Air Cadet glider program may be grounded

[dapaterson]

What the CF spends on just about everything is peanuts.

The problem is that all the peanuts add up.

So anything that's cut is "peanuts".


Want to save money?  Consolidate bases.  Oh, sorry, not allowed to hurt the economy of those locations.  Shut down non-core functions. Not allowed to do that either.  So we end up eroding a bit of everything to protect high profile, limited use functions - or some flavours of the day.

 

[Alex10370]

To clarify, the gliders themselves are owned by the air cadet league of Canada and the insurance for them is also through the air cadet league.  The military provides maintenance personelle and CIC officers to staff the various gliding institutions. 

If you ask me the air cadet program would lose a HUGE number of cadets should they cut this program and I definatley think there is much more than can be looked at in so far as cost cutting is concerned in the cadet program. 

 

[OldSolduer]

What the CF spends on just about everything is peanuts.

The problem is that all the peanuts add up.

So anything that's cut is "peanuts".


Want to save money?  Consolidate bases.  Oh, sorry, not allowed to hurt the economy of those locations.  Shut down non-core functions. Not allowed to do that either.  So we end up eroding a bit of everything to protect high profile, limited use functions - or some flavours of the day.

Preaching to the converted.

 

[PuckChaser]

If I can't get ammo to do IBTS training, why do cadets get gliders? Yep, cadet is great for the youth, and the training is still valuable even without a glider program. Army and Navy cadets are doing just fine without one.

 

[OldSolduer]

Removing the end state of a program negates everything that leads up to it.

There's your answer. Take away gliders, Air Cadets will dwindle.

 

[ARMY_101]

Great news if the MND did step in.
I had not heard of that. Thank you.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay gave his assurance that the air cadet program was not being cut.

He then stated the glider program won’t be cut while at the same time as saying that programs are being reviewed.  “I can assure the House that the cadet program will continue to enjoy this important use of gliders,” MacKay said. “In fact, we continue to review and assess the effectiveness of programs, but there is no decision with respect to the cadet glider program.”

 

[Good2Golf]

More money is wasted (i.e. not spent, thus returned to the Government) than everyone's ammo and training and gliding budget added up, then multiplied by a few times.  One cannot juxtapose Cadet Gliding against their own reduced ammo budget.  If you're not getting as much ammo as you used to, it's because the Land Staff and Areas and Formations decided that's what you get, IBTS included.  It's not because some band of Air Cadets is trying to screw you into an unoperational status... 

Regards
G2G

 

[63 Delta]

If you havent been in cadets, it would be hard to quantify the need for the program or the gliders. But gliding is probably the largest recreuting tool, and the largest identifying factor for Air Cadets. Id argue its why Air Cadets was the largest of all the cadet organizations when I was in. Just think of the confidence boost a 16 year old will get having there gliders licence, with the opportunity to get their power wings.

So, to an outsider it may be easy to see where you can make cuts to this youth program. But would the short term gain, be worth the long term one?

The leadership and instructional techniques I learned in cadets was above par to anything I have received in the Regular Force. And was hands above my PLQ. By a lot. Which is sad. But the leadership and instructional training I have received has not only helped me, but has been very helpful to deal with my subordinates in many ways.

To summarize: Make cuts in the cadet program (any of them), and you make cuts in the future of Canada, IMO anyways.

 

[dimsum]

If you havent been in cadets, it would be hard to quantify the need for the program or the gliders. But gliding is probably the largest recreuting tool, and the largest identifying factor for Air Cadets. Id argue its why Air Cadets was the largest of all the cadet organizations when I was in. Just think of the confidence boost a 16 year old will get having there gliders licence, with the opportunity to get their power wings.

So, to an outsider it may be easy to see where you can make cuts to this youth program. But would the short term gain, be worth the long term one?

The leadership and instructional techniques I learned in cadets was above par to anything I have received in the Regular Force. And was hands above my PLQ. By a lot. Which is sad. But the leadership and instructional training I have received has not only helped me, but has been very helpful to deal with my subordinates in many ways.

To summarize: Make cuts in the cadet program (any of them), and you make cuts in the future of Canada, IMO anyways.

QFT.  I was in what some would call an "inner-city" Toronto Cadet squadron, and I'll add that the confidence boost from that organization for some kids who had issues at home/school helped more than one of them successfully go into higher education (and join the CAF.)  Even the opportunity to go to camp and meet people from around the area (or country, at the national-level camps) is enough for some of those kids to realize that there's a big world out there.

 

[ARMY_101]

If you havent been in cadets, it would be hard to quantify the need for the program or the gliders. But gliding is probably the largest recreuting tool, and the largest identifying factor for Air Cadets. Id argue its why Air Cadets was the largest of all the cadet organizations when I was in. Just think of the confidence boost a 16 year old will get having there gliders licence, with the opportunity to get their power wings.

