Question for Royal Naval Reservists

[2_deck_dash]

The problem with producing a billet for the RNR from the WMO is that, in many ways, 2DD is quite unique - he's an ex-matelot, with the appropriate training, able to go to sea for a bit. That isn't (at the moment) the structure of the RNR. For better, or for worse, the RNR replicates very little training the RN does. Creating a T45 (RNR) billet or billets would be quite a cool way to break the RNR.

Indeed, however a Sea Res rating could still fill a gap on a 45 and make themselves useful. Get the Sea Res guys into the duty watch roster covering gangway duties in order to free up the RN lads. Likewise Sea Res can't do anything in the Ops Room, but we can relieve the people manning the Jimpys on the upperdeck so they can fill the gaps down below.

Look at what other jobs people do onboard, bridge watchkeeping being the obvious one. You learn it on the job, they just stick you on the wheel and watch you carefully until you are deemed fit to crack on. There is no reason why Sea Res ratings couldn't do this, again freeing up a better trained and more qualified RN rating to crack on in the Ops Room.

Stuff Sea Res could do:

Buffers party, RF, gunners party, gunbay crew, boarding party, SSEP, BM/QM (at sea and alongside), DHP, potentially even stuff like Navs Yeo, it's only a 2 week course after all and of course chipping, painting and scrubbing out.

In an ideal world I'd like to see the RNR used as a pool of semi skilled manpower to deploy on ships for short periods to fill manning gaps. The DEPCOs bid for RNR bods, an email gets sent round everyone who's in date for ISSC and an APWT and you volunteer. Everyone knows you learn more onboard than you do on course anyway. As people start spending more time on ship, the RNR will become more skilled and more useful to the RN.

 

[SimpleReservist]

2DD,
have you mentioned your thoughts to your RFPO, or SO2?

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

Can't we just give Lusty to the RNR when it's finished with? We could deploy them all in one go. Just saying


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[alfred_the_great]

2DD,
have you mentioned your thoughts to your RFPO, or SO2?

Why isn't the SO2 on here?

 

[SimpleReservist]

AFG, ask him? I can pm you his email

 

[2_deck_dash]

2DD,
have you mentioned your thoughts to your RFPO, or SO2?

Not yet. If I'm honest I'm laying low for a week or two after the last massive shit storm I churned up with regards to being put through phase 1 training again.

Edited to add: I am deadly serious about getting this shit sorted out though. My Chops M oppo and I fully intend to get a proper plan together in order to facilitate RNR lads filling gaps on Frigates and Destroyers, even if it's only for a fortnight at a time.

 

[SimpleReservist]

2DD, SO2 is on it. I will let him know about your thoughts etc.

AFG, do you really want to know why SO2 is not on an unofficial site? Surely you are trying to get me on a bite?

 

[alfred_the_great]

Well, there are at least 3 brigadiers and a general on ARRSE, and it's rumoured CGS' team read it often as well, so no, not a bite. Of course, the RN doesn't go much for being intellectually challenged or listening to the man on 2 Deck, so I'm not surprised the SO2 isn't on here.

Unofficial or not, Navynet is the first result when you type in Royal Navy unofficial, and given the consistent queries that disbelieve the 'official' advice, I'd say it's place the RN needs to use more.

 

[2_deck_dash]

Well, there are at least 3 brigadiers and a general on ARRSE, and it's rumoured CGS' team read it often as well, so no, not a bite. Of course, the RN doesn't go much for being intellectually challenged or listening to the man on 2 Deck, so I'm not surprised the SO2 isn't on here.

Unofficial or not, Navynet is the first result when you type in Royal Navy unofficial, and given the consistent queries that disbelieve the 'official' advice, I'd say it's place the RN needs to use more.

Someone reasonably high up is listening. I'm sure of this. Thus far pretty much all the problems I've gobbed off about on here have been resolved in the manner I or someone else on here has suggested.

Better delete some of those whoring dits.

 

[SimpleReservist]

AFG, the Maritime Reserve were issued in January, the Continual Attitude Survey. The response rate is about 50% accross the MR, and 2 units have over 90% return rate. Thus the MRCAS, is the place to put the drips officially. It gets read by CMR, and he has used the return as ammunition to fire at those standing in the way of change. JPA OJARS/SJARS got a massive slagging, and since then CMR has managed to get a way round every singe report having to ping between RO and Subject on JPA. So whilst unofficial sites make us us all feel better, the way to change things is to use the official routes (including telling CMR, his staff officers, and WOs) that there are real issues when they visit.
i have searched for an unofficial Tesco site, and not found one, and they are massive when compared to the size of the MR - they tend to use official routes, including Continual Attitude surveys to get messages "up the chain".

I really enjoy posting on this site, and get great satisfaction from it, but doubt any of my posts will change anything. I tend to use the MRCAS, and the visits of CMR & staff to get my drips accross - and guess what, several of them have been acted upon.

 

[2_deck_dash]

The more I think about this the better it sounds. The benefits of sticking sea res ratings directly into the warfare department on frigates and destroyers are vast.

