dapaterson said:
Hmm, I could probably turn CEFCOM and CANADACOM into a single operational commander, and give them the additional role of filling in when the CDS and VCDS aren't available - maybe call them "the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff".
Quit it with the new ideas - are you aiming for your leading change bubble? (On another note, stick CANOSCOM in that org to eliminate another L1)
This is a laudable effort, as I think the General speaks to a real issue in the organizational culture of the Canadian Forces where over 10% of the uniformed military strength is dedicated to the Capital Region (re: HQs). If we applied a 1-in-8 ratio to, say, a 4500 man CMBG we would see a Brigade HQ of 500 personnel....
However, this dealing with this organizational hydra seems to me to involve a lot of politics. To me, the following points are important:
1. The "tail" can generally be split into 3 categories: Combat Service Support (log/med/etc), Life Support (const eng, lodger and personnel support functions), and HQs. I don't think General Leslie is targetting the first two in his discussion; it is clearly the last one. No need to start with "doomsday" scenarios of now truckers.
2. Human Resource Management ideas must be fixed - critical is this is the use of Class B/Civilians in roles they should have never been used for. Expensive overuse of these positions means the CF can get away with poor pers management, creating extra positions that aren't feasible under the current strength. We need to figure out which full time military positions are important and which can be cut (at all ranks).
3. Our culture of leadership and command and control also has to be looked at. Numerous staff officers are needed to handle superfluous requirements from higher headquarters. Many of these requirements, requiring dozens if not hundreds of hours of staff work, are started when 3 and 2 stars are getting involved in issues of sub-sub unit training or the configuration a section/detachment. Mission command cannot only exist on the battlefield.