So, to an outsider it may be easy to see where you can make cuts to this youth program. But would the short term gain, be worth the long term one?

The leadership and instructional techniques I learned in cadets was above par to anything I have received in the Regular Force. And was hands above my PLQ. By a lot. Which is sad. But the leadership and instructional training I have received has not only helped me, but has been very helpful to deal with my subordinates in many ways.

To summarize: Make cuts in the cadet program (any of them), and you make cuts in the future of Canada, IMO anyways.

I agree with your premises but not the conclusion.  Cadets should be a recruiting tool for the CAF: they should be "junior" soldiers, airmen, and sailors, doing age-appropriate military-like things until they can join the CAF.  Thus, any cuts in the cadet program should be seen as a cut in a valuable recruiting tool, rather than a cut to the "future youth of Canada." The youth can do whatever they want; it's the recruiting tool we should be concerned about.

Regardless, the minister has already said the program won't be cut.

 

[ARMY_101]

And, through his social media:

Cadets organizations across Canada play an important role in promoting good citizenship, leadership, community service and physical fitness among young Canadians. I believe in the merits of this program and the benefits it provides to Canadian communities are unparalled. In fact, the Cadet program is the best youth development program in Canada. It is regrettable that some oppostion members attempt to misinform canadians scare our fine young cadets, and their parents. As I informed the House of Commons, "I can assure the House that the cadet program will continue to enjoy the important use of gliders." There are to be no reductions in resources allocated to the Cadet glider program or any Cadet program. The Cadet program is here to stay.

 

[jpjohnsn]

I agree with your premises but not the conclusion.  Cadets should be a recruiting tool for the CAF: they should be "junior" soldiers, airmen, and sailors, doing age-appropriate military-like things until they can join the CAF.  Thus, any cuts in the cadet program should be seen as a cut in a valuable recruiting tool, rather than a cut to the "future youth of Canada." The youth can do whatever they want; it's the recruiting tool we should be concerned about.

The cadet program is not a direct recruiting tool and has not been one for many decades.  If you were to evaluate it as one, it would be recognized as a collosal failure based on the actual number of cadets who go on to join the military.

While stimulating interest in the activities of the CF does help many youth choose a career in the military, for the vast majority who don't, it releases into the wild a group of adults with a positive view of the CF that's a little more substantial than a "support the troops" magnet on the back of their car.    And not only them but their families too.  I once volunteered at an air cadet squadron in the GTA where almost 90% of the cadets were immigrants or first generation Canadian and it was seen by their parents as a way to help them "become Canadian".  For a few, there was quite a bit of resistance from their family in joining as, in the "old country", the military was a thing to be feared and not aspired to.  For these kids to go through the program and proving to their friends and family that the CAF is a force for good is worth more than just being a recruiting tool.

But to try and justify it as a recruiting tool would actually do more harm than good.

 

[Jed]

The cadet program is not a direct recruiting tool and has not been one for many decades.  If you were to evaluate it as one, it would be recognized as a collosal failure based on the actual number of cadets who go on to join the military.

While stimulating interest in the activities of the CF does help many youth choose a career in the military, for the vast majority who don't, it releases into the wild a group of adults with a positive view of the CF that's a little more substantial than a "support the troops" magnet on the back of their car.    And not only them but their families too.  I once volunteered at an air cadet squadron in the GTA where almost 90% of the cadets were immigrants or first generation Canadian and it was seen by their parents as a way to help them "become Canadian".  For a few, there was quite a bit of resistance from their family in joining as, in the "old country", the military was a thing to be feared and not aspired to.  For these kids to go through the program and proving to their friends and family that the CAF is a force for good is worth more than just being a recruiting tool.

But to try and justify it as a recruiting tool would actually do more harm than good.

Right on. The program is about future good citizens, not necessarily the CF.

 

[Sf2]

The cadet program is not a direct recruiting tool and has not been one for many decades.  If you were to evaluate it as one, it would be recognized as a collosal failure based on the actual number of cadets who go on to join the military.

Same arguement could be made about the Snowbirds?  What is the annual audience numbers during a show season?  And how many go and join the CF? 

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

Peter MacKay
Cadets organizations across Canada play an important role in promoting good citizenship, leadership, community service and physical fitness among young Canadians. I believe in the merits of this program and the benefits it provides to Canadian communities are unparalled. In fact, the Cadet program is the best youth development program in Canada. It is regrettable that some oppostion members attempt to misinform canadians scare our fine young cadets, and their parents. As I informed the House of Commons, "I can assure the House that the cadet program will continue to enjoy the important use of gliders." There are to be no reductions in resources allocated to the Cadet glider program or any Cadet program. The Cadet program is here to stay.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-MacKay/104817488512

 

[GAP]

The title pretty much says it all

Air Cadet glider program safe from cuts, says MacKay
Department of National Defence emails warned program might be clipped
CBC News  May 2, 2013
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/05/02/ns-air-cadet-gliders.html