Firstly the RN and RNR gain a greater understanding of eachother and one another's capabilities. This is important and an area that there is currently a big shortfall. As I mentioned above, up until yesterday, my oppo who is the warfare department DEPCO on a 45, was completely unaware of what the RNR does and more importantly what it could do for him. Look how the TA has now become an accepted and useful part of the Army since Herrick. Pretty much all squaddies have met and worked with reservists in an operational environment. If the RN got used to having 4 or 5 RNR lads onboard each ship most of the time, the mutual distrust would soon fade.

More sea time means more experience which means we become useful members of the team. The RNR should be a readily available pool of manpower who can jump in to ships on a temporary basis and hit the ground running on that job, becoming a useful and valuable member of the department for the duration of their time onboard, even if it's just for a couple of weeks.

It should already be happening, the RNR is happy to mobilise people on a short term basis to do irrelevant stuff like flood fighting in Somerset or providing security for the Commonwealth Games. Why not deploy us on a short term basis to actually do the job we've been trained for? I.e warfare branch duties on warships.

 

[SimpleReservist]

2DD,
mobilising to fill gaps is illegal. Sorry, but that's the law.
The SoS for Def, authorised (with Parliament's approval) a change to the law, to enable Commonwealth, Olympic and Flooding mobilisations. He can't go any further until the full Armed Forces Act is formally amended. This is scheduled for later this year.
Meanwhile, CMR HQ have been very busy in looking at just what you suggest, and watch this space about a year from now.
The FTRS option doesn't work for many reservists as there is no employment protection, and it's not really appropriate for a month or so.

they are getting there, but it does take time.

 

[2_deck_dash]

2DD,
mobilising to fill gaps is illegal. Sorry, but that's the law.
The SoS for Def, authorised (with Parliament's approval) a change to the law, to enable Commonwealth, Olympic and Flooding mobilisations. He can't go any further until the full Armed Forces Act is formally amended. This is scheduled for later this year.
Meanwhile, CMR HQ have been very busy in looking at just what you suggest, and watch this space about a year from now.
The FTRS option doesn't work for many reservists as there is no employment protection, and it's not really appropriate for a month or so.

they are getting there, but it does take time.

I'm glad to hear that is the direction in which things are heading.

Just out of interest are there plans afoot to increase the number of training courses? Like I said before, I (and presumably many others) have literally nothing to do for the next year because I can't get on any of the courses that are on my training matrix. Not only that but there aren't even any random buckshee courses to fill my time. There isn't even a windsurfing instructors course or minibus driving course I can go on.

The next year for me is going to be filled with lots of Wednesday nights in the unit and the occasional weekend away doing sports tournaments against other RNR units or the occasional bit of ceremonial. The only time I'll spend on a ship is for the occasional ship's tour when one is alongside.

 

[SimpleReservist]

Are you going on EXHE14?
also, if you are having snags with matrix courses, your RFPO and SO2 will want to know why, so they can see if it's an isolated incident or endemic.

 

[SimpleReservist]

2DD,
you really are taking this Orrifficer thing seriously.
"when one is alongside"

but you might be talking about a ship rather than one's self. What o? Sun over the yard arm? G&Ts all round.

 

[SimpleReservist]

Found out how to edit.

 

[2_deck_dash]

2DD,
you really are taking this Orrifficer thing seriously.
"when one is alongside"

but you might be talking about a ship rather than one's self. What o? Sun over the yard arm? G&Ts all round.

It's the wife, she makes me wear pink shirts and stuff. I'd be a mega officer, I've got more pairs of chinos than you can shake a stick at and I find deck shoes to be both smart in appearance and practical.

The horror.

Anyway on a seperate note, just checked my bank account and surprise surprise the RNR haven't paid me again. That's four months I've been doing this shit for free.

Mega.

 

[trehorn]

I have 2 thoughts on this,

Firstly I would agree that a reservist showing initiative shows up MOST RN perminent staff as lazy layabouts who aren't interested in doing what they're employed for.

Secondly I would suggest that funding may be an issue. You travel all the way to Whale Island and then don't get on a course. Who pays your travel, subsistance and for your time? The travel budget is already over stretched and risks like this would not help. Yes I know that letting the wardroon travel around in their own car everywhere doesnt help but hey ho. Also on joining a ship to fill a billet someone would have to pay you for that and then people may ask questions as to why we don't have enough regulars to fill the current requirements and that could open a whole other can of worms. We can't have people looking into pertinent, albeit awkward issues can we

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[lostscouser]

It's the wife, she makes me wear pink shirts and stuff. I'd be a mega officer, I've got more pairs of chinos than you can shake a stick at and I find deck shoes to be both smart in appearance and practical.

The horror.

Anyway on a seperate note, just checked my bank account and surprise surprise the RNR haven't paid me again. That's four months I've been doing this shit for free.

Mega.

You are dripping too early, RNR pay day is tomorrow, 1st of month.

 

[2_deck_dash]

You are dripping too early, RNR pay day is tomorrow, 1st of month.

Fair one. Just checked that out myself.

I am getting paid tomorrow but only for March.

December, January and Feb will just have to wait I suppose.