Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[RangerRay]

In my line of work, I have had plenty of rural farm kids ask about getting into my line of work. These kids are outdoorsy and like to hunt, which one would think would be the ideal demo for the army as well. But as soon as I tell them that they would have to leave town to get a post secondary diploma or degree and that they probably wouldn’t get posted to their home community when they get hired, they suddenly lose interest.

It’s not just city kids that don’t want to leave home.

 

[ytz]

possibly so but the greater issue comes under the heading of indoctrination. We have at least 20 years worth of a school system that has put down manly activities and labelled those who pursues them as Neanderthals.

I know this is a popular view. But not one of the young interns I come across (and I get a new set every 3 months) or OCdts say this is a problem. All of them cite lifestyle factors. And the problem with thinking it's indoctrination is that it leads a ton of people to ignore lifestyle. "It's that liberal indoctrination. Not my shit pay or bases in the middle of nowhere."

This idea that young people are substantially different today than the past is nonsense to me. And statistically, young people are actually becoming more conservative today. Every statistic has them drinking less, having premarital sex less, saving more money and even voting more conservatively than other cohorts at the same age. Heck, drinking is quickly becoming like smoking with the kids. A huge part of why mess culture is dying. The idea that a generation with those characteristics is fully indoctrinated into liberal hippie values is funny. I hope you realize that Instagram is not real life.

I joined a quarter century ago. I don't think I knew a single person during BOTC who was extraordinarily patriotic and Captain Canada. Everybody had other reasons. Be it adventure. Be it steady job. Family heritage. Etc. And those reasons still dominate. We're simply failing to cater to those motivations and making lots of excuses to justify our own stinginess and failures.

 

[ytz]

In my line of work, I have had plenty of rural farm kids ask about getting into my line of work. These kids are outdoorsy and like to hunt, which one would think would be the ideal demo for the army as well. But as soon as I tell them that they would have to leave town to get a post secondary diploma or degree and that they probably wouldn’t get posted to their home community when they get hired, they suddenly lose interest.

It’s not just city kids that don’t want to leave home.

People discount how much family life has changed. In families of 1-2 kids and where kids are reliant on parents into their 20s due to the cost of housing and postsecondary, the family ties are very different. Kids are much tighter with their parents. I have actually seen young single members who have moved with their parents. Something that would have been unheard of, a decade ago, unless the parent needed care.

 

[FJAG]

People discount how much family life has changed. In families of 1-2 kids and where kids are reliant on parents into their 20s due to the cost of housing and postsecondary, the family ties are very different. Kids are much tighter with their parents. I have actually seen young single members who have moved with their parents. Something that would have been unheard of, a decade ago, unless the parent needed care.

Interestingly the family model of before the end of WW2 had children stay with their family longer. Well into their twenties and early thirties before marrying and moving out. The post war years saw a change towards earlier independence - it's not hard to see why. Economic and social conditions are bringing back what existed before.

Regardless, the population shift from rural to urban is clear and undeniable. Young folks are voting with their feet and leaving for the opportunities offered in the cities. If the CAF wants to be connected to the general population then it needs to readjust itself to their lifestyle model - a job with a decent salary, opportunities for advancement, a stable job for their spouse, the ability to remain closely connected to their wider, extended family. To quote an old saying: "if the mountain won't come to Mohammed . . ."

I've proposed "urban battalions" and a hybrid unit structure that leverages full-time and part-time personnel. The argument that we don't have a training base next door just doesn't cut it anymore. We need to plan for a system that not only takes in new recruits - and does so efficiently and quickly - but also one that ensures that we do not lose our critical middle offr and NCM leadership because of lifestyle dissatisfaction. The CAF can adjust to a distributed urban battalion system and still turn out well trained units; it can't adjust to a population that finds the current mode of lifestyle inadequate and has many other options available to them.

 

[MilEME09]

Interestingly the family model of before the end of WW2 had children stay with their family longer. Well into their twenties and early thirties before marrying and moving out. The post war years saw a change towards earlier independence - it's not hard to see why. Economic and social conditions are bringing back what existed before.

Regardless, the population shift from rural to urban is clear and undeniable. Young folks are voting with their feet and leaving for the opportunities offered in the cities. If the CAF wants to be connected to the general population then it needs to readjust itself to their lifestyle model - a job with a decent salary, opportunities for advancement, a stable job for their spouse, the ability to remain closely connected to their wider, extended family. To quote an old saying: "if the mountain won't come to Mohammed . . ."

I've proposed "urban battalions" and a hybrid unit structure that leverages full-time and part-time personnel. The argument that we don't have a training base next door just doesn't cut it anymore. We need to plan for a system that not only takes in new recruits - and does so efficiently and quickly - but also one that ensures that we do not lose our critical middle offr and NCM leadership because of lifestyle dissatisfaction. The CAF can adjust to a distributed urban battalion system and still turn out well trained units; it can't adjust to a population that finds the current mode of lifestyle inadequate and has many other options available to them.

Almost as if we shouldn't of sold bases in major urban cities? One idea I threw out on here long ago to give the forces more of a presence and to revitalize reserve infrastructure is created mini reserve bases, example calgary where you have 3 (soon to be 4) buildings housing multiple units. Lets bring them all together into one large mini base. Then all your training facilities, maintenance etc are all in one large compound, units and HQ are close together, give it a gate and a sign so we have a visible presence again.

 

[QV]

I've proposed "urban battalions" and a hybrid unit structure that leverages full-time and part-time personnel. The argument that we don't have a training base next door just doesn't cut it anymore. We need to plan for a system that not only takes in new recruits - and does so efficiently and quickly - but also one that ensures that we do not lose our critical middle offr and NCM leadership because of lifestyle dissatisfaction. The CAF can adjust to a distributed urban battalion system and still turn out well trained units; it can't adjust to a population that finds the current mode of lifestyle inadequate and has many other options available to them.

I think this approach has merit. This, along with the "home guard" idea (Erik Prince in speaking about Taiwan defence) would bolster the CAF significantly and permit retention. A lot of relevant training can occur without a traditional "training area".

 

[Czech_pivo]

I think this approach has merit. This, along with the "home guard" idea (Erik Prince in speaking about Taiwan defence) would bolster the CAF significantly and permit retention. A lot of relevant training can occur without a traditional "training area".

Out of curiosity, why couldn't Borden be made into an active CAF base? Its less than 30mins from Barrie (and rapid transit into downtown Toronto and Pearson). It would definitely appeal, I'm assuming, to those younger CAF members, with and without families.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Out of curiosity, why couldn't Borden be made into an active CAF base? Its less than 30mins from Barrie (and rapid transit into downtown Toronto and Pearson). It would definitely appeal, I'm assuming, to those younger CAF members, with and without families.

And there's a huge, new, bejillion $ armoury in downtown Vancouver with about 50 Class A riflemen in it (plus Bde HQ staff & some other odds and sods).

Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Host Highland Homecoming — Seaforth Highlanders

Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Host Highland Homecoming, a Free Public Event on Saturday, September 24, 2016 to Celebrate Return to Armoury after Four Years of Renovations (Vancouver, BC) – The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, Vancouver’s Infantry Regiment, www.seaforthhighlanders.ca ,

www.seaforthhighlanders.ca

 

[Quirky]

Out of curiosity, why couldn't Borden be made into an active CAF base?

What else would you put there though with Trenton so close?

 

[Czech_pivo]

What else would you put there though with Trenton so close?

Which is closer, Trenton to Borden or Trenton to Pet?

Was just wondering if Borden could be used/expanded as a location that is close to urban centers and might help attract people into joining/staying.

I'm just spitballing and asking questions.