Conservative pledges: battalions in Goose Bay, Bagotville, Trenton, Comox

[warpig]

MarkOttawa, good to hear you have a voice and it is not perturbed by what has evidently cowed so many here: a political philosophy. Don’t know if I agree with AC much but you, he and I do ask the pertinent questions, as un-patriotic at that may be.
NOTE to others: on the battlefield, politics is meaningless. If what got you there fails you in training, intelligence, equipment and tactical advancement you had best hope your voted-for MP will insure your next of kin at least get looked after.

I have a sense that a lot of the posters here are clapping uncontrollably like Soviet Delegates at the unveiling of a five-year plan in Moscow whenever the current government announces a new Military policy. If they have factual points on this, why haven’t they mentioned them?

And before more serving/past-serving members jump on me for bashing rural/isolation bases, I STILL live in Pembroke, had my two kids there and first arrived there in ’93. Budz, it’s no hell and that’s charitable. Nobody need attempt to inform me how great small-town living is. Did it for 13 years and glad I’m moving on. THE point you failed to redress was that willy-nilly redeployments of existing Battalions from places they are settled, be it Pet or Edmonton or the suburbs of Quebec City, do not make for retention-plus long-range planning. YOU might think that Pet is great, but a straw-poll of Patricias would have you believing different. And who is gonna get moved from Pet I may ask? An already decimated 3 RCR moving again, filling the void up north perhaps? We’ve already asked the Patricias to take it in the butt for Shilo, so ….! And speaking of Shilo, I wouldn’t mind hearing from people who have done that….
I don’t want to dramatize this, but if you think it would be easy to get our Franco brothers to move to Bagotville over Quebec….the Government had best be looking at a Battalion costing 60% I.R. for at least 3 years. Do you think you’ll know how much it will cost? Then why are we talking about it?

Nice idea, but no thought put into it. That scares me. Why doesn’t it scare some of you?

 

[geo]

Ummmm.... what would be the benefit associated with maintaining a Bn in Bagotville (or HappyValley/Goose Bay)
Given the pounding our LAVs are getting and the "managed readiness" rotation of those vehicles that are needed to train... where would the kit come from / go to.  It's bad enough that so much kit is set asside for Wainright TF training... but opening up new facilities???
Uh... who's going to pay for the upgrades anyway?

 

[born newfie]

maybe with more bases in more places we would get more people to join or for those people getting out to stay in.  i for one would like to be closer to home

 

[paracowboy]

I have a sense that a lot of the posters here are clapping uncontrollably like Soviet Delegates at the unveiling of a five-year plan in Moscow whenever the current government announces a new Military policy.

then you need to do some more reading.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I don't really get why you would want to be close to home... For me anyways it doesn't make any real difference on my career choices...

Max

maybe with more bases in more places we would get more people to join or for those people getting out to stay in.   i for one would like to be closer to home

 

[warpig]

then you need to do some more reading.

Ya, I probably do…
But having read all that was on this thread, and seeing nothing but implied un-blinking support, children’s songs, pining for Newfoundland and slow news days blues…you get my point.

I’m still finding my way around the site, so no doubt there will be some thoughtful points from you all. Criticizing government is a tricky thing for us serving members at the best of times. I can say for example that I personally think other members of my old Battalion would hate going here, here or there, as an example. I can’t go and say the Forces doesn’t have the money, because I don’t know that, (though I think that). BUT, we who serve, especially those with a lot of time in, have seen the political planification from on high end up functioning poorly if at all on the ground. We’ve seen the long-term consequences of short-term political expediency. We have a good idea of what's going to work, and the problems you’re gonna see doing big moves to strange places. I'm implying that there is a cost to unblinking loyalty. There is also a cost to unblinking Political loyalty, but that's a personal dig to some who thought their votes ment the Forces were gonna get realistic spending.

Perhaps those who have closer attachments to the Politicians and are posters here could direct those politicians to the healthy criticism we have brought up. Or, if mine and Mark’s views are the minority, that fact would signal that the rank and file approve the plans for their own reasons. It’s whatever.

Here’s a good point: why can’t Canada look 25 to 50 years in the future for where we need to go with our defence planning? High Arctic is NOW. Global Terrorism is very much NOW. If Global Warming is brought under control in 30 years, will the NW passage close up again? Will the billions spent on Arctic Sovereignty matter in 30 years? Is there really a threat at all up there? Are we re-structuring our Forces for a threat that won’t exist in 10 years? Anyone who saw the new buildings going up in Lahr and Baden while we were closing the bases knows exactly what I mean.

 

[Sub_Guy]

Global Warming = Myth

The world has been warming up since the last ice age, it is a fact that temperatures are slightly warmer, but it is also a fact that some glaciers are getting larger/thicker, the world is in constant change, and if anyone thinks the way the world is now, is the way it is going to be forever are foolish. 

