anyone know anything about The Virginia Ready Reserve

http://virginiareadyreserve.com/

I was wondering if anyone here was a member and could let us know about it.

Looks like they are a private club that falls lower on the totem pole than the Virginia Defense Force. I wonder if the Secretary of the Commonwealth has authorized them to use the Great Seal on their patches. ("The Virginia Ready Reserve is a volunteer membership organization. Dues are paid yearly and used to purchase equipment and operate the organization.")

I am very surprised at them calling themself the "Ready Reserve" - as that name was claimed by the real military eons ago for what we now refer to as "Reserves". It separated those who drill weekly/camp every summer from those who merely had time left on their 6-year obligation and thus were "ready" for call-up to active service. Maybe we ought to check with the Pentagon about that as well?

The following two statements of purpose on their web site tell me all I want to know about why I want nothing to do with them:

There are many great private organizations that do disaster relief and response. We will whenever possible partner with them.

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More confusion rather than joining the existing organizations that already provide the services you are interested in providing.

In today’s modern age we are very dependent on communications. This will be the number one task of the Virginia Ready Reserve. To establish a statewide network of radio communications.

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There are three already excellent national organizations with well-established presence in Virginia doing this quite well: ARES-ARRL, RACES, and the Civil Aiir Patrol. I guess that because only the CAP wears uniforms, and their membership is kids, these folks felt the need to form their own ham radio club that wears uniforms.

If I come off as a bit harsh about these folks it is only because I honestly believe they are not only wasting their time but interferring with the efforts of established organizations. Only if they lobby the General Assembly to throw the American Red Cross out as the contract disaster relief agency in favor of the Salvation Army would I support them.

stay safe.

ETA -

I have submitted inquiries to the Secretary of the Commonwealth concerning the use of the State Seal and Motto, and to the Department of Military Affairs concerning the use of the term "Ready Reserve". I will post any responses received.

Nightmare said:

Confusing the part with the whole. The CAP is not the CAP Cadet program. CAP is to the DoD-USAF as Coast Guard Auxiliary is to DHS-USCG.

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Things have changed some then. When I was in the CAP we did mostly Search and Rescue for downed planes in the mountains, and worked airshows when things were slow.

We got our uniforms from the Air National Guard in Richmond. We just went in the warehouse and picked what we wanted/needed.

The Ready Reserve appears to be a bunch of Blackshirts with 2 meter radios.
I expect watching their training is like watching Benny Hill's "Twit of the year contest".

Ready Reserve

Is NOT affiliated with the State Guard. It is NOT an official state organization.

As such, Skid', I would say the Ready Reserve is a "militia" of sorts and on a completely different "totem pole" altogether.

Spend time trying to do what Thumper's mother said, and get shot down for the effort.

They cannot be "A militia" of any sort.

§ 44-1. Composition of militia.

The militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia shall consist of all able-bodied residents of the Commonwealth who are citizens of the United States and all other able-bodied persons resident in the Commonwealth who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, who are at least 16 years of age and, except as hereinafter provided, not more than 55 years of age. The militia shall be divided into four classes: the National Guard, which includes the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard; the Virginia Defense Force; the naval militia; and the unorganized militia.

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No "Ready Reserve" listed there, and since they have organized themselves ("The Virginia Ready Reserve is an organization within the Commonwealth of Virginia" - more specifically "The Virginia Ready Reserve is a volunteer membership organization") they by definition fall outside the unorganized militia.

§ 44-80. Order in which classes of militia called into service.

The National Guard, the Virginia Defense Force, the naval militia, and the unorganized militia or any part thereof may be ordered into service by the Governor in such order as he determines.

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Don't see anythimg about the Ready Reserve being called up.

stay safe.

Ready Reserve

skidmark said:

They cannot be "A militia" of any sort.

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"Who are the Militia? They consist now of the whole people, except for a few public officers." ~ George Mason

No "Ready Reserve" listed there, and since they have organized themselves ("The Virginia Ready Reserve is an organization within the Commonwealth of Virginia" - more specifically "The Virginia Ready Reserve is a volunteer membership organization") they by definition fall outside the unorganized militia.

