tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post8957883434607058296..comments2024-03-20T12:03:26.126+00:00Comments on Thin Pinstriped Line: How Regular Is Your Reserve?Sir Humphreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-17360185911210706052012-10-04T11:47:24.146+01:002012-10-04T11:47:24.146+01:00Your talking about the long term reserve. Regular ...Your talking about the long term reserve. Regular reserve is only for a few years after leaving and they are far more likely to be useful, they have more training and experience of the kit and tactics than volunteer reserves, Regular reservists are just harder to get hold of due to loss of contact details.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-51975833283847407592012-07-11T22:21:02.375+01:002012-07-11T22:21:02.375+01:00I'd say about 20% of the army is combat troops...I'd say about 20% of the army is combat troops ie infantry, marines, paras etc. So out of a 100,000 man army, say 20,000 combat troops. In DC's 82000 army that would be about 16000 ct. The olympics are taking up about 17,000 troops. That's quite a lot with Afghanistan ongoing. But the army seems to be coping - just. A matter of concern is the quick turnaround times, with married regular servicemen/women seeing less and less of families. This is where reservists call up might help. <br /><br />I'm not too sure this notion of 'the end of mass armies' is a reality. We've had two post-WW2 gens with no major European conflict. But the conditions are changing. Germany is trying to survive economically within Europe, but nationalism and sovereingty/nationalism issues are on the rise. The EU is disintegrating. In 2 gens WWs 1 and 2 will be far from living memory. The causes of those wars haven't disappeared but the memory/understanding of the horrors may. <br /><br />I think its foolish to assume no more big conflicts. We were damned fortunate to get through the last one. Disarming and miitary reductions seem to temp fate. Better to be prepared. Anyhow why is it that were losing 20,000 personnel but building TWO aircraft carriers. We haven't even got the aircraft for them. That's madness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-1541974497356109482012-04-17T17:50:08.558+01:002012-04-17T17:50:08.558+01:00"The other problem is that the UK military ha..."The other problem is that the UK military has changed out of all recognition in the past 10 years. An infanteer from 2002 would probably need almost as much training and equipment recognition as a new recruit would if they were called up now. The average Infantry Section alone has a completely different kit out, with new weapons, equipment, communications, IED issues and so on..."<br /><br />All doubtless true - literally the only bit of infantry kit that's common between TELIC 1 and HERRICK 16 is the ID disc! - but most of the army isn't infanteers. I would imagine that there's a lot less adjustment for someone who's, say, a former lorry driver or quartermaster...ajaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-54138054249326403692012-04-12T19:35:54.122+01:002012-04-12T19:35:54.122+01:00I believe reservists were called up for the Bosnia...I believe reservists were called up for the Bosnian intervention - IFOR. There was certainly plenty recently demobbed regulars shumfing their way through ITC Caterick in 1996.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-83466458996553143372012-04-11T22:04:32.452+01:002012-04-11T22:04:32.452+01:00I read this. And it really annoyed me. Blatantly o...I read this. And it really annoyed me. Blatantly obvious to anyone who has served that it was the biggest non story ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com