Trying to start a reserve unit

[redleafjumper]

ArtyNewbie, perhaps a casual read of the thread  would  show you that the entire effort in Prince Goerge has been about forming a company of an existing unit, not a new "regiment".  To answer another question, there are three cadet corps in Prince George.  Sea Cadets, Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Cadets, and Air Cadets.  Once upon a time, to retrace history there was "A" company Rocky Mountain Rangers in Prince George.  It was closed in 1970.

Cheers,

 

[daftandbarmy]

ArtyNewbie, perhaps a casual read of the thread  would  show you that the entire effort in Prince Goerge has been about forming a company of an existing unit, not a new "regiment".  To answer another question, there are three cadet corps in Prince George.  Sea Cadets, Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Cadets, and Air Cadets.  Once upon a time, to retrace history there was "A" company Rocky Mountain Rangers in Prince George.  It was closed in 1970.

Cheers,

The RM Rang have an active cadet corps in PG; I helped train their biathlon team a few years ago when I lived there. So, it would make sense to stand up an RM Rang Coy, or and Engr Sqn (everyone up there has their own D8 Cat anyways!). I and a couple of other reservists floated the idea of starting up a rifle company/ engineer squadron up there at the time, but we were shot down.  From what I've heard, others in 39 CBG have had the same idea at several points in time over the past few years, so there are people in the system right now who are keen on the idea.

I've recently reconnected with a guy up there who is with the local PC party and wants to get something going. He was haranguing O'Connor about it a few months ago in Ottawa apparently. PM me and I'll give you his contact information. I'm sure he'd be happy to have your help!

D&B

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I still think a Sub unit could be formed in Prince George, either infantry or Combat Engineer or perhaps a combo unit of both. A company from the RMR and a Troop from 6Th Field engineers?

These two trades would play on the strength's of the local population and provide a new recruiting ground for the military.

 

[geo]

Colin,
The problem with starting up an engineer unit is that, the local population would not be in a position to provide said Engineer CO. Which demands that a Reg force Engineer CO gets sent in to PG to take care of business.... problem is I don't think there are "spare" Capt / Maj around to do the job.

5 RGC has been fielding Sqn commanders for 9 EG for umpteen years..... though there is finaly a possibility that the next bunch of COs will be, at long last, reservists.

Starting up an infantry unit in PG would be the least difficult to staff from a Reg point of view. 

 

[Colin Parkinson]

What level would the CO need to be? I am assuming Captain? If I recall correctly a Squadron of Engineers is commanded by a Major?

 

[daftandbarmy]

If you beat the bushes up there a surprising number of military folks will fall out.

I lived there for a year and met a LCol in the Sigs (reservist) who was transferred up there with his bank and had nowhere to parade, several ROTP & RESO officers who were at the University of Northen BC (who wanted to parade with a local unit and couldn't find one), a few Navy guys and three retired Reg F SNCOs who I think were Engr and Inf.

PG is a very attractive location due to high employment rates, lots of family activities and relatively low costs compared to the rest of BC. It's far more attractive to a retiring Reg Force member, for example, for those reasons.

IMHO - Build it and they will come!

 

[3rd Herd]

There are also a couple of the boys in Red Serge who once wore bus driver green there too.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I notice a mothballed school just North of the city along the hwy to Chetwynd. just thought I mention that the facilities exist in case the big Cheese reads this.....

 

[daftandbarmy]

There are people up there with the Legion, the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club who would be able to find a place in a heartbeat if they were asked.

As PG used to be called 'New Caledonia', a highland unit would be the easiest to recruit for. Just march a pipe band down the street and you'd be flooded with volunteers (and randy old ladies).

 

[geo]

Colin
A full Engineer Squadron would indeed be commanded by a Major - same as an Infantry Company - but regardless of what you intend to have at some time in the future, it'll take time to grow anything... thus, at 1st, the Sqn commander will be in charge of a nominal section... so you could easily put a Capt there.

Indeed, retired NCOs could be a great resource to train the newbies - just not sure what the most recent pension changes would do to motivate / discourage their participation.

 

[RangerRay]

As PG used to be called 'New Caledonia', a highland unit would be the easiest to recruit for. Just march a pipe band down the street and you'd be flooded with volunteers (and randy old ladies).

Actually, PG used to be called Fort George.  Prior to the establishment as a Crown Colony, the Interior of British Columbia was known as "New Caledonia" and that was to be the name of the new Crown Colony in 1858.  However, Queen Victoria thought that it would be confused with the French colony in the south Pacific of the same name, so "British Columbia" was chosen, and New Westminster picked as the new capital.



EDIT to add links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia#Pre-Confederation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Caledonia_%28Canada%29

 

[geo]

Interesting to note that there wasn't just one Fort George, but TWO.

1 on Hudson's Bay at the tip of the George River
2 AKA Prince George

Fort George, QC was a HBC trading post way back when..... while Fort George, BC was established by the Northwest Company - a fierce competitor of the HBC.

 

[GK .Dundas]

Interesting to note that there wasn't just one Fort George, but TWO.

1 on Hudson's Bay at the tip of the George River
2 AKA Prince George

Fort George, QC was a HBC trading post way back when..... while Fort George, BC was established by the Northwest Company - a fierce competitor of the HBC.

In the realm of the way things usually work out DND will announce the standing up of a new reserve  Infantry coy in Prince George.........you know the one on Hudson's Bay .

 

[daftandbarmy]

Better yet, how about a TDB? We could argue that they're there to protect us from the pine beetle invasion...

 

[redleafjumper]

There are lots of people in and around Prince George who could staff a unit.  There would be some need for upgrading of older service in many cases, or a need to change cap badges, but availability of people is the least concern.  At this point it is a political decision.

Cheers,

 

[GK .Dundas]

There are lots of people in and around Prince George who could staff a unit.  There would be some need for upgrading of older service in many cases, or a need to change cap badges, but availability of people is the least concern.  At this point it is a political decision.

Cheers,

I looked around various small towns since this thread started and quite frankly all of them could support a reserve unit of some sort .The only thing preventing it is as you say a political decision.
BTW just came across this little factoid North Dakota with a population of 400,000  supports a National Guard/Air National Guard of 4000 personal. So a small population base is not a major problem.And an awful lot of these units are in small towns some of them really small.

 

[geo]

GK,
In the case of the US with their Reserves and NG, service is instilled in their traditions.
Up here, we've got an uphill fight and the Gov't isn't all that interested in wading into it.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I suspect both the BC and Alberta Governments would support the formation of new units. Political will is something that needs to be created.

 

[geo]

Colin,
When you authorize provincial gov'ts to raise their own military forces, you leave yourself open to certain things...
like, it might be considered OK by Ottawa to permit BC, AB, SK, MB, Ont, NFLD, NS, NB, PEI, NWT & NU to do so... how would it feel about a new PQ Gov't doing same thing in Quebec?

Methinks that some people would not have that warm fuzzy feling..... But, hey, that's just my opinion.

 

[dapaterson]

And of course there's the other issue with creating new units (or even expanding existing units):

If the reserve force is at (or close to) its authorised manning levels, and there is no government direction and resoruces to increase the size of the reserve force, then to grow something in a new location means an equivalent reduction elsewhere.