Conference repair::reserve_forces

	It looks like all Reserve units are in for a hard time this year.
	My RNR unit ha s just been informed that our travelling budget has
	been cut by 60percent. This means that we will have great difficulty
	sending people on courses, most of which are located on the south 
	coast of England.

	There is even talk of restricting the number of drill attendances
	and sea weekend training allowed for each member. Everything is up
	in the air at the moment and no-one seems to know how far the cuts 
	will go. At least the fuel situation for the ship is still OK.....
	a few years ago, we were so restricted on fuel use that we hardly
	took the ship to sea for several months!


	Thank goodness the bounty is already in my bank!!

	Ed

    Does anyone know the final fate of Ft. Devens (located in
    Massachusetts)??  Last I heard it was going to be closed?
    
                      ken

    ...It doesn't appear to be to promising for Ft. Devens, but the (as far
    as I know) final decision has not been made yet. It is now supposidly
    in the hands of the politicians to see what they can do *8. I've heard
    that the 26th Yankee Division (MARNG) is to be deactivated over the
    next couple of years....in my opinion, that could be a devastating blow
    to the validation of Devens.
    
    Who knows??
    Kevin
                                                               

There was supposed to be a Computer Systems command moving to FT Devens,
but there is alot of resistance because the cost of living is so much
higher in New England than in Arizona. 

The Intelligence Command is consolidating in Arizona and should be finished
after the last technical classes finish.

The Engineers are being inactivated this fall and the Special Forces are 
supposed move towards the Rocky Mountains.

That leaves a hospital, a garrison, a reserve support command, reserve 
maintenance & storage facilities, a few reserve units, a few ranges, and 
several empty buildings.

Army spokespersons have told local towns the Army wants to keep the FT Devens 
reserve training facilities. Some other reserve activities might move to FT 
Devens, but the big civilian support base would not be needed. 

A rumor about having a commercial airport there is discounted. The weapons 
ranges have been used for almost 50 years and have live ordinance from 5" 
naval shells to grenades cooking in the sun or buried in its wetlands. There
is also an environmental waste problem there. Hiring a caretaker and patching
a fence is much cheaper than clearing the ground.

(The State could consolidate all of their prisons there with only minor
alterations. Depending upon their outlook, some veterans might feel this
would be an improvement.)

    From the papers this morning those presently in the firing-line, so to
    speak, include the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment, the entire reserve
    Parachute units, 21st and 23rd TA Special Air Service Regiments, the
    Lifeguards and the Blues and Royals.
    
    Last night we were told our unit has sufficient members to have a
    fourth flight, we were in fact overmanned but still recruiting and
    training.  Three promotions to Corporal were announced as well.
    
    Confusing huh.
    
    Dave

                        <<< Note 174.5 by DUCK::NASHD >>>

>    Lifeguards and the Blues and Royals.
    

	Is this the regular units? Are they being disbanded? My reserve
	unit is allied with the Blues and Royals and I plan on visiting their
	headquarters in Germany this summer.

	Does this also mean no Household Calvery? 

	Susan

    Susan,
    
    Yes, it is the regualar units.  
    I read it in a paper and we all know how accurate they are, I suspect
    that eventually a rumours will fly about every regiment ( regular or
    part-time).
    
    I can't see any changes being made in a few months though. I would have
    thought that once "they" have decided what to do, how to do it comes to
    the fore.
    
    As I wrote, formal statements from my CO indicates my unit is going frm
    strength to strength ( in fact I think I've done a bit of poaching,
    A TA corporal is coming to my unit for an interview tomorrow).
    
    I'm intrigued about your alliance with the Blues and Royals. I've
    always thought of you on t'other side of pond. Tell me more - please?
    
	Dave
                                                                  

At the present moment it is *ALL RUMOUR*

The government has announced a target manning level for 1995.

It is expected that divisions will be reduced to 5 battalions each.

This means of course that the household division will shed a few familiar names.

A few single-battalion regiments may vanish or merge.

However at this time *ABSOLUTELY NO* details have been finalised.

/. Ian .\

                        <<< Note 174.7 by DUCK::NASHD >>>

>    I'm intrigued about your alliance with the Blues and Royals. I've
>    always thought of you on t'other side of pond. Tell me more - please?


	I am on the other side of the pond, in Canada. My unit is the
	Governor General's Horse Guards, a armoured militia unit. We are
	allied with both the Blues and Royals and the 1st Queen's Dragoons
	Guards. I am not sure how long this alliance have been around, 
	certainly since WW2. Our ceremonial uniforms are similiar to 
	the Blues and Royals Mounted Calvery, minus the breast plate and
	jackboots. 

	On the note of cutbacks, here the Canadian government is gearing 
	up for large cutbacks. Many bases will be closing and looks like
	the regulars are going to take a beating. Total regular strength
	is approx 80,000, and that should be trimmed to about 50,000.

	On the bright side, the reserves look to be on the upswing. Since
	we are cheaper than the regs, we will get more money and use
	the equipment the regs no longer will require. Recruiting has never
	been better, a recession has a lot to do with that, and retention
	of individuals is fairly high. Also, the regs are starting to 
	integrate more with the reserve. In the past, each reserve unit
	had 3 or 4 regs assisting the unit, now, it looks like 10% of a
	unit strength will be regs. This makes our life easier and training
	becomes number one priority instead of paperwork.


	Susan

	More on the Canadian cutbacks situation, our government cut 1000
	military and civilian jobs at National Defence HQ, and cancelled
	$700 million worth of orders for new vehicles, weapons and
	ammunition. Our ammo situation is such, that we only have enough to fire
	30 rds per person per year in the militia. Of our 33 military bases,
	5 will be closed for sure and more are tagged. This summer, we
	are withdrawing 1400 out of 7500 troops located in Germany as part
	of our NATO contribution. And recently our Prime Minister announced we 
	would maintain a presence in Europe, but it will be a token force.


	All this is in keeping with our government push to reduce spending 
	and cut our national debt. I am sure that this is the case in many
	other countries. Our problem is not really cuts, making us leaner
	and more efficient is certainly a worthy goal, the problem is our
	role. We do not have one. We do not know how our government wants
	to use us, other than UN peacekeeping and internal aid to our civilian
	power, since they do not have a plan. The last plan put out, was a 
	Cold War doctrine, needless to say, times have changed. 

	I would hope that once we have a direction, the government will give
	us the tools to do the job.


	So whats it like elsewhere? Do you guys over the pond have any job
	security if you unit gets disbanded? Do you transfer to another unit
	or just release?

	Susan

    I read in yesterdays Daily mail that 4 RAF bases are to be shutdown and
    3 Squadrons of the RAF Regiment are to be disbanded.
    
    The bases, to be closed by May 1993 according to the Armed Forces
    Minister, are at Hullavington, Abingdon, Church Fenton; RAF West
    Raynhame in Norfolk will close at some future date.
    
    

         <<< COMET::COMET$DISK8:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DEFENSE_ISSUES.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< Hawks 'n Doves 'n Everybody >-
================================================================================
Note 790.0                 Defense Bases Closure List                 No replies
FMNIST::olson "Doug Olson, ISVG West, UCS1-4"        57 lines   1-JUL-1991 14:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the bases recommended for closing by the Defense Base Closure
and Realignment Commission:

ARMY:
Fort Chaffee, Arkansas
For Ord, California
Sacramento Army Depot, California
Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana
Fort Devens, Massachusetts

NAVY:
Hunters Point Naval Annex, California
Long Beach Naval Station, California
Moffett Field Naval Air Station, California
Tustin Marine Corps Air Station, California
Philadelphia Naval Station, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Shipyard, Pennsylvania

AIR FORCE:
Eaker Air Force Base, Arkansas
Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
Castle Air Force Base, California
Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
 (joint command facilities left open)
Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana
England Air Force Base, Louisiana
Loring Air Force Base, Maine
Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan
Richards Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri
Rickenbacker Air Force Base, Ohio
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina
Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas
Carswell Air Force Base, Texas

Extracts from a related news article appearing in the San Jose Mercury
News follow:

The federal Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission finished
crafting a closure list of 27 major bases nationwide to comply with the
Pentagon's goal of shrinking the U.S. military by 25 percent over the
next five years.  The list still must be ratified by President Bush and
Congress.  Their agreement is widely expected.

...

The base-closing commission, appointed by Congress and the president,
is a key part of an intricate process devised to prevent politics from
blocking the closing of military bases.  Commission members have spent
the past two months reviewing the closure recommendations of the
Pentagon, and the list they completed Sunday cannot be modified by the
president or Congress.

However, Bush can reject the list outright, or send it back to the
commission for one final round of tinkering on or before July 15.  If
he decides instead to accept it, the list will then go to Congress,
which must make a similar all-or-nothing decision within 45 days.

    One down:
    
    The Royal Observer Corps are to be disbanded.
    
    
    Dave

    A slight relocation.....
    
    
         <<< REPAIR::PRC0$DUA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]RESERVE_FORCES.NOTE;2 >>>
                              -< Reserve Forces >-
================================================================================
Note 178.1              All good things come to an end...                 1 of 1
ASDS::AIKEN "Can't look cool in a car full of sheep" 17 lines  19-AUG-1991 14:40
                           -< do more, with better >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A number ofchanges have been taking place in the US military (that's no
    suprise to anyone) but I have been involved in one of them and talk
    about it - the Naval air reserve patrol program.  Its no secret that
    parsonnel and material cutbacks are taking place in both the reserve
    and regular programs. At the same time, the reserves are upgrading
    their equipment. After all, if the reg nav reduces strength then al lot
    of top-of-the-line equipment becomes available to the reserves. So
    while the reserves reduce their numbers, the remainder transition to
    more current material. This is evidenced by my reserve patrol squadron
    transitioning from P3-B/Mod ("Super B") Orions to P3-C/Update IIs. Note
    the fleet in using Update IIIs. While we have long been able to hold
    our own, and support/augment the fleet while using older equipment, now
    the equipment is par and the role is changing from one of augmentation
    to sharing primary responsibilities. In other words, in the past, the
    reserves covered 1/3 of the navy's maritime patrol program using
    (not obsolete) equipment and can now expect to increase that
    responsibility.

Our unit is deathly afraid of the cutback monster (Combat Communications)...

The trend for survival and even growth seems to be by getting involved in two
areas...

 "Nation Building":  Going to third world hell-holes and digging wells, roads,
                     schools, etc...  Seems the folks doing the digging like
                     phones that work...  Thus we get a lot of practice...

 "The War on Drugs": Supporting police and active military units involved in
                     drug interdiction efforts...  I think our Air traffic
                     control people are more into this than us radio troops...

Personally, I liked NATO exercises better, but then, who wouldn't want to spend
two weeks in some sunny Honduras jungle!

***sigh***

/mike "Wideband Communications Specialist"

    Just to ask a question....
    
    I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford '76-'78. This weekend at my UTA
    I was told that RAF Lakenheath was closing. What is going to happen to
    the F-111's there ?
    
    Another question...Has anyone heard that USAFRes were going to get rid
    of COB communications units. That was another rumor I heard this past
    weekend, and that affects me ?
    
    Any replys would be helpful...
    
    Thomas

>    Another question...Has anyone heard that USAFRes were going to get rid
>    of COB communications units. That was another rumor I heard this past
>    weekend, and that affects me ?
 
Yeah, I heard the COB's are gone (COBs are those little com flights that are
attached directly to flying units, right?)  Seems these units are generally
poorly trained and don't have any equipment, which you note seems to confirm,
at least as far as the equipment goes...

Ever considered getting into a MOB unit???  We actually have a few SB3614s...
And TRC170s and TSC100As and TGC-27s and TRN-26s and TSW-7s and so on and so 
on...

Just make sure you like life in the great outdoors!  And don't forget that
mosquito netting!

    Under the "new" defense structure, each flying unit will have an
    expanded communications unit attached to it.  The new communications
    squadrons will have personnel and assets to support the wing at homew
    station and deployed.(Fly and fight together).
    
    The comm sq will have 3 flights; systems, customer support and plans &
    programs.  The systems flight will have the deployable assets.
    
    This concept will not only eliminate the need for COBs it also will do
    away with independent combat comm (MOBs).  It is unknown at this time
    as to how this will affect the Air Guard.
    
    PZ

>    This concept will not only eliminate the need for COBs it also will do
>    away with independent combat comm (MOBs).  It is unknown at this time
>    as to how this will affect the Air Guard.
>    
>    PZ

Our MOB has been absorbed by TAC (AFCC is gone) and we are now attached to the
wing on base at Lambert Field (St. Louis).  At least for the moment!

    PZ,
     
    Our unit was reassigned to TAC also so we could fly and fight with and
    Air National Guard unit from another state. Wher did you get your info.
    Our commander is as much in the dark as we are so he said that it will
    be bussiness as usual until he is told to change things.
    
    Thomas
    

    Most of my information "flow" came out of the Senior Commanders
    Conference in Nashville.  Additional data has been flowing from both
    NGB and TAC SI offices.
    
    Your commander is right in "business as usual".  As I stated
    previously, the exact impact on specific units in the reserves is not
    yet finalized.  However, as the active forces implement Air Combat
    Command, our missions will change.  Remember, comm exists only to
    support the planes and if their missions go away, so does ours.
    
    The "good" news is that the Air Force is reducing the MOBs from 5 to 2. 
    The 4th in Korea and the 1st in Germany have already gone to caretaker
    status.  Some equipment was given to the host country, some is
    pre-positioned for exercises and some is being shipped to the reserves. 
    Next is the disbandment of the 5th in Georgia.  The 3rd will be moved
    to Offut in Omaha to support the SAC arm of ACC; the 2nd goes to
    Langley to support "old" TAC.  With these cutbacks and the specific
    assignments, reserve comm units will have to pickup a direct support
    mission.
    
    PZ

....according to CNN a week or so ago......

    Massachusetts is to lose 7,000 National Guard slots, (due to the reduction
of the state's population) some being Desert Storm Vets, along with "an equal
number of Reserve" slots. MA is taking the bigest 'hit' of any state in the 
Union.

    Any one know what the current strength of the MA Guard is? Reserve Strength?

....ouch!!

    The Mass Guard has between 9-10,000 troops.  This includes full timers,
    but I'm not sure if it counts the full time technicians that work at
    Ft. Devens.  From what I've heard, we are to loose about 4500 troops
    this year, and another 2500 next year...  Or maybe the numbers were
    turned around....

     The cutbacks in troop positions has been planned for a number of
     years. While the press is playing up loss of jobs etc, several of
     us have observed units filled to 100% manning are indeed rare.

     The number of positions being abolished seems to have a direct
     relationship to the number of positions the recruiters have not
     been able to fill.

     The Desert Storm utilization of Reserve Support Troops but not
     Combat Troops didn't help matters much for the Yankee Division,
     but internal manning factors/attendance put units on the list for 
     elimination/consolidation.

     In addition to major woes, new programs often have manpower-slot
     bill paying requirements, eg. a new computer system may wipe out
     30 operator positions and 20 computer van drivers & mechanics,
     etc. 

     Some systems, such as the Roland AA system, are phased out
     because something better has arrived or the system has outlived
     its usefullness; troops go with the equipment.

     But in summary, the troop cutbacks had more to with empty billets
     than with Desert Storm or with the Soviet decline. These were
     just intervening events in a long-range plan.

     Best wishes,
     Rollyn Trueblood

    From over here,
    
    My unit were told to lose 24 people, of the 135 listed, as soon as
    possible.  The 24 were selected and they seemed to be those who
    travelled the furthest; maybe there were other reasons.
    
    The reason given for the cutback was the Defence Secretarys, Tom King,
    "Option for change".
    
    Seven days later all the kit was returned, passes collected, papers
    signed and that was it boys! Thanks very much, there's the door.
    
    Of the 24, I saw no Officers, NCO's or females.  Oh yes, there was a
    recruit course in progress when the kits were returned.
    
    Dave
    Ex-RAF Regiment.
    

    The Pentagon today is to announce the cutting of 150,000
    Reserve/National Guard slots. Some of the states mentioned were
    Mass., NY, and California.
    
    from the radio this am....
    

    we were told 2400-2700 woluld lose jobs in the Alabama Army guard
    and reserves.
    
    My unit, COB communications unit has lost its mission to Europe.
    We will know if we still have a unit to report to in June. Until then
    it should be bussiness as usual. We may get a different mission,
    be absorbed by a bigger unit, or find different jobs if anything
    is available.
    
    More later,
    
    Thomas Hart

    Taken from the Daily Mail without permission:
    
    The Government plans to save more than 10million pounds sterling by
    cutting the strength  of the RN Resernve by 1200 sailors and disbanding
    the 2700 part-timers in the RN Auxiliary Service,
    
    Eleven Naval reserve training centres will be closed and the RNR's
    fleet of River class minesweepers will be withdrawn from service.
    
    More will be saved by scrapping 200 weekend jobs with the Royal
    Auxiliary Air Force.