SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post

Schroeder · 06-24-10, 10:33 AM

I don't think the draft is the problem, it's the finances again.
If the armed forces have to recruit tons of people then they must be given the means to keep them busy.

BTW. I didn't read the entire article but it seems to me to be a worst case scenario in that logistics battalion. When I was with the mechanized infantry we sure as hell had something to do during basic training. After that I got transferred to a company's office and usually we had something to do there too. I don't know what the combat sections did all day but from time to time we could see them picking up their gear and heading out for the training ground. However you can only send people to the training grounds when you have the money to replace worn equipment, to buy (blank) ammo, keep your infantry fighting vehicles fuelled and operational and (if necessary) to transport food from the kitchen to the units location in the field. Without that there is nothing the Bundeswehr can do with it's recruits. The article definitely wants to paint an all dark picture of everything but, sorry, a lot there is also just whining.
There are four beds in one room omg oh noez!!!
When I was in the army we had six beds in one room. So?
Soldiers have to store there stuff in the attic omg oh noez!!!
Excuse me???? Every soldier gets exactly ONE locker for him and his stuff (and it is big enough btw.). If you need more room you definitely brought along too much personal stuff! This isn't a problem of the Bundeswehr, it's a problem of the soldier!
BTW. our trainers were highly motivated (to kick our behinds) during basic training. There were hardly any free minutes and the drill went on from 6:30 am till 4:30 pm (and sometimes beyond that). After some months we had one big exercise for two weeks at a "Gefechtsübungszentrum" (battle training centre) were the combat units practised fighting together with tanks and AAA units against the local units of the battle training centre.
Before that they practised stuff on a smaller scale on our own training grounds.
It isn't the Bundeswehr's fault nor the drafts fault. It's a financial problem. Less money + more misisons in foreign countries = no material for doing anything with draftees.
We have no idea what will be in 20 years, just because we don't need a big army right now (and a draft with it's reservists is the only way to guarantee to have one quickly when needed) it doesn't mean we won't need it in the future.
This is typical manager thinking: Success for the short term no matter the consequences for the long term.
I agree that the system needs to become more just (a lot of possible draftees don't get drafted while others get their behinds kicked in basic training) and that more money needs to be spend to do proper things with the draftees (hey, how many billions did we have left for Greece?). But I wouldn't let it go altogether.

BTW. you can nicely see how well informed the writer of the article is. There are no gas-masks at the Bundeswehr. They are called ABC-Schutzmasken (NBC [Nuclear, Biological, Chemical]-Protection Masks) and steel helmets have long been replaced with Kevlar.
So this wasn't written by someone who knows something about it.

06-24-10, 10:33 AM	#3
Schroeder Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Banana Republic of Germany Posts: 6,170 Downloads: 62 Uploads: 0	I don't think the draft is the problem, it's the finances again. If the armed forces have to recruit tons of people then they must be given the means to keep them busy. BTW. I didn't read the entire article but it seems to me to be a worst case scenario in that logistics battalion. When I was with the mechanized infantry we sure as hell had something to do during basic training. After that I got transferred to a company's office and usually we had something to do there too. I don't know what the combat sections did all day but from time to time we could see them picking up their gear and heading out for the training ground. However you can only send people to the training grounds when you have the money to replace worn equipment, to buy (blank) ammo, keep your infantry fighting vehicles fuelled and operational and (if necessary) to transport food from the kitchen to the units location in the field. Without that there is nothing the Bundeswehr can do with it's recruits. The article definitely wants to paint an all dark picture of everything but, sorry, a lot there is also just whining. There are four beds in one room omg oh noez!!! When I was in the army we had six beds in one room. So? Soldiers have to store there stuff in the attic omg oh noez!!! Excuse me???? Every soldier gets exactly ONE locker for him and his stuff (and it is big enough btw.). If you need more room you definitely brought along too much personal stuff! This isn't a problem of the Bundeswehr, it's a problem of the soldier! BTW. our trainers were highly motivated (to kick our behinds) during basic training. There were hardly any free minutes and the drill went on from 6:30 am till 4:30 pm (and sometimes beyond that). After some months we had one big exercise for two weeks at a "Gefechtsübungszentrum" (battle training centre) were the combat units practised fighting together with tanks and AAA units against the local units of the battle training centre. Before that they practised stuff on a smaller scale on our own training grounds. It isn't the Bundeswehr's fault nor the drafts fault. It's a financial problem. Less money + more misisons in foreign countries = no material for doing anything with draftees. We have no idea what will be in 20 years, just because we don't need a big army right now (and a draft with it's reservists is the only way to guarantee to have one quickly when needed) it doesn't mean we won't need it in the future. This is typical manager thinking: Success for the short term no matter the consequences for the long term. I agree that the system needs to become more just (a lot of possible draftees don't get drafted while others get their behinds kicked in basic training) and that more money needs to be spend to do proper things with the draftees (hey, how many billions did we have left for Greece?). But I wouldn't let it go altogether. BTW. you can nicely see how well informed the writer of the article is. There are no gas-masks at the Bundeswehr. They are called ABC-Schutzmasken (NBC [Nuclear, Biological, Chemical]-Protection Masks) and steel helmets have long been replaced with Kevlar. So this wasn't written by someone who knows something about it. __________________ Putting Germ back into Germany.