I have to agree with A. White. I suspect the most experienced, best trained troops in the world, whether reserve or regular force, are deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most are American or British, but not all. I read an interesting blurb this morning about Fijian soldiers guarding convoys in Iraq.
The contrast between US Guard/Reserve forces and CF Reserves is one of large army/small army. In the normal course of events, a small professional army will be better trained and more capable on a soldier by soldier comparison. This is a natural result of smaller forces, with less specialization and less of much of the nonsense and folderol that goes along with a large army.
American Guard/Reserve units have spent most of the last thirty years responding to domestic disasters. The CF spent a lot of that time doing peacekeeping activities in lots of godforsaken spots. This has to have had an effect on the Reserves, whether those units were posted abroad or just absorbed veterans into their ranks.
The US Army is revising almost all current training in light of events in Iraq. Soldiers in transport and other support units are going to receive more training in battle scenarios. This is not new. We had to learn the same lessons in Vietnam. Armies have been re-learning similar lessons since someone began recording history.
But the most valuable asset any US commander will have for some years is a solid cadre of combat veterans -- and it doesn't look like those will be in short supply.
My hat is off to the CF. Canadian military forces have always performed well, in many difficult situations. The best thing, in my opinion, for the future CF would be if a brigade or two were serving right now in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But that's just my thinking.
I love my country but Texas has been my home away from home for many years.