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"Unorganized" has many meanings, and by your argument any group which comes together for the purpose of preparing for the worst would no longer be "the militia".

Unorganized, in this context, means not falling under the purview of the military order, until such time as is called upon.

Looking at their web site (http://virginiareadyreserve.com/), it appears that a major focus is communications. They encourage members to become Ham radio operators so as to have a communications infrastructure during an emergency. They mention strong support for the second amendment, but the workshop promoted on the website is a Ham antenna workshop. Interesting.

markand said:

Looking at their web site (http://virginiareadyreserve.com/), it appears that a major focus is communications. They encourage members to become Ham radio operators so as to have a communications infrastructure during an emergency. They mention strong support for the second amendment, but the workshop promoted on the website is a Ham antenna workshop. Interesting.

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ARES-ARRL, RACES, and the Civil Aiir Patrol all already exist, do emergency ham radio communications, and have established networks both locally, statewide, nationally and internationally. They are in fact written into the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Services plans. They are known entities with well-established relationships with VEMS and FEMA. They work with state and local agencies (police, fire, ambulance) to provide back-up dispatching communications.

Why reinvent the wheel and get into turf wars over what the new kid on the block ought to be allowed to do as opposed to reinforcing the existing organizations. Putting a new bunch of hams on the air, competing with an established network, just jams up the airwaves with extra signals. And since there are organizations already designated in the state disaster plan, there is the possibility of going to the FCC and asking them to knock the new folks off the air for the duration - resulting in lots of really unhappy folks across the board.

So besides getting to wear a uniform, what do these people actually bring to the party?

stay safe.

I am a ham radio operator; I checked with a number of other hams in my area... none of them had ever heard of this outfit either. So I can't imagine how effective they are.

Oh, if you're interested in getting your ham ticket, in NoVA the Mount Vernon VEC gives the tests for free, usually at least once a month.

Virginia Ready Reserve

The organization is new. It was started back in May of 2013. It was started in response to citizens NOT being included in local response. I won't bother with the troll fight contest that some here have attempted to start. If you think that FEMA and the Red Cross are doing a bang up job then The VRR is not for you. If you think we have a national guard that is controlled by our governor then the VRR is not for you.

Is the Red Cross holding FREE emergency preparedness seminars in your local community? NO? Well the VRR is. Name the time and place you'd like to host one!

Ask the people in New Orleans if FEMA helped them. How about New York just recently?

Did RACES or ARES? maybe a little.

What communities were better off? Those that were prepared and that stuck together.

The VRR's first year goal is to establish a communications network across the commonwealth of VA. To that end we are encouraging everyone involved to get their HAM license. I've gotten mine and am meeting a lot of great people.

As to your question regarding the word "Militia" it's not one we use unless asked. As we are ALL in the unorganized militia anyway we don't feel the need to use a word that is so demonized.

The militia under the Dick Act was broken up into separate parts. And under our VA Constitution we have the: National Guard (not the militia because it is under federal control) the Naval Militia (doesn't exist) the Virginia Defense Force (not the militia because they are not trained to arms) and the Unorganized Militia (not really the militia as it has no organization - But if we have to be somewhere then WE THE PEOPLE can be adequately put there, and claim our right to organize under this structure)

As to the question of our "activity"; many of us train weekly. Some don't. It's up to each member to decide where he wants to put his energy. Members will get out what they put in.

As to money. Membership is $35.00/yr. Most of that money goes back into the local district to purchase needed items to serve the local organization. Our organization is 100% volunteer and nobody is being paid for the work they do. Can you say the same about most other organizations mentioned? Being that Communications is our first year goal the majority of the Districts will focus their energy on that. More details here: http://virginiareadyreserve.com/join-today/

We have a free forum: http://virginiareadyreserve.com/forum that you can join as well regardless of whether a person joins the organization.

