Posted by Ray Ryan from St. John's NF Canada on January 04, 2021 at 19:17:32:
In Reply to: Mandatory time off for Reserves (Dav....) posted by MWG on January 04, 2021 at 16:36:44:
I agree it is often difficult to get soldiers out for trg. However this is an issue no matter if he is reg or reserve. I sure throughout your career you know more than one slug who spends more than his fair share of the time in the MIR. In the reserves there are the guys who have to work and study and I agree there are the slugs, who can't get out of their own way. Don't waste your time citing examples about than soldier from this or than unit. For every example you give, I can provide you with another example reg or reserve.
With ref to soldiers being turned on, there are many turned on soldiers regardless of their personal status ie. student or full time worker. I regret that you had to deploy with poor soldiers, but that is a problem with the reserve unit the sent the soldiers and the unit you deployed with. It is too easy to make a wide ranging statement saying that it is the problems with the reserves. Right now there are five soldiers from my unit in FYR - they are not there because there are left overs, but because they deserve to be there. They are good soldiers, whose personal situation allowed them to give a year long commitment. My unit ensured that the soldiers were properly screened as did the joining unit.
As to your question - what about mandatory time off? On the surface great idea. But for an employer and employee there are it not a black and white issue. If the gov't passes such a law how is an employer going to react when hiring a pers? For large corporations and gov't there are often other people with similar trg who can cover off someone else's job. But what about the small coys (6 - 12 pers), the majority of Canadian business, how will they react - Pers A - reserve soldier, excellent trg, responsible pers but after I spend x number of dollars training him in he has to take off for eight weeks for a course, or a year for a UN tour. Pers B - civi, good education, don't have to worry about him ever taking off for a year. If I am a employer who am I going to hire? I offer this situation up for discussion. Personally, I believe that such a law would be a good idea, but there would have to be a massive education program come hand in hand.
What about Y2K - where does the reserve soldier report for work come Jan 1st, 2000 - at my job as a computer programmer, police officer, lineman with local power company, traffic cop, office manager, secretary? For some it is an easy decision to report to your reserve unit, but for others maybe there services are required elsewhere. Is this what you were getting at Dav?
Have a good one.