Volunteer Trooper



Volunteer Troopers, also known as Enlisted Troopers or Republic Army Troopers were non-clone soldiers incorporated into the Grand Army of the Republic from Planetary Defense Forces as part of the Military Creation Act. As these troopers came from a wide-variety of planets and cultures, their skill and wartime proficiency varied greatly from person to person. While initially an unpaid position, with other benefits being provided such as paid education and guaranteed jobs, the Clone Wars changed this, with all troopers of the Republic being paid for their service. Despite this they remained being called "Volunteer Troopers" by many, even so much as to be included in their identification number "VT"

Grand Army Training Program
While coming from many different backgrounds throughout the Galaxy, many of the volunteer troopers were brought to Coruscant for several months in order to receive training by the Grand Army's new clone troopers. Following this, they were deployed either in specific volunteer-only units which excluded clone troopers or in units alongside clone troopers. Clone units also had an inverse of this, where only clones were allowed within the unit, notably units such as the 501st Legion and 212th Attack Battalion possessed no enlisted troopers.

Volunteer ARC Troopers
Exceptionally skilled soldiers were brought into a subsection of the Grand Army's ARC Trooper Training Program, where they would be given more advanced training or even become Volunteer Advanced Recon Commandos or VARCs. Many VARCs would be placed on positions of command or be incorporated into special forces units during the war.

Effectiveness in Relation to Clone Troopers
While many enlisted troopers were incredibly skilled, the vast majority were inferior to the trained from birth clone troopers. The average clone trooper at the beginning of the war was equivalent to that of 5-10 battle droids, but by the end of the war was more equivalent to that of 20-30. Meanwhile the average Republic Army trooper went from 3-7 battle droids at the outbreak of the Clone Wars to around 15-23 by the time of Order 66.

Equipment
While originally designed for clone troopers, the Phase I clone armor was refitted into various sizes in order to accommodate for the variation in body shape from person to person. In 20 BBY when Phase II clone armor was distributed the same process was undergone. These armors were available to the volunteer troopers among others. Volunteer units were provided the same weapons as their clone counterparts. Blasters such as the DC-15A blaster rifle, DC-15s blaster carbine, DC-17 blaster pistol and many others. Thermal detonators, EMP grenades and other equipment were also commonly seen in use. Some units wore their own armor and used their own weapons. One notable unit was Kota's Militia which was formed out of not just Republic Army troopers, but other planetary defense force members, mercenary groups and even Separatist prisoners of war.