Territorials to be made to fight overseas

[TBH]

Just been reading a story about the Chief of Defence Staff's plan to have the T.A agree to do an overseas tour of Duty in Afghanistan or Iraq, once every six years and If they refuse they will be forced to resign.
He actually had the Gall to call sections of these professionally trained volunteers, 'posers', that liked the thought of wearing the uniform but not the thought of having to fight in a war-zone.
I was led to believe that these men and women had volunteered to help protect their own country firstly and in times of all out war then they would be expected to fight overseas also.
Are they being used as cheap alternative to full time soldiers due to the decline of people joining the regular army?

[Melancholy Man]

He actually had the Gall to call sections of these professionally trained volunteers, 'posers', that liked the thought of wearing the uniform but not the thought of having to fight in a war-zone.

That could be true. "Some sections", mind. I don't have any figures to hand, but the TA is below optimal strength and numbers leave *has* increased since 2003. Equally, I don't know how many refuse tours abroad (and think it would be reasonable to prevent this), although I know of many TAers - both personally and through reports - who have willingly gone to Iraq or Afghanistan. Does this not include a number from Caithness who went to Afghanistan c. 2002?

See also this (http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.2380960.0.Saved_by_his_helmet_soldiers _Afghan_escape.php) chap.

[TBH]

That could be true. "Some sections", mind. I don't have any figures to hand, but the TA is below optimal strength and numbers leave *has* increased since 2003. Equally, I don't know how many refuse tours abroad (and think it would be reasonable to prevent this), although I know of many TAers - both personally and through reports - who have willingly gone to Iraq or Afghanistan. Does this not include a number from Caithness who went to Afghanistan c. 2002?

See also this (http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.2380960.0.Saved_by_his_helmet_soldiers _Afghan_escape.php) chap.Indeed there have been a number of T.A from Caithness that have done a tour of Duty in Basra. The thing is there are perhaps a few that see the wearing of the uniform as some sort of status symbol but to tar a majority with this label is not on.

[Melancholy Man]

The thing is there are perhaps a few that see the wearing of the uniform as some sort of status symbol but to tar a majority with this label is not on.

I make a point of, whenever I see someone in uniform, of congratulating them (regardless of what I think of certain wars). Where exactly did you hear this? Sir Jock Stirrup, a name which belonged on the Afghan frontier at the formation of the TA, seemed to be saying (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/frontline/2299422/Territorial-Army-soldiers-to-be-ordered-to-fight-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan.html) anything but.

More mind-blowing (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6269613.stm) stories from Afghanistan.

[pat]

The TAs have gone where and when sent - very few would want or be permitted to refuse a duty posting.
If any serving TA refuses to serve wherever they are scheduled to be sent - awaiting imminent surgery, undergoing treatment - they should be allowed to have their service there delayed until after recovery. Anyone refusing to go due to imminent birth of child, long term ill health of parent or partner, court proceedings, the reason for the requested delay should be examined and decisions made by a panel and if necessary delayed
.
If the person just does not want to endanger themselves by serving in that particular area their contract should be terminated.
When the TA sign up they know the conditions and likliehood of being sent away.

What would we have done if the TA refused to man the Green Goddesses when the firemans strike was on a few years ago?

[TBH]

The TAs have gone where and when sent - very few would want or be permitted to refuse a duty posting.
If any serving TA refuses to serve wherever they are scheduled to be sent - awaiting imminent surgery, undergoing treatment - they should be have their service there delayed until after recovery. Anyone refusing to go due to imminent birth of child, long term ill health of parent or partner, court proceedings, the reason for the requested delay should be examined and decisions made by a panel and if necessary delayed
.
If the person just does not want to endanger themselves by serving in that particular area their contract should be terminated.
When the TA sign up they know the conditions and likliehood of being sent away.

What would we have done if the TA refused to man the Green Goddesses when the firemans strike was on a few years ago?You miss the point, this is not about cowardess but about doing your job, the one you were employed for.

[Melancholy Man]

TBH, TBH, I'm struggling to see your point here. Your original assertion was that the Chief of Staff was dismissing Reservists as clayish footed. If the Telegraph article is an accurate synopsis of his thoughts, this was not so.

Like it or not, before this un-Christian mess we've got ourselves into over Iraq, there will have been the implicit belief that the TA was a lesser force. Any member going off on active duty would have specifically volunteered for it, and the Regulars had not been so stretched that this force had had to be called upon since Korea.

So, I can entirely understand why individuals who joined pace Iraq may now want to leave. And they can. The Regulars are different, as there has been a clearer link between the British armed forces and active duty in all the years since Korea (only in 1968 was no individual killed in combat) and are required to wait in the Reserve for six years after leaving. I have less sympathy for individuals who have joined post Iraq and now decline to be deployed.

[pat]

Agree with you MM

[TBH]

I have made the mistake of believing what I read in the press. The Chief of the defense staff did not make the comments I have been mislead to attribute to him.

[golach]

When I was a Reservist,the main area of action was the Falklands, and many calls were made by the Reservists themselves RNR, TA, and the RAFA, to be called up. But it takes an Act of Parliament to activate the call up of the Reserves. This has always been considered by the government as a last resort. If all the Reserve Forces were activated / called up, then this would be a act of political suicide, and would tell the Taliban and our Allies that the UK was in big trouble.
Many of our present Reservists have already seen active service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but they are purely volunteers, and I salute them all.

[Melancholy Man]

You are history's greatest monster, TBH.

[TBH]

You are history's greatest monster, TBH.We are all guilty of believing propaganda, I am only human, I apologise for it.;)