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- 410
KevinB is exactly right - it can be done, but it needs an operational requirement to justify.
The problem with very high levels of readiness is that they are extremely expensive. We learned from OP APOLLO, for example, what just what it meant to keep a battalion - a light battalion with artificially limited numbers of vehicles - at 10 days NTM. Recall lists had to be maintained, personnel could not proceed out of the geographical area (which meant no instructing in Gagetown, or Borden, or Kingston - with all that means), all pers DAGs had to be complete, including needles specific for where a deployment "might" happen, etc., etc.. Worse, all vehicles had to be "lined up" for an air deployment. This meant weighed, purged, quarantined and manifested for air movement and lined up on the asphalt waiting to go to the APOE. If we're using US airlift, they need the manifests well in advance, translated to their system.
Moreover, the pallets have to be 90% ready to go. This means having the entire battalion's worth of stores, consumables, POL, etc. inspected, palletized and loaded up. A simple item like a Coleman stove has to be purged, inspected and certified for air transport - especially if we're using contracted aircraft.
The CDS is leaning towards a 10 day NTM for the new CEFCOM Standing Contingency Task Force. It's important to realize just what that means; it will take a major effort to reach IMHO, the CF did not take readiness very seriously before 11 Sep 01 and we're only now beginning to grasp how resource-intensive it is.
I don't mean to naysay. I believe we need a battalion, with supporting arms and services, at 10 days NTM on a rotating basis at all times - separate from assigned IRU tasks. Anything less is foolish in these troubled times. However, we need to take a close look at the resources needed to do that.
Cheers,
TR
The problem with very high levels of readiness is that they are extremely expensive. We learned from OP APOLLO, for example, what just what it meant to keep a battalion - a light battalion with artificially limited numbers of vehicles - at 10 days NTM. Recall lists had to be maintained, personnel could not proceed out of the geographical area (which meant no instructing in Gagetown, or Borden, or Kingston - with all that means), all pers DAGs had to be complete, including needles specific for where a deployment "might" happen, etc., etc.. Worse, all vehicles had to be "lined up" for an air deployment. This meant weighed, purged, quarantined and manifested for air movement and lined up on the asphalt waiting to go to the APOE. If we're using US airlift, they need the manifests well in advance, translated to their system.
Moreover, the pallets have to be 90% ready to go. This means having the entire battalion's worth of stores, consumables, POL, etc. inspected, palletized and loaded up. A simple item like a Coleman stove has to be purged, inspected and certified for air transport - especially if we're using contracted aircraft.
The CDS is leaning towards a 10 day NTM for the new CEFCOM Standing Contingency Task Force. It's important to realize just what that means; it will take a major effort to reach IMHO, the CF did not take readiness very seriously before 11 Sep 01 and we're only now beginning to grasp how resource-intensive it is.
I don't mean to naysay. I believe we need a battalion, with supporting arms and services, at 10 days NTM on a rotating basis at all times - separate from assigned IRU tasks. Anything less is foolish in these troubled times. However, we need to take a close look at the resources needed to do that.
Cheers,
TR