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What has improved in the TA in the last 10 years?

Christ Cardinal,

I bet you had an old kipper nailed to the back of the door that you licked on the way out of the house instead of breakfast!

(Edited due to playing the man not the ball).

For me, the fact that the TA has been used has caused all sorts of improvements, as mentioned here before - more targetted training, closer liaison with the regular army, and regular staff treating the TA seriously, because they have a real chance of meeting them again on ops.

Duke (who started training in the 80's, did P Coy in road slappers, and still believes that fitness is important to all soldiers if they want to retain any form of credibility).
 
Dr_Evil said:
Speaking of slappers, I think the quality of the totty has improved.

Agreed?

*tumbleweed*

Ah yes, but don't you have the "chain of command issue"?

(note that I didn't use the acronym CoC in this instance, it could have been misunderstood)
 
The_Duke said:
Christ Cardinal,

I bet you had an old kipper nailed to the back of the door that you licked on the way out of the house instead of breakfast!

(Edited due to playing the man not the ball).

For me, the fact that the TA has been used has caused all sorts of improvements, as mentioned here before - more targetted training, closer liaison with the regular army, and regular staff treating the TA seriously, because they have a real chance of meeting them again on ops.

Duke (who started training in the 80's, did P Coy in road slappers, and still believes that fitness is important to all soldiers if they want to retain any form of credibility).

Oh I agree dear boy, fitness is important. But so long as we oldies can still complete a CFT and pass our fitness test do we constantly have to listen to guys half our age gobbing off about us being useless?

When I was younger I seem to remember having a great deal of respect for the older ones who had been in longer, done more and seen more, we had a few who had been in Aden, Borneo, Cyprus and Ulster, although I was certainly fitter and faster.

I dont ever remember thinking "Oh I am fitter so its time for him to go, silly old sod" it was always a case of "what can I learn from him?"

I did the commando course back in the 80's, twice failed once passed second time, and like you know that when I can no longer pass fitness tests its time to hang up my boots, but I dont need someone about the same age as my kids telling me to do so.

Cardinal
 
Dr_Evil said:
Speaking of slappers, I think the quality of the totty has improved.

Agreed?

*tumbleweed*

Yes, completely agree though I am not sure their promotion prospects should be directly linked to who amny and whom they sleep with.

If I were to find though that sleeping with the RSM wee to get me my next promotion I might, just, consider it. On the other hand perhaps not.

Cardinal
 
Cardinal said:
The_Duke said:
Christ Cardinal,

I bet you had an old kipper nailed to the back of the door that you licked on the way out of the house instead of breakfast!

(Edited due to playing the man not the ball).

For me, the fact that the TA has been used has caused all sorts of improvements, as mentioned here before - more targetted training, closer liaison with the regular army, and regular staff treating the TA seriously, because they have a real chance of meeting them again on ops.

Duke (who started training in the 80's, did P Coy in road slappers, and still believes that fitness is important to all soldiers if they want to retain any form of credibility).

Oh I agree dear boy, fitness is important. But so long as we oldies can still complete a CFT and pass our fitness test do we constantly have to listen to guys half our age gobbing off about us being useless?

When I was younger I seem to remember having a great deal of respect for the older ones who had been in longer, done more and seen more, we had a few who had been in Aden, Borneo, Cyprus and Ulster, although I was certainly fitter and faster.

I dont ever remember thinking "Oh I am fitter so its time for him to go, silly old sod" it was always a case of "what can I learn from him?"

I did the commando course back in the 80's, twice failed once passed second time, and like you know that when I can no longer pass fitness tests its time to hang up my boots, but I dont need someone about the same age as my kids telling me to do so.

Cardinal

I am glad that you are still cruising through. I think his comments were aimed more at those who do not pass the tests, but rely on position "but I am WO2 pots and pans and SOOOO vital to the unit - please tick the box for me".
 
The_Duke said:
Cardinal said:
The_Duke said:
Christ Cardinal,

I bet you had an old kipper nailed to the back of the door that you licked on the way out of the house instead of breakfast!

(Edited due to playing the man not the ball).

For me, the fact that the TA has been used has caused all sorts of improvements, as mentioned here before - more targetted training, closer liaison with the regular army, and regular staff treating the TA seriously, because they have a real chance of meeting them again on ops.

Duke (who started training in the 80's, did P Coy in road slappers, and still believes that fitness is important to all soldiers if they want to retain any form of credibility).

