ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by Stonker

He was the last man I can think of (and I include Dannett) who addressed his duties as a Defence Chief in a manner both intelligent and principled.

Since his departure, the tri and single service service chiefs have pretty much been unashamed yes-men, [or in Dannatt's case principled but naive], by anyone's standards.

I'll cut David Richards a bit of slack, but only 'cos I'm undecided for want of decisive evidence.

I do not think that the current First Sea Lord called be called a yes-man: What the First Sea Lord said....

Note his public dressing down by Cameron and the CDS.

What's imagination, anyway?

Do any of the following characteristics of Groupthink seem familliar to the MOD/defence?

Not expressing your true thoughts and feelings
Conciously maintaining an illusion of unamity
Investigating only a limited number of alternative solutions to a problem
Being extremely selective in looking for and applying external information
Speaking negatively about people outside the group
Rationalising decisions that were not particularly good
Not developing emergency scenarios

Originally Posted by The_Duke

As ever, no single cause.

6 weekends (plus 3 for TA Inf) followed by 2 weeks cannot equate to 24+ weeks of regular basic. Even allowing for stripping out time spent on non-essentials, there is still a lot to be picked up at the TA unit before there is parity in training. If the soldier is not given the time or opportunity to learn those lessons before deployment, he has a steep learning curve on PDT. No everyone is up to it.

The sending units for taking numbers over quality (Of course we are great Brigadier, look at how many we are sending in response to your call).

RTMC for having very low standards and failing to meet them.

Regular units too keen to take people at risk in order to meet their start state numbers rather than sacking them based on RTMC results.

I am not saying that they are (all) totally shit, just that for some it would have been too soon or too much to pick up in the time available. They would still have been a start point for any LSDI type event with a 6-12 months lead up after compulsory mobilisation.

Of course, some are just totally shit!

As regards training time .

I used to be in RMR Merseyside in the early 90's. Training lasted a year of pretty much weekend on / weekend off.
Selection weekend quite intensive fizz 40 - 50 % wastage out of about 60 / 70
First field weekend about 30 % wastage.
Weekend on / weekend off 2 weeks at Lympstone - about 6 blokes were back trooped.
Weekend on / weekend off then commando course at Lympstone, I wasn't good enough to get through the selection weekend for the commando course.

About 13 people made it through in total. Very highly trained very good reserve soldiers but at a massive investment and wastage.

Were they up to regular standards, think they were but could the TA afford such investment and the numbers anywhere near sustainable - I think certainly not.