Fair enough kincanucks, and thanks for the straight answer.
So, in your opinion, will there be any problem in recruiting the extra 5000 bodies and filling out the ranks?
Also, as per this link, http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about/family_e.asp, the official limit on regular force strength is 62,000. This number has been up on this site for some time now and predates Paul Martin's additional 5,000. Presumably that means that the cap on strength is to go up to 67,000.
Of the current authorised strength of 62,000 we are regularly informed that there are only 52,000 or so effectives. This means 10,000 ineffectives or 10,000 vacant positions. Now while recognizing that Canadian society, the Government and the CF owe a debt to those members that have served faithfully and have become "ineffective" in service, and thus need to be rewarded and taken care of, is it your position that these "ineffectives" are of better quality, or more precisely of better value, to the CF than the young folks applying and being turned away?
What would be the effect on the CF if those "ineffectives", again assuming that the positions weren't vacant, were replaced by "effectives"? Would it not be reasonable to suppose that 10,000 replacements for the "ineffectives", together with Martin's additional 5,000, or 15,000 new bodies in total would breathe new life into the CF and create a much more effective force?
Or am I totally misconstruing the concept of Effective Strength and Authorised Strength?
Also you state that the problem with the Reserves is "poor attraction of suitable applicants". What can your people at the CF Recruiting System/Service do to Recruit more suitable applicants? Seeing as how the matter has apparently been taken out of the hands of the Units themselves.
And Ghost, I can understand how your blood pressure might be rising about now but regardless of comments made let's try and keep this away from the personal. It doesn't serve anybody's case well.