tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post1816322920662290463..comments2023-08-10T12:55:23.427+01:00Comments on SUBROSA: Army 2020subrosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-70744618044340322872012-07-10T00:35:14.175+01:002012-07-10T00:35:14.175+01:00Well Scotland could have its own army by then Wood...Well Scotland could have its own army by then Woodsy. :)<br /><br />Discussions have been going on with the EU for a while now. I suspect this reorganisation has the EU's approval.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-10813801815031456502012-07-10T00:33:14.944+01:002012-07-10T00:33:14.944+01:00I understand many are leaving pa_broon or not re-e...I understand many are leaving pa_broon or not re-enlisting once their time is up. Those folk are the ones who know they will get another job in civvie street (often with better pay and conditions).<br /><br />For every highly skilled person who leaves, they aren't being replaced.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-70131736575502308662012-07-09T20:57:41.406+01:002012-07-09T20:57:41.406+01:00So you think we will still have a UK army in 2020....So you think we will still have a UK army in 2020.<br />I suspect we will be supplying troops to the EU defense force and the EU will be setting the terms and pay etc.Woodsy42https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355671210161625647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-80626243028977259842012-07-09T15:58:40.052+01:002012-07-09T15:58:40.052+01:00I think the UK government's biggest problem an...I think the UK government's biggest problem and by extension the Armed Forces is that people are hellishly cynical about the intent and motivations of governments regarding deployment of troops around the world.<br /><br />They'll still get youngsters coming through but its the seasoned experienced soldiers that form the backbone of a professional army and I think with whats happening, they'll be leaving in their droves.<br /><br />I imagine in many cases, the only reason its not happening more quickly is because there is very little for the lower and middle ranking people to go to in terms of jobs if they do leave.<br /><br />This is another area where the UK and Westminster is in a state of disintegration.pa_broon74https://www.blogger.com/profile/01915208411019621104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-5067232187451712532012-07-09T14:34:39.490+01:002012-07-09T14:34:39.490+01:00Having an army consisting of 25% reservists is ver...Having an army consisting of 25% reservists is very risky JRB, particularly when our politicians want them to be front line material.<br /><br />I know Finland's army is composed mainly of reservists but then it is a defence force - albeit a highly professional one I believe.<br /><br />I would like to see an independent Scotland's military set up along the same lines.<br /><br />However, I can't see the MoD managing to recruit the numbers it requires. In the past 20 years we've become an aggressor throughout the world and many lives have been lost.<br /><br />What may happen is that regulars who have been sacked or come to the end of their service, may volunteer and that would boost the numbers a little.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-19744087377750530582012-07-09T14:29:10.034+01:002012-07-09T14:29:10.034+01:00There's an idea Brian but it would need to be ...There's an idea Brian but it would need to be refined. A number of women don't return to the workplace after having a baby and that can suit businesses.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-33626208266448741862012-07-09T14:27:36.344+01:002012-07-09T14:27:36.344+01:00Some TA squadrons are superb Ranty and some are no...Some TA squadrons are superb Ranty and some are not. I've witnessed both.<br /><br />Auch, surely you know by now that the regulars always let the weekend warriors win at games. :)<br /><br />I'd agree that's perhaps the main reason the numbers are down. With Afghanistan going to feature highly for several decades yet, I'd suggest that wives are not willing to allow their other halves the 'pleasure' of joining because of the risks involved today.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-88036724628056912652012-07-09T14:23:25.464+01:002012-07-09T14:23:25.464+01:00No it can't be that way Mek but that's the...No it can't be that way Mek but that's the way it's being planned.<br /><br />I'm not suggesting for a minute that most reservists aren't professional, but there's a vast difference between being deployed for a month somewhere and the regular 6 months or more we have these days.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-3360684027968499212012-07-09T12:18:50.922+01:002012-07-09T12:18:50.922+01:00Once again, politicians and government have taken ...Once again, politicians and government have taken a potentially good idea and opened it up to the likelihood of disaster simply by trying to do things on the cheap.JRBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01864418763227369458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-71263067848320269112012-07-09T11:32:44.526+01:002012-07-09T11:32:44.526+01:00Perhaps TA duty should be considered as being on a...Perhaps TA duty should be considered as being on a par with maternity leave by employers. As an incentive to companies to become more TA-friendly, it could be made a preferential condition when tendering for government contracts.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06358349301959327747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-23875853493333142982012-07-09T10:58:29.581+01:002012-07-09T10:58:29.581+01:00I served in the TA for 12 months before deciding t...I served in the TA for 12 months before deciding to join the regulars.<br /><br />My year in the Royal Engineers showed me that the "Weekend Warriors" are every bit as good as the regulars. It helps being trained and equipped to the same standards, and pay was continually being improved. We took on the regulars in competitions many times and we always won. Maybe it was because it was fun for us (but a full time job for them) or maybe we had different motivation.<br /><br />At the time I was in the TA there was almost no chance of me being deployed to a hot theatre. Nowadays, members of the TA are found in hostile zones all over the place.<br /><br />And maybe that is why recruitment is down. It can be hazardous to one's health joining the TA....<br /><br />CR.Captain Rantyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07839241144954596066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8116690042850060767.post-67492442941963867052012-07-09T09:47:28.083+01:002012-07-09T09:47:28.083+01:00Their thinking obviously comes about on the back o...Their thinking obviously comes about on the back of the proverbial fag-packet. It can't simply be a matter of switching 'x' thousand expensive soldiers with 'x' thousand cheaper soldiers; the full-time commitment can't be there.<br />(On a separate note, all the naval reserves I used to know were extremely professional; some of them been retired from their original commissions.)MekQuarriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09818669820171475600noreply@blogger.com