One Army Concept

[Dazed-and-Confused]

Hello All,
I'd like to pose a quick question borne out of recent experience and the announcement on the 11 February 2010 regarding the Changes to the way that the Army manages injured and sick personnel were announced by the Ministry of Defence.

I've heard the term One Army Concept banded around and my understanding is that there is a 5 year plan (almost at an end) to ensure that the way in which the TA and Regular Army are recruited including selection, physical assessments and standards, promotion, training and deployments are the same - IS IT?

How will the recent announcemenet affect (Will it affect) the TA for instance? Will our TA colleagues be subject to the same sickness and injury direction and policy, including those individual's who for instance have a medical catagory of P7 (perm or temp) or who cannot pass any of the required and mandated Fitness requirements?

 

[Ilovewotsits]

So tell us, what was your experience?

 

[Dazed-and-Confused]

So tell us, what was your experience?

Some rather vertically challenged, salad dodging 'healthcare' professionals. Do they make CBA in XXXXL?

 

[Ilovewotsits]

Hmmmn, CBA in XXXXL, that's G4? Ask the QM mate.

 

[issac_hunt]

Selection for other ranks currently does not follow the One Army concept. Regional TA centres currently enforce the standard for the TA while the Regulars go to Army Development and Selection Centres. I am in favour of a common standard being applied with the ADSCs selecting everyone with them being examined against a common standard.

 

[top_soldier]

Sounds reasonable...................discharge all the outstanding TA Doctors and Nurses who fail their MATTS.................Hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Bedpan2zero]

the recent injury management policy only effects the TA if they are mobilised individuals

but now having rejoined the TA - I know exactly what you mean, but in time things will change for the better.
It takes time to remove the embedded members of the weekend drinking society

Dinosaurs need not apply

 

[vampangua]

it should apply equally to all. But did you see the telly programme about the medics in Afghanistan? As one who failed his run pointed out, he wasn't there for his physical fitness but to perform highly skilled life-saving operations of the medical kind. I hope there will be some common sense for those niche professionals.

 

[top_soldier]

it should apply equally to all. But did you see the telly programme about the medics in Afghanistan? As one who failed his run pointed out, he wasn't there for his physical fitness but to perform highly skilled life-saving operations of the medical kind. I hope there will be some common sense for those niche professionals.

Sorry - I was being a tad sarcastic before..................total madness to remove someone who cannot run but is able to save limbs, lives etc, without risk to themselves or others.

 

[Mountain_Boy]

Once again the crazy concept factory has pushed out some idea that are were made equally with the same skill sets able to carry out the same tasks......I too conceptualise that at 55 years of age I am capable of winning the olympic marathon and I should recieve the same top end support for my aspiration as other athletes....

yeah ok, with boots firmly planted on terra firma the one army concept is not achievable for many many reasons, the above comments being only one aspect

It is the hope that those central well placed, far from reality commanders, get a swift injection of reality sooner rather than later

 

[notwelsh]

I’m with Dazed-and Confused on this one. Having recently returned from a sojourn with a TA unit which had more than its fair share of overweight personnel, some of them, I would venture, probably fall in to the morbidly obese category. There seems to be little appetite (see what I did there?) to tackle the problem within the TA. I can think of no good reason why the standards for physical fitness are not applicable across regular and reserve forces

Simply arguing that because someone is good at their job they should therefore be excused the obligation of maintaining an acceptable and well publicised level of fitness, is not good enough. As healthcare professionals and as Officers/NCOs we should be leading by example and promoting healthier lifestyles. There are very well established links between physical fitness and general health and wellbeing. I quite agree that there is no requirement to be able to run a marathon but the ability to climb a set of stairs and get a set of body armour to meet in the middle is surely not too much to ask for in return for a bounty and/or a good salary.

At a time when as an organisation we are demanding that politicians and the public look at their responsibilities under the Military Covenant, there are individuals who demand the perks, financial and otherwise of Military service, and then feel it is acceptable to pick and choose which mandated tests they will make any attempt at passing.

The core standards of the British Army are what sets us apart form the rest of the population, like it or not. If these standards and some of the pain that comes with them are not for you then do the decent thing and take the “six clicks to freedom”.

 

[top_soldier]

I hope you remember that if/when one of our more rounded comrades is helping clear and maintain your airway..............................

