TCBF said:
- DND is. DND has to follow national hiring and firing policies. The CF - although subordinate to DND - is allowed exceptions. Some of those exceptions would facillitate a massive recruiting campaign similar to those in the last century. The missing link here is the over-bureaucratization of the entire selection and training system by the people in it. The engine is busted, and no one is accountable.
We'll basically agree. LOL We are in the end a Federal agency no matter how much we dislike it. We are Federal even though we are subordinate to DND.
http://canada.gc.ca/depts/major/depind-eng.html#M
I agree with the over-bureaucratization that we seem to have put ourselves into, and indeed it is busted but those in charge do no think that it is. It's unfortunate, but that's the facts.
Our efforts at Recruiting are lame to say the least. Honestly. I have seen recruiting strategies from the US and ours pale by comparison. I know that we must factor in geographic, cultural and societal demographics into account when recruiting, however we just seem to be doing a really poor job at it in general. The recruiting videos lack the supposed "umph" that the US .mil ads have. I will honestly say that every single time I see an US military TV ad it gets my heart pumping. The visual message and communication, the audio visual touches is what really sets US and Canadian military ads apart.
Now, another great down fall that we have as the CF is that our ads attempt to communicate TOO much into one short clip! The US .mil ads has one theme, one branch, and one slogan.
US Army - Army Strong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkdPfbOp_8g
US Air Force - Above All / Cross Into The Blue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h1ozsCPjok&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FTYKT4w-zc
US Navy - Accelerate Your Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzK6EYWEo8&feature=related
US Marines - The Few The Proud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiVP9aOfOQM&feature=related
US National Guard -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdT7njoka68&feature=related
So as you can see from all of the above posted videos, although they are only a small collection of the countless videos, ever evolving, put out by the US .mil public affairs and recruitment, they have one clear message in all of their videos "JOIN US". They're not afraid to compete amongst the branches. Why? Because they KNOW that different people are drawn to different things. They see something that interests them? They'll go and apply for that branch, that service, that MOS. They don't care if John #1 saw the USMC video and decided to join the Army. They know that John #2 would join the Marines just as willingly if he saw the US Navy ad. They don't care. They compete, they foster, and they display.
So... what do we have?
Canadian Forces
This is what we have had recently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZhGx3AREcw You'll see that it starts with the Navy... then the Army... in A'stan... with BFAs... and TW... and what the hell?! Back to the Navy... then SAR Techs... then Army supposedly clearing a building in A'Stan... then Evac into... oh wait what was that? Was that... an LSVW Amb?! Then SAR Tech...
Do you see the problem here? There is NO clear message. There is NOT a single JOB that's really highlighted. Not a single element that's been separated or stood out. It was one big MASH of STUFF. Sure the US .mil ads are mash of STUFF as well, but they all center around THEIR element, and they SHOW IT.
Then there was this one from quite a few years back that was equally mishmashed and equally bad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K69jwRkm04&feature=related
Our recruiting ads have NO clear message. They are NOT designed to show anyone what we do, they are designed to make our jobs look even more confusing.
You want to create a CF video that shows caring, aid giving and help? Why not look at this ad for example?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YFUfuglke0&feature=related
The other problem is the lack of community involvement or connection. In the US the and in the UK they have display teams that appear at different events. Large fairs, community events, state and county events and so much more. Want an example of it?
USMC Silent Drill Platoon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y90UPLLo6nY You hear the crowd cheering in the background? Now how many of those in the crowd do you think are ex-servicemen/women? Marines? Soldiers? Airman/woman? Current Marines? Future Marines?
US Army Drill Display Team:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dxTBK7jI1s&feature=related
US Navy and US Airforce ALL have drill display teams such as the two seen above.
What about our British cousins from across the pond?
The Royal Marines Display Team:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvfowwVvwO8&feature=related
They are a public relations display that goes to events and puts on a show about the RM and answers questions afterwards. Now do I think what they've done is really suitable for us? No. I don't think so at all.
What I am getting at is this. The current method of attraction has got to be stepped up. Op Connection is in more ways then one a failure. The amount of money spent on it is ridiculous, but the out comes are poor. From my own personal participation I've seen local units having to SCROUNGE and I mean SCROUNGE people to fill in the displays. I have seen units refuse or unwilling to send people there in general. Two years ago when I was at Op Connection at the PNE we had the NBP on display. It was a HUGE success. The display area was optimal and the way things were set up allowed for the maximum amount of exposure and information exchange. The RegF and the PRes were both there recruiting heavily and I must say had by and large some success. The regiments that were in attendance got their soldiers and those who weren't there... well lost out. The Navy and the Airforce had siplays as wella nd really represented the CF as a whole well.
Compared to last year, the turn out was poor from the PRes side of the house. I worked many, many hours while some units refused to provide members, or had none they could spare. It had such a low turn out rate on the PRes side that the Bde HQ staff were ordered to participate in the event AFTER their work day.
What I can't seem to understand why a crucial and quite important part of the CF is being ignored? Why units view it as a CHORE rather then as a pride thing to attend public functions to put their units into the spot light. To allow their brothers and sisters in other regiments, and other branches, other elements and other arms to SHINE?
I hope most of you understand what I'm trying to get at. We need a serious kick in the 6 to get the campaigning and public relations down pat. I will tell you from my own experience that when I went to recruit health care professionals they were by and large unwilling to join the CF because of rumors, not knowing what we do, and because of the lack of opportunities available in the CF. Now please don't tell me that we have lots to offer, because we ALL know that we have LIMITED things to offer