Originally Posted by redshift

ROTC.

Which one?

Originally Posted by History_Man

Which one?

University of Michigan Army ROTC

How can a civvie with a job, doing a drill night-the odd weekend-annual camp, then a months pre op training be EQUIVALENT to a full time committed regular with lets say 3 yrs service, some in combat?

Its a sad illusion, and a dangerous one.

Or am i wrong?

I did ROTC Advanced Camp as an exchange student many moons ago - I had a good time, as did a couple of the girls in my platoon

Originally Posted by STARDUST

How can a civvie with a job, doing a drill night-the odd weekend-annual camp, then a months pre op training be EQUIVALENT to a full time committed regular with lets say 3 yrs service, some in combat?

Its a sad illusion, and a dangerous one.

Or am i wrong?

You are not wrong, but think back 10 years to the Regular Army that was. It is a different beast today. The TA could and should have kept pace but was starved of training and equipment at the very time it needed it most. Add to that 4 or 5 ever more pointless and damaging reorganisations and the problem does become clearer.

On the one hand the TA is told how,some units, are vital and yet on the other hand all training is stopped and kit is taken away. Not a very inspiring environment, what is suprising is that people still join.

Originally Posted by Telegraph

TA volunteers tend to be drawn from the signals, medical, logistics and infantry units.

Erm...... really???

Originally Posted by Telegraph

One territorial unit which has gained praise is the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment which routinely send around 100 soldiers to Afghanistan every year. But unlike all other TA infantry battalions, 4 Para has a special selection process and is composed of a large number of former regular soldiers.

So if the TA took on loads of ex-regulars, similar to WW2 Local Defence Volunteers or Thatchers Home Service Force - we'd be more professional? Or in more simple terms Telegraph reckon 4 Para is Dad's Army!

Maybe the Telegraph ought to try again and this time look at why the Generals are not fit to run the Territorial Army, warns TA ARRSE

Originally Posted by STARDUST

How can a civvie with a job, doing a drill night-the odd weekend-annual camp, then a months pre op training be EQUIVALENT to a full time committed regular with lets say 3 yrs service, some in combat?

Its a sad illusion, and a dangerous one.

Or am i wrong?

Can't comment on other arms but that is most definitely not what the infantry does before deploying!

Originally Posted by STARDUST

How can a civvie with a job, doing a drill night-the odd weekend-annual camp, then a months pre op training be EQUIVALENT to a full time committed regular with lets say 3 yrs service, some in combat?

Its a sad illusion, and a dangerous one.

Or am i wrong?

I get your point but its mainly low ranking TA soldiers on tour, how hard is it when the shit hits the fan to fire your rifle back in the direction that you think your being fired from. You do all the build up exercises and fitness training with your regular unit (4-5Months worth).If your not up to the level required you wont go. What cant a TA soldier do in cambat that a regular soldier can?

Edited to add that im talking Combat units here cant comment for other arms.

Originally Posted by brave-coward

Useful to note the definitions of a regular attendee. I tend to agreed that one training session in six months is indeed laughable.

I think that they have to use the seen once in 6 months to define a regular attendee becuase of nationally recruited units like the RLC units at Grantham, that generally do only 19 days a year. (yes i know some of their bods do more) They dont do drill nights and only have to do a 2 week camp and 2 weekends to meet there commitment. In my unit a normalish TA unit if you have not been in for a drill night or a weekend for 12 weeks you get a letter asking your intentions and to contact the unit if you still dont turn in after a futher 12 weeks you get discharge procedures started so there is your six month point. maybe the statistics need braking down to types of unit and there differing commitment levels

[QUOTE=. What cant a TA soldier do in cambat that a regular soldier can?[/QUOTE]

nobody knows until the time comes, any info on TA in action? how do they square up, are the regulars happy to have them backing them up/alongside them ? or are they given low grade jobs well away from the sharp end?


I ask as it seems unfair to send part timers to fight along side full timers or am I being picky?

I am of course talking about front line troops, not the TA/civvies medical teams, etc who are doing a fantastic job.