 

[Rocket_Scientist]

I seem to remember a recent brief from RTMC which said that their statistics showed little difference in the PT fail rates between TA mobilising and Regulars that pass through Chilwell as individuals. Fatties are not confined to the TA.

It is harder for a reserve force member to find time to maintain a constant level of military fitness around working a full time civillian job and doing reserve force training, I would personally have a lot more time for personal PT at evenings and weekends if I didnt have to do TA training which often has little PT content !

Remember TA dont get Weds afternoons and Friday CO's PT to do paid PT, thats 2 sessions you have over us straight away.

As long as those mobilising get up to standard by the time they arrive at Chilwell (and therefore everyone should be aiming to stay at or above a standard where they could pass CFT and PFT after about a months extra serious effort - the expected notice period) its not a drama.

Obviously Im not defending the morbidly obese who cant get uniform to fit, just advocating cutting some slack to reservists who dont have as much time to do PT in their lives.

 

[stacker1]

Remember TA dont get Weds afternoons and Friday CO's PT to do paid PT, thats 2 sessions you have over us straight away.

How many duties do you get over the course of year? Nowhere near the amount regulars get. So take that time to do some fitness.
No-one is asking you to do P company just keep your fitness up to a reasonable level. If you can't maintain your fitness to a 10.30 PFA and a 2 hour brisk walk with a bit of weight you shouldn't be in the army.
My Corps is full of fat bastards who think that being good at their job exempts them all fitness standards. It sounds like part of the TA want to use the same excuse for being idle.

 

[spaz]

Remember TA dont get Weds afternoons and Friday CO's PT to do paid PT, thats 2 sessions you have over us straight away.

How many duties do you get over the course of year? Nowhere near the amount regulars get. So take that time to do some fitness.
No-one is asking you to do P company just keep your fitness up to a reasonable level. If you can't maintain your fitness to a 10.30 PFA and a 2 hour brisk walk with a bit of weight you shouldn't be in the army.
My Corps is full of fat bastards who think that being good at their job exempts them all fitness standards. It sounds like part of the TA want to use the same excuse for being idle.

and thieves mate, don't forget the thieves.

 

[Bukem]

notwelsh, Spot on. The TA Capt mentioned above for e.g, clearly has an important role to play, maybe he could just as well perform that role as an MOD contracted Medical Professional. All the time he is holding the Queen’s Commission, wearing military uniform and sporting three pips, he can pass the same matts as everyone else, and lead by the example that we expect all our other Commissioned Officers to.

 

[notwelsh]

I hope you remember that if/when one of our more rounded comrades is helping clear and maintain your airway..............................

Thankyou for your well thought out and incisive response. a quick wave of the shroud always helps to convince me I'm wrong!

While we are on the subject of airway management; experience and literature would suggest that obesity is directly linked with increased incidence of difficulty in maintenance of a patent airway. A perfect example of my point regarding general health and wellbeing.

 

[cherryviper]

I cant remember the last time I was posted to a unit that allows for Weds afternoon PT and/or CO's PT on a Friday morning possibly due to the fact that we are always checking the same kit day in day out to make sure it is serviceable should we need to deploy with it, maybe that is just poor higher command but not all units get these afternoons to do fitness due to one reason or another.

Most PT I do is in my spare time around my other commitments outwith being in the Army, luckily though most of my other persuits are orientated around fitness although clearly none of them include running for any great distance being that I am 6ft4 @110 kilos.

 

[Dazed-and-Confused]

I'm obviously Dazed and Confused in more ways than one, am I right in assuming that you are required to have a BMI in excess of 35 to be an effective healthcare professional whether that be Regular or TA? On more than one occasion I would sit in the cookhouse and see a pile of food upon a plate which most people would need a shirpa to guide you over the top and equally you could not see any of the plate for the food! 'It wasnt salad!

on a seperate note, I did hear a rumour, and I'm sure you'll be able to set me straight, anyway, is it true that if your a Doctor you just get loaded onto the jumps course and don't have to do P Company? If it is true duth there exist some disparity? Hmmm

Blue touch paper lit, I shall now retire..

 

[Weeping_Angel]

on a seperate note, I did hear a rumour, and I'm sure you'll be able to set me straight, anyway, is it true that if your a Doctor you just get loaded onto the jumps course and don't have to do P Company? If it is true duth there exist some disparity?

Isnt that only if youre say, for example, an ortho surgeon and there arent any para trained ortho surgeons on the books, or an oldish skinny anaesthetitist and they need an anaesthetist?