Oh I agree dear boy, fitness is important. But so long as we oldies can still complete a CFT and pass our fitness test do we constantly have to listen to guys half our age gobbing off about us being useless?

When I was younger I seem to remember having a great deal of respect for the older ones who had been in longer, done more and seen more, we had a few who had been in Aden, Borneo, Cyprus and Ulster, although I was certainly fitter and faster.

I dont ever remember thinking "Oh I am fitter so its time for him to go, silly old sod" it was always a case of "what can I learn from him?"

I did the commando course back in the 80's, twice failed once passed second time, and like you know that when I can no longer pass fitness tests its time to hang up my boots, but I dont need someone about the same age as my kids telling me to do so.

Cardinal

I am glad that you are still cruising through. I think his comments were aimed more at those who do not pass the tests, but rely on position "but I am WO2 pots and pans and SOOOO vital to the unit - please tick the box for me".

i dont think cruising through is quite the expression, steam comes out from every hole and my breath catches up with me later the same day, clinging on is more accurate.

That said, what about the older guys who have an illness or injury and are downgraded? They could have excellent skills, loads to offer and still be valuable members of any unit.

Their medical condition might not even be a perminent one and they are only temporarily downgraded, in which case rash comments about dead wood getting rid of the fat knackers and wasters etc might see some really high quality soldiers go out through the door.

Many years ago in 1 Wessex we had a storeman who was ex SAS, he was downgraded but was a very experienced soldier and in an infantry unit what he was able to pass on was sheer gold. Even in my current TA unit we have a guy who is P7 since he is a diabetic, but he has done tours and is a very good storeman who makes up for a lot of the sh*te we have to put up with from one of the SQMS, again it would be a shame to loose that dedication and experience.

Last year I worked with another SNCO who was downgraded P7 because of his weight he had a UK only post on mobilisation but spent the year getting fit and is now P3 FE and doing FTRS on Telic. Under the harsh regime advocated by some these people would all have been lost to the TA quite needlessly. Even some of the staff at RTMC doing very useful work and making a real contribution would be lost.

I feel that some people should be a little more tolerant. If a soldeir is simply too lazy to get fit then he is probably too lazy to have been promoted in the first place or to be retained in the TA. If however there are good reasons for downgrading those soldiers and their experience should be retained.

Cardinal
 
Cardinal,

I think that issue has been done to death on many a thread. Perhaps we should let it lie, rather than drag this one off as well.

Duke
 
:? ALL SAID AND DONE YOU OLDER GUYS MAY BE WITHERED AND SLOW BUT HOW ARE WE KIDS OFF THE STREET GONNA LEARN IF YOU DONT TEACH US FROM YOUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE.

ITS ALL WELL AND GOOD STANDING THERE SAYING 'YOU NEED TO GET OFF TO AFGAN OR IRAQ' BUT WE NEED TO BE FIT TO FIGHT SURELY BEFORE BEING FIT FOR ROLE (OR FITTER THAT U COFFIN DODGERS).

I'M ALL READY FOR ANY ON THE GROUND TRAINING U GUYS WILL THROUGH AT ME COZ, IF I'M GOING ON TOUR I WANNA BE READY.

FITNESS IS IMPORTANT BUT ITS AS MUCH AN INDIVIDUAL THING AS AT UNIT LEVEL IF PEOPLE DONT LIKE SALAD THEY WILL DODGE IT!!!

PIE AN CHIPS FOR TEA IT IS THEN.
 
beastmaster24_7 said:
:? ALL SAID AND DONE YOU OLDER GUYS MAY BE WITHERED AND SLOW BUT HOW ARE WE KIDS OFF THE STREET GONNA LEARN IF YOU DONT TEACH US FROM YOUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE.

ITS ALL WELL AND GOOD STANDING THERE SAYING 'YOU NEED TO GET OFF TO AFGAN OR IRAQ' BUT WE NEED TO BE FIT TO FIGHT SURELY BEFORE BEING FIT FOR ROLE (OR FITTER THAT U COFFIN DODGERS).

I'M ALL READY FOR ANY ON THE GROUND TRAINING U GUYS WILL THROUGH AT ME COZ, IF I'M GOING ON TOUR I WANNA BE READY.

FITNESS IS IMPORTANT BUT ITS AS MUCH AN INDIVIDUAL THING AS AT UNIT LEVEL IF PEOPLE DONT LIKE SALAD THEY WILL DODGE IT!!!

PIE AN CHIPS FOR TEA IT IS THEN.

You left your caps lock on.

Cardinal
 
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