Just use the bloody army already?

[StrongCoffeAvalanche]

Sorry if there's already been a post on this. But Boris says he has the army on standby.... but we're already in crisis!!??? Use them! Hurry up!!

AIBU to think this??

oh, I just saw the RLC are driving ambulances in Scotland instead....

@PlanDeRaccordement what a ridiculous thing to say, British troops are deployed all around the world on active deployments. Just because you have no concept of what they are doing doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Those troops need a huge amount of support from the UK to keep them safe.

[quote elbea]@PlanDeRaccordement what a ridiculous thing to say, British troops are deployed all around the world on active deployments. Just because you have no concept of what they are doing doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Those troops need a huge amount of support from the UK to keep them safe.[/quote]
I think you have me confused with someone else.
I know for a fact that fuel delivery to U.K. troops is done by contractors, not active military members. Only a few military are actually trained to drive tankers themselves.

@elbea
Here you go, KBR currently has the MoD fuelling contract.
www.kbr.com/en/experience/joint-operational-fuel-system-capability-jofs

Since the petrol companies have caused this by not paying their drivers enough to sustain recruitment, I do hope they will be making a sizeable donation to the MOD if they’re hauling the Army out of their regular duties to cover for their own tight-fistedness.

@BananaPB

Apparently not many army personnel are qualified to drive oil tankers. Boris thinks using the army makes him look serious and tough when it's really proof that he's lost control

This. Asking the military to step in during a peace-time civilian emergency is proof that your country is on its knees and has no resilience.

In order to drive the fuel tankers the driver needs an ADR in tanks course on top of the normal HGV licence.

To then unload the fuel at the stations they also need to do a PDP qualification which can only be done when working for a fuel company (normally you go out with the driver trainer to do the training on the job)

It can’t be done overnight

I tend to agree @MaskingForIt

It feels like a desperate , third world move. On the other hand, we did it for the olympics and no harm came.

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

They need training don't they? To learn how to refill a petrol station. That's what the news keeps saying, that they are being trained on how to do it and this will take until the end of the week.

No, that's a core role for the RLC - who do you think sets up fuel supply lines, depots and drives tankers when the military deploys. They have several hundred suitably qualified personnel

@Empressofthemundane

I tend to agree *@MaskingForIt*

It feels like a desperate , third world move. On the other hand, we did it for the olympics and no harm came.

If I were the sceptical type I would think that having lots of military about for the Olympics was in case of terrorists trying anything.

Funnily enough I haven't a clue, not being in the industry myself, nor do I know what an RLC is.

It makes sense that they may need training and this is what has been said several times by several different sources.

Since you do seem to know a lot about the logistics of it, perhaps you could share that knowledge in a slightly less rude and condescending manner?

Apologies @PlanDeRaccordement, I’d meant to tag @Empressofthemundane who had made the comment ‘ Since we are not at war or under attack, surely they could be available quite quickly?’

@elbea
Oh, thank you for confirming you hadn’t meant to tag me. :)

@mummyh2016 a lot of my friends have received those letters asking them! All said no...

If my memory serves me currently, they had already started training soldiers to transport hazard materials last year (DH did part of the course but got called away before completing his hours - great planning!)

Its not as simple as people think to draft in military personnel as whilst they have the licences they may not have up to date cpd or cpc cannot recall what the training is called which allows them to be insured on civilian insurance. Equally, with covid restrictions being eased a lot of regiments are catching up on group exercises that were postponed due to covid. With training space and time as a premium, I doubt they will want to cancel without a very good reason.

We have a lack of drivers due to the conditions they are expected to work within, would you like to work in a role where you may not have access to a toilet all day? Expected to start at 4am and might not get home until 6pm? A transport manager that doesn't understand the area in which you are delivering too?
Driving is a skilled role, yet many drivers are paid slightly more than minimum wage.

So it sounds largely like it's just Boris Billy bull shitting away again.

Like when he said he had an army of retired teachers and volunteers waiting to help with catch up school. Which I know was a loads of BS.

I'm very annoyed at myself for believing that complete twat buffoon

Also just to add my post was in no way meant to imply anything negative at all about the army. I'm sure they are incredibly busy and working to keep us all safe, I didn't see them as pissing about with nothing to do except deliver fuel. Sorry if it came across that way at all.

Same for petrol delivery drivers - a skill I could never have.

I just believed Boris that he would deploy the army to help. What a knob I am.

We don't have a driver or fuel crisis here, just a people are bloody stupid crisis

The local Morrison's have had 3 fuel deliveries in 24 hours to try and keep up with demand. Not to mention all the other petrol stations that are now having deliveries every other day

People are crazy

As I understand it, the "reserve" tankers and drivers started yesterday