of the time line for 45 ES to form a Field Sqn in the HRM but I am pleased to confirm that 56 ES will stand up one Field SQN in Fredericton Sept 09.

 

[ajp]

EITS - You don't live in Hfx do you....LOL!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

EITS - You don't live in Hfx do you....LOL!

Well, I said *some*... :blotto:
















(I don't include myself in the "intelligent" group though)

 

[DovoNewb]

I've been doing a little bit of googling on the old button box, and one thing to another on wikipedia led me to the Halifax rifles.

I know now what the Supplimentary Order of Battle is, and roughly what it's for. But why did Peter McKay decide to reactivate the Halifax Rifles? I'm just curious as to how the idea would have been started to the regiment coming back to life to what it is today.

I'm sure he didn't just do it because he is from Nova Scotia as what some people in my neck of the woods think.

 

[cupper]

I know that there was a push to move the Rifles back to active status long before McKay was part of the political scene.

I was aware of active lobbying in the 80's by the Regimental Association and other retired senior military members.

He just happened to be the sitting Defense Minister when the process was finalized.