Trained Strength

It has been quoted else where that the RNR is: 947 Officers, 1289 Ratings.

Now I am not sure where the contributor got those figures from but they are plausible. I have heard that the RNR is only about 40% trained strength, not privaleged info on my part and may be completely out, but this is a rumour site after all!

If it is accurate then each unit is provided 68 trained reservists to the RN. Not a glowing endorsement of the cost effectiveness of our service. What are others experiences of why reservists are not trained strength?

 

The clue is in the title mate. (No sarcasm intended)

We are reservists and as such are only able to dedicate our spare time to the cause.

Courses such as the BSSC, 518 and SPO 547 could be undertaken at weekends but due to the problems with getting instructors and establishments working weekends and the obvious costs associated this is not a feasable idea.

Apparently they used to do such courses as the BSSC on weekends but the take up was quite poor and they stopped.

Security clearance and the entrance process in general for reservists takes far too long.

Also, as long as they continue the trend of letting people do recruitment as ORT instead of branch based courses there will always be people who take the easy option.

 

I want to be trained strength by the end of the year which means I have to do my 518, SPO 547 and the BSSC course at least to do that. I also have to do Ajax barge, the Accreditation weekend and also the Safe Deckhand course. Lot of stuff yet to do.

 

Try take up from instructors being poor, they really used to drip about their lost weekends! From the RNR perspective, every such weekend course I did was full and well subscribed.

An alternative reason why these courses are no longer offered is that do not give the RNR enough training - the weekend course was one-day fire fighting, one day sea survival - BSSC covers more subject matter and in greater depth. Given that BSSC is the minimum level for sea-goers its not hard to see that the weekend course is inadeqaute preapartion for sea-going ratings.

 

You're not the only one, Splice.

My personal target is to reach AB1 by July. I'm not GSS(R) so I don't have to bother with the BSSC (Although I am doing that, coincidentally), the 518 or SPO, etc. But I do have to attend a number of branch training weekends and pass the AB2 - AB1 exam. This is why I'm so incredibly glad I joined the 'hotel' branch! Getting trained as quick as possible!

But I do regret missing out on weapon's training, though. :cry:

 

Joined summer 2000, became trained strength summer 2006. Qualified for bounty every year (and thus did everything required of me every year). I understand someone noticed the long training pipeline and now the target is one year, rather than six.

 

If the Navy needed you they would take you trained or not

they could get you trained in weeks or months not the years that we need

 

I reckon now I will be trained strength in 2008, 15 days off special leave does not permit me any more time unless I take some as my annual leave if necessary.

 

"special leave" whats that? oh lucky you. :cry:

 

Exactly, I have to use annual leave, Mrs noemis is not happy, and I wortk 2 out of every 3 weekends! I have to make a choice between weekends for advancement and weekends that float my boat so to speak! Don't talk to me about yachties by the way!!!!!!

Joined in 2000 too, should be on trained strength but not at the moment!

 

Special Leave????.....all my training comes out of my annual leave from work.....
Seriously if I had had another 15 days per year to play with it would have been childs play, as it is I have had 1 "holiday" where I haven't had to dress up in pusser's blue in 5 years.
I am about 12-18 months behind where I could have been by this point, due to delays on getting on courses and the aforementioned holiday

Don't get me wrong this is not a drip. I have enjoyed (most) of my time with the RNR hugely. I have been rewarded for the effort I personally put into it and had some good runs ashore

Someone said to me when I joined up.....you get out what you put in....yeah I know we've all heard that before :lol: :lol: .....but this time it stuck with me. 8O 8O ....so if you can spare the time Splicethemainbrace crack on and have a "navy year."(if the training budget will allow of course :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: )

 

I have every intention to do as much as possible without burning myself out. Did it all wrong last year, was using my annual leave for Navy stuff and ended up with hardly any time for doing 'sod all'. This year I don't want to burn myself out like last year. I aim to do at least 2 more weeks ORT after my BSSC course this year.