The VRR is looking for leaders all across the commonwealth that want to help their local community. Are you one?

Thanks,

Phoenix

I await the attack of the keyboard commandos that live in their mom's basement! Or the circular firing squad of trolls.

phoenix said:

I await the attack of the keyboard commandos that live in their mom's basement! Or the circular firing squad of trolls.

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You did pretty well till you got there!

Why all the trash talk, gentlemen? Have any of you ever contacted the VRR and talked to any of its members? Have you considered the fact that any organization of this type is probably not going to put all of their information on a website?

You guys have made a rather harsh judgement about an organization that you know nothing about. Why don't you try reaching out and establishing a line of communication and dialogue with them?

Moore said:

Why all the trash talk, gentlemen? Have any of you ever contacted the VRR and talked to any of its members? Have you considered the fact that any organization of this type is probably not going to put all of their information on a website?

You guys have made a rather harsh judgement about an organization that you know nothing about. Why don't you try reaching out and establishing a line of communication and dialogue with them?

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Who is talking trash talk?

Phoenix did a pretty good job explaining. I expect anyone interested will get in touch.

I don't think anyone's made any harsh judgments, just speculating. The only judgement I've made is that you two are a little too sensitive.

Pheonix and Moore -

Thanks for responding. You have cleared up a few of the questions I have about your operation, but now give me the opportunity to raise some that could not be asked until a representative was willing to "speak" here -

Why "Ready Reserve"? As you might have noticed, that particula phrasing carries a bit of freight. Why not a name that more closely describes your stated goal(s)? And on a personal note, why a patch - especially why one that looks so much like one designating an official state agency/organization?

I admit to being one of the biggest sceptics of the notion that problems within an organization can best be remedied by creating a new organization. Possibly the best example is the NRA's "Revolt in Cinnicinattii" - and the fact that it might be heading for another such change in vision/focus as opposed to splintering off into multiple smaller organizations. If you think RACES/ARES ought to be more involved in more/smaller emergencies, why not go to them and talk up your selling points? Why not recruit folks from within to respond locally without waiting for invitations from the state/federal emergency "management" agencies, then sell the results back to the parent organization as support for your new ideas?

Going into Cinncinattii the NRA did not have all that many voting members. It was not difficult for those wanting to effect change to get more folks to qualify as voting members and overcome a very entrenched incumbent leadership in spite of the dirty tricks that were tried to stop the coup. How hard could it be to bring about a change in your local ham club(s)?

If you have reasons for wanting to be different than the existing organizations other than that they are not as active as you would want them to be, I'd like to hear them.

stay safe.

Virginia Ready Reserve

Reasons for not joining one organization:

Most of the organizations you mentioned do one or two things. We are not interested in just doing comms, or aid tents.

Community is held together by:

Food
Water
Shelter
Faith
Communications
Transportation
Personal Defense

No organization exists that is helping people in all these areas. Our government isn't.

Rebuilding an organization from within takes years. The examples you cited are prime.

The VRR isn't for everyone.

As Phoenix has stated, we are not solely a communication organization. We are multifaceted. We aim to prepare people to deal with everything that a potential disaster or system collapse is going to bring from food preparation, medical care, personal defense, water location and purification, bushcraft and survival, urban survival, etc.

When was the last time that the organizations that you listed provide a course in running a carbine? Or how to properly operate a handgun for self defense? Or how to use your body as a weapon in hand to hand combat?

My guess would be never.

We want to preserve and protect our communities from those that seek to do them harm. Our churches, our elderly, our young. Who will stand in the gap?

So, you're a SHTF club?
Not that there's anything wrong with that.

A full service SHTF club.

Are you just in Lynchburg or does your group cover other areas?

Unlike a lot of prepped organizations though we don't want to stay exclusive or reclusive. We want to teach others how to become self reliant and able to protect themselves and their families. We would like to grow our ranks to 10,000 plus. We would like to be able to meet disaster head on with greater efficiency than any alphabet agency.