Re: 3PPCLI to lose Airborne Capability

["The Griffith Family" <griffith@mnsi.net>]

I was thinking the excact same thing .. I'm glad you said it .. you actually
said it for both of us .. Shawn Barber
> The present state of our military really depresses me.  I've been in the
> militia for a year and a half so I don't really don't have the view of the
> military as say, a RCR or PPCLI soldier but my view from the "outside" is
> rather discouraging.  In my short time in the military, I can't say that
> anything I've seen have made me want to make a career in the Canadian
> military, when most of the comments you hear are complaints it doesn't
> create an aspiration to be all you can be.  All I've really wanted to be
is
> a career soldier, I know I'm capable of going far but there really doesn't
> seem to be anywhere to go.  Think about the opportunities available to say
> an American soldier in the infantry.  Light or Mech infantry -- then
> Airborne -- then Ranger -- then Special Forces -- then......well Delta
> Force but not bloody likely.  The only thing the Canadian Armed Forces has
> going for it seems to be its pay rates but pays only goes so far when you
> hate your job because you've been doing the same damn thing for 10 years
> with not much chance of advancement.  This supposed loss of 3PPCLI's
> parachute capability just really compounds the problem, but did you not
> expect it?  Civilian opinion and our own opinion of the military is rather
> negative.  Just when we seem to think it can't get an worst they give us
> some new Gore-Tex kit, a grenade launcher and new APCs then cut the
> training budget.  Well you can give anyone off the street a uniform and a
> weapon, from what I've heard it (was or is) our training that sets
Canadian
> soldiers apart from the average soldier of another country's armed forces.
> As to Patrick Cain's idea, yeah that sounds great and it really is a nice
> dream but it would take World War III for that to happen.  While we're
> dreaming why don't we create a Canadian Royal Marines Corp.  All these
> ideas are great but the money isn't there and neither are the soldiers.
> >From what I've seen from other militia soldiers in my region I don' think
> the majority are willing to train hard enough to augment, expand, or
> replicate their corresponding reg-force unit.  There just aren't enough
> civies out there looking for a life in the Infantry either.  Everyone that
> I've talked to think we suck, and I live in the Maritimes.  Why would
> anyone want to join an army that they think sucks.  I think the general
> opinion in this country would be different if we would of kicked some ass
> during the Gulf War but we guarded the rear instead.  I know this isn't
the
> soldiers fault, I think (or like to think) that most of the infantryman we
> sent over would of loved to be out in the desert kicking some ass but the
> political will just wasn't there.  I guess my brain just kinda exploded
and
> I'm probably going to get charged or something but I guess I just had to
> say this shit to get it off my mind.  There are a lot of other things I'd
> like to discuss with someone who shares some of my opinions.
>
>
>
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