Posted on Aug 1, 2022
Opinion | Why nobody wants to be a battalion commander in the Army Reserve
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"Many lieutenant colonels are hesitant to take command of a battalion because of the enormous time commitment required in exchange for relatively little pay. This is adding to the difficulties of not only filling command positions with decent candidates, but filling them at all."
Opinion | Why nobody wants to be a battalion commander in the Army Reserve
Posted from taskandpurpose.com
Battalion Commander
Drill
LTC
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
Suspended Profile
With the roll out of IPPS-A and that infernal MS Teams, commanders are all levels are expected to do a lot more on their “off” time.
I’ve said for a while that key leaders in the USAR and NG should be funded additional UTA’s each month to compensate for it.
I’ve said for a while that key leaders in the USAR and NG should be funded additional UTA’s each month to compensate for it.
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Can't comment on the Reserves or Army but if you have feelings like that why are you even still in?
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LTC Eugene Chu
Article was by a Civil Affairs LTC. I shared it since some do not realize personnel issues with reservists. For myself, I plan to decline command and retire in two more years.
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CAPT Edward Schmitt
Excellent point. I was Navy Reserve and as CDR took command of 200 sailor Cargo Handling Battalion, commissioned unit. Did not do it for pay, did it in service to country and the sailors I was leading. It was my honor to be with them and lead them. If it was all about pay no noncom or CO would serve.
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COL Bill Gross
Something is terrible amiss in USARC. If their answer is to look to the active component, instead of looking internally to see what is wrong, one can only assume something stinks and they don't want to find out what it is.
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LTC Martin Metz
Pushing active duty commanders gives the idea that Reserve officers are not up to snuff. It contributes to the RC being treated not being up to AC standards even though we know differently.
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And I totally understand their hesitancy, but if they thought it was going to be easy then they labored their entire careers under a false pretense. They have a full time staff to assist them. I think a vast majority of them are just wanting to work hard.
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LTC Eugene Chu
Issue is that full-time staff are also facing cutbacks. There are some units with vacancies for administrators that last for months. Article also mentions that Army Reserve is turning to active duty to fill slots, but is stingy with offering ADOS tours for TPU LTCs to mobilize.
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LTC Trent Klug
LTC Eugene Chu Well, then the Army Reserve has some decisions to make. They can push to hire folks to round staff out, they cab do ADOS tours to help with command issues, or they can continue down this path. I'm going to guess with this administration, they will continue down this path as the funding won't happen.
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Suspended Profile
LTC Trent Klug I’m AGR in the NG and our full time billets have been cut each of the last three years. It’s not an administration thing. It’s a relative peace time Army after 20 years of war.
COL Bill Gross
I do note that Engineers are not listed in the shopping list of units having trouble finding candidates for Battalion Command. (Oh, by the way, I have commanded a battalion in the USAR during the Clinton years when resources were tight.)
That fact alone should send a message to USARC - it's working in some places, not in others. Maybe we should find out why?
That fact alone should send a message to USARC - it's working in some places, not in others. Maybe we should find out why?
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