So, the 213th Battalion continues to suffer the same problem it suffered from before, which is being under-staffed. Remember, when they were mobilized, they had to bring in a number of “fills” from other units to bring their staffing levels up to full strength. This is a common problem with a lot of Reserve units across the country– while the Army Reserve is a national organization, reflective of (and supporting) the standing national Army, units across the country are drawn from the local population. The need to recruit more people is an ongoing thing, since not only are units trying to grow to meet established goals, they also have to replace people who leave the unit for various reasons.

Our leaders were frequently reminding us to talk to our friends, co-students and co-workers to encourage people to join the Reserves to keep unit staffing levels up. Of course, at some point, you have to ask yourself, “Why would I do this to one of my friends?” You briefly ponder enticing someone you don’t like like to join, but then you realize you’ll spend weekends working with… someone you don’t like.

In this scene, Alpha Company -which should be about 100 people or so- is about 30 at the moment. The Commanding Officer, who should be a Captain, is a 1st Lieutenant. They need people, so we have to wait and see what happens.