Jon;
I've heard of the plan to take the 81mm Mortar Platoons out of the Battalions and they becoming Arty assets, but to the best of my knowledge, this hasn't happened yet, though I've heard that 2 RCHA does have an 81mm Troop. I wasn't a Mortarman, so I'm a bit out of my depth on this one. But what you said is true, the 81mm Platoon is the only indirect-fire support weapon that a Battalion Commander and Battalion has right at hand when its needed.
I've also heard talk of the current 81mm being improved upon or being done away with altogether and being replaced, but with what, I don't know.
Myself, I'm retired from it now, but I'll tell you one thing, if someone in Ottawa doesn't soon grow a set of
'NOVEMBER UNIFORM TANGO's' and steps-up and puts a stop to the down hill spiral that the state of the Forces is in soon, well...............
