Seamanship & Comms to be taken out of GSSR?

[Vesper]

There's a rumour going round the fleet that Seamanship & Comms will be scrapped from GSSR training. This leaves us with SPO, which means that the vast majority of the RNR will primarily be made up of 12 man teams who are ready to guard military installations or mechant ships etc.

I'm not really sure I'd consider this as good news or not as it means I'll no longer be a sailor, more a security guard... Has anyone else heard about this?

~Vesper

 

[joesoap]

We had an in house lecture on this from "the ones who know" and the dit is yes the majority of your time will be SPO but misc boats rib and ras rigging will stay

 

[Reservist-Monkey]

What're people's thoughts and feeling on this buzz then?

 

[sinbad]

WE MUST COST LESS THAN PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS, WELL FOR THE TIME BEING, ALL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REF GUARDING INSTALLATIONS ARE DONE MAINLY BY CIVIES.

 

[ROMFT]

True Buzz. Short-sighted, knee-jerk reaction to short-term Fleet requirement. No account taken of career progression or retention.

 

[sinbad]

Sorry for going back to the 'good old days' of MCM10, but nowadays there are very few sailors in the RNR who joined after '95 who are able to claim to be proficient in seamanship unless they are a Snr or went FTRS at sea, as it's not practised as it was then, nearly everyweekend. Can it really be a big loss as SPO's the direction we are heading? yes it's great to know the theory but it's the practicle side that counts and we just don't receive it any more. At least SPO can be practised in house as required. i personally believe it will be a great loss and i believe it will add to the rentention problem, someone at the top needs to make their mind up !

 

[GCYZ]

True Buzz. Short-sighted, knee-jerk reaction to short-term Fleet requirement. No account taken of career progression or retention.

But has not gone away completely, just until SPO is fully sorted. Plans for seamanship are still going ahead. Be patient.

 

[trehorn]

thats funny, two of my oppo's have just returned from ORT having being informed that unless they were trained to use the GPMG or mini gun then they were not able to form part of the SPO team!!!

Of course its dead easy to get training nad keep in date for using these weapons in the RNR!!! Thay cant even keep us in date for the SA80 - AND WE HAVE THEM IN UNIT!!!

 

[Reservist-Monkey]

Not sure where the miniguns will come from but GPMGs are not beyond the realms of possibilty.

 

[MasterChief]

If you pm or email me i will be happy to give you the official "GEN" on GSSR/SPO/WEAPONS ETC

 

[beer_bosun]

WE MUST COST LESS THAN PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS, WELL FOR THE TIME BEING, ALL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REF GUARDING INSTALLATIONS ARE DONE MAINLY BY CIVIES.

Hand me my "Group 4 - Armoured Division" eppaulettes please!!

 

[WarMonger]

This topic really REALLY REALLY pisses me off and fills me with nothing more than deep depression!!!

I joined the RNR to go to sea and to be challenged and stimulated outside of my normal job as I imagine did every other person in the RNR..and YES YES I know that things change and things move on and in the 14 years I served I dont think we have had a 6 month period without it.. and yes if you dont like it leave ..heard it all before..We are in a global war, a war against terrorism with the world rapidly changing however I am very sorry but for 95% of the time SPO is nothing more than fighting boredom....it may not be what the higher echelons want to hear..a large portion of which have never done an 8 hour stint on the upperdeck in 45 degree heat I hastern to add..!!

Sinbad is spot on SPO will do for retention and recruiting what the Hindenbury disaster did for Airship travel...!!

All I will say would the last one out switch the light off!!