With everyone under the impression that we are running out of oil (we are not), they will be exploring all they can, that is the reason why we should protect our north.  If it freezes over again then so be it, but we can't plan based on the earth's cycles, we should have more defence up north, there are several disputes up there that have to be addressed ASAP.  While everyone is focused on HANS island perhaps some should take the time to read on our dispute with the Americans.  There is a lot at stake.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Build up parts of the Military that don’t drain the other parts. Increase the Rangers and their equipment, also create a Marine component operating small vessels based in the North that can be dry docked in winter.

Create a Air reserve squadron using Hawks to keep fighter pilots flying and practicing their skills after they leave regular service for the airlines.

I still like to see LAV’s issued to Militia Infantry units despite the logistically headache. To cut costs, store the turret at depot, plate over the ring and install a smaller turret similar to the earlier LAV, this will give you a larger fleet to draw on to make up losses and rotate equipment for major rebuilds.

Start equipping reserve engineering units with more specialized equipment so they can act as a fleet reserve, civil emergency response and a way of training people in specialized skills for deployments.

Offer incentives for regular force members leaving the regs with combat experience to join a local Reserve unit to help propagate lessons learned and increase the pool of trained soldiers to draw upon.  

 

[McG]

For those who want to stay up to speed on this:
Goose Bay: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/30747.0.html
Bagotville: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/64371.0.html
Trenton: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/63710.0.html
Comox: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/46042.0.html

 

[time expired]

What an opportunity,bring back the Watch,and put them someplace
in Cape Breton where they belong.
                                        Regards

 

[vonGarvin]

What an opportunity,bring back the Watch,and put them someplace
in Cape Breton where they belong.
                                         Regards

They belong in Camp Gagetown!  http://www.blackwatchcanada.com/en/regs.htm

Put 2 RCR where IT belongs: Camp Ipperwash London.

 

[Pikache]

They belong in Camp Gagetown!  http://www.blackwatchcanada.com/en/regs.htm

Put 2 RCR where IT belongs: Camp Ipperwash London.

And destroy the skanks and sluts that prowl the Richmond St?

Heavens forbid

 

[time expired]

M.R.,I used to do the ATI for all units in the Maritimes,from
the Experimental SVC,BN,Gagetown in the 60s.Whenever we
were in Cape Breton people(civilians)would constantly ask us
if we were in the Watch,not in the Army, but in the Watch.
There seemed to be such a strong connection between this
area and the The Royal Highland Regt.of Canada,the Black Watch.
At that time the Watch recruited very heavily in Nova Scotia
and I do not think they any manpower difficulties.I just thought
that if they are serious about this expansion it might be a good
idea to reestablish old loyalties.Then again it probably just a
pipe dream as I doubt  that anyone in the Government or
NDHQ for that matter would understand these loyalties.
                                Regards

 

[Edward Campbell]

They belong in Camp Gagetown!  http://www.blackwatchcanada.com/en/regs.htm
...

Arguably, they (RHC) belong in Aldershot where they began their post war regular service circa 1950. Gagetown, if I recall, didn't get a Black Watch battalion until about 1960 - it was still a very new base then.

 

[McG]

Lets flesh-out the existing battalions (with all four rifle companies manned) before bringing back anything new.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Arguably, they (RHC) belong in Aldershot where they began their post war regular service circa 1950. Gagetown, if I recall, didn't get a Black Watch battalion until about 1960 - it was still a very new base then.

Or perhaps they belong in Montreal, where they have been for close to 100 years....

 

[geo]

I remember Aldershot in the 70s where the H huts still had Black Watch murals from the 50s and 60s  While 1 & 2 Bn RHR of C finished off their service in Gagetown, their colours were laid up at their RHQ.... Montreal.

If they were to raise a new Highland unit in the Regular force, wouldn't a name, representative of this country be a more appropriate choice..... "Canadian Scottish" comes to mind as being a unit name that could just as easily be stationed in BC as NL

However, as MCG has stated, let's make sure the units that are on the ground are full before getting distracted & diluting the leadership gene pool more than we already have.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

somebody tell MND that the NCO cloning machine is N/S.

I hear it's working fine, although the time from start to complete is still about 30 years... ;D

Considering some of the social problems in the North, using the Rangers template as a baseline to build up bigger reserve units up there with a Arctic combat mandate and more robust combat equipment. Including a armed naval reserve. I think my help restore some of the communities up there and help bridge the gap without drawing off to much manpower from other missions.

 

[geo]

I have lived & worked in the great white north

Have serious doubts about developing a warrior spirit in the Inuit & Amerind population.  It's not really their bag.  Great guys to act as RECCE troops, guides & SAR but, employing in Rifle section/platoon/company/battalion(s)... don't think so.

Have fond memories of some employees - went home for lunch and didn't come back after lunch...
When I did RECCE their home, found out - weather was nice & he's gone hunting - back in three days.
Regardless, couldn't fire him/them... they were some of the best & brightest in the village.

Hardened & robust combat troops?  NOT!

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Hmmmm why does it seem like buying new butcher block full of small specific use knives, when in the end a couple good sized ones will still do all the cutting required?  :-\