An old dog taught new tricks, courtesy of Brownell's:
Posted on 01/28/2006 4:33:36 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4
Every time anything happens to Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, everyone with a beef against the current federal government seems to feel the need to ratchet-jaw on about the poor, wretchedly equipped Canadian military. As someone who’s been issued all the kit, and who has had access to the stuff other countries are using, I find this tendency extremely irritating.
Canada doesn’t have a big navy. We don’t have guided missile cruisers, (working) submarines, or aircraft carriers. Our air force is suffering from decades of neglect, and we are stretched mighty thin just sustaining our forces in Afghanistan with our brace of C-130s. We are mothballing our tanks. It’s safe to say that as far as the big-ticket stuff goes, we pretty much suck.
But the soldier stuff, the vehicles and the clothing and the protection and (sorry, Gen Hillier) the gizmos… now there, we have another story.
I’ve posted before about the G-wagon. I’m not going to link to it, just scroll down and you’ll see what I think about that particular item.
I haven’t posted about the LAV-III. I haven’t felt the need. That thing is simply the best armoured fighting vehicle in the world. Armour, protection (yes, there is a difference), armament, optics, navigation, suspension, every single subsystem is state-of-the-art. The Yanks have their own version - which differs only in the lack of a turret, as an American officer involved in evaluating the Canadian version told me, only because of a difference in deployment philosophy - and it has saved countless American lives in Iraq.
The Canadian C7 rifle has been adopted, over the American M16 rifle on which it is based (although it looks similar, it has been heavily modified for the CF), by a number of foreign militaries, among them the Netherlands, and reportedly the British SAS. We have just been issued with a still newer model, the C7A2, which has so many useful and innovative improvements that I despair of listing them without putting my civilian readers to sleep (Collapsible stock! Green furniture! Cruciform Weaver rails! Oh, alright…).
Our new camouflage pattern, CADPAT, was adapted by the USMC, then the US Army, and rumour has it that several other countries are looking at adopting their own versions.
New night vision equipment. New communications equipment (Brits are buying our stuff). New NBCD equipment. New boots. New packs. New (only just invented) artillery with precision-guided ammunition. New mine- and blast-resistant vehicles (Nyalas). New clothing. Grenade launchers. C9A2s. It goes on and on.
Is it perfect? Hell no. Combat uniforms, designed to be worn under fragmentation vests, that have chest pockets? And no arm pockets? WTF!? And seriously, mate, what genius came up with a ‘modular’ tactical vest that doesn’t allow the user to carry more than 4 magazines? After every other fighting force in the world, not to mention your own soldiers, has come to the conclusion that soldiers require up to 10 or more magazines in modern battle? By the way, great job in making grenade pouches that the grenades you give us don’t fit into. That’s especially useful. I put my Garmin in one of mine. Maybe I can use another for an MP3 player. And don’t even get me started about the absurd, almost criminally negligent administrative system under which we suffer. I really didn’t enjoy not getting paid for over two months this fall.
But for the love of God, I think back to the Army I joined in 1987, and the 1950’s pattern webbing and 1950’s vintage equipment I was originally issued with. I think back to the vehicles we used to drive, the clothing we used to wear, and frankly the attitudes we used to have, and I don’t even recognize us.
Gen Hillier is right. It isn’t about the gizmos. Gizmos are just a manifestation of something that’s been going on, largely unnoticed by the society we serve, for many years now. We have been changing. Not getting a shiny new paint job or plastic surgery. In very many ways, we are a fundamentally new, and different organization than we used to be. Still with problems, but baby steps, people, baby steps.
For all of those that pity the Canadian Forces: keep your pity.
You will shortly find that ‘pity’ is entirely misplaced.
Yes, your posts are very insightful as well. I always look forward to reading your contributions.
An old dog taught new tricks, courtesy of Brownell's:
Many thanks.
The G-Wagon gun-shield design was the brainchild of MWO Billy Bolen and Sgt Chris Thombs - both members of B Coy 3 PPCLI, serving with the PRT. -- Mark C.
It went from concept to deployed in less than two months, no contractors, bids, or government interference. -- GO!!!
Only four magazines and grenades don’t fit the pouches? The idiot desk jockey responsible should be dropped off in a hot LZ.
It sounds like the Captain was more concerned with the by-the-book uniform appearance of his troops and not on successful mission accomplishment. If his troops all look pretty maybe he’ll make Major sooner?
Nice ... I'll be posting this at Free Dominion.
Canada Ping!
Please FReepmail me to get on or off this Canada ping list.
Scott, Just what was it in the article that led you to that conclusion?
He speaks well of the arms and equipment which the infantry needs to do its job.
He speaks well of the effectiveness of the camo pattern, (also needed by the wearer to do his job) and points out that the pattern has been adopted by other forces including US forces.
He complains about design problems, including chest pockets that will not be reachable because they will be under the frag vest, the absence of arm pockets, grenade pockets too small for the grenades and insufficent designed provision to carry more than 4 magazines.
How does the article disclose "by-the-book uniform appearance" or a concern for getting promoted by having his troops "look pretty"?
Please read the article again.
Scott, Just what was it in the article that led you to that conclusion?
I have now read #7 and I agree.
I had jumped to the conclusion that the Captain to whom you were referring was Captain Dave, the author of the article.
You are right, the Captain referenced in #7 did not appear have his head screwed on right.
BTW: Darksheare, was that the 10th Mountain?
No problem.
I was artillery, we had been attached to 10th mountain until late 1996/ early 1997 when we ended up with 27th Brigade NY division.
And yes, the Captain I had was more concerned with dog and pony shows than performance.
Thankfully he is no longer Cap there.
We'd 'lost' our previous Captain to an open slot with Headqurters, got the Captain who liked gimping us, and promptly got 'killed' several times over during annual training.
…got the Captain who liked gimping us, and promptly got 'killed' several times over during annual training.
Besides how to make us look uniformly pretty and dead?
Not especially.
He got into a "Mine's bigger than yours is" match with Headquarters one fine day, got us declared dead and stuck in checkfire for three days.
Nothing worse for artilleryman than to have a bunch of ammo and nothing to do with it.
What made it worse was that the previous Captain was a "If it works and works well, do it" type.
Bookmarked for further research.
LOL
Thanks.
Nothing worse for artilleryman than to have a bunch of ammo and nothing to do with it.
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