Army reservists to get greater military role at home and abroad

Nuttzz

from the indo

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1222048&issue_id=11196

THE Army Reserve is to be given a greater role in military duties at home and abroad. A major overhaul of the Reserve Defence Force is to be announced today by Defence Minister Michael Smith when he launches a blueprint for its future.

Final details of the implementation plan were worked out at the weekend after meetings between senior Department of Defence officials and groups representing personnel in the permanent and reserve forces. The Defence Act is to be amended to allow part-timers to serve on peace missions overseas with their permanent colleagues.

The move is expected to be phased in and will initially involve filling posts where specialists are in short supply, including engineers, doctors, fitters and mechanics.

The Reserve force is also being reorganised into a three-brigade structure, which will mirror the set-up in the permanent force, and units will be renamed and reclassified.

Mr Smith will announce that none of the Reserve units are to be shut down and a presence will be maintained in all current locations.

The minister is also examining amendments to the employment legislation to ensure that volunteers who take up posts overseas for six to 12 months will be guaranteed their jobs when they return home.

Reservists have already begun training alongside personnel from the Permanent Defence Force and are using their equipment. Under the implementation plan Reserve units will be "twinned" with full-time units.

These radical changes are in line with recommendations contained in the Government's White Paper on defence.

Does this mean the FCA are gone or is this something else?

Is this defence on the cheap allowing part timers to go on peace keeping duties? Personally i think if the army has a shortage of doctors etc it must be cheaper to use reserve ones than hire new ones.

tba

it could have something to do with an EU defense plan aswell?

monument

Originally posted by Nuttzz
Does this mean the FCA are gone or is this something else?

They've been changed to the Reserves for a while now, this is just giving then a more active role - which was expected from the out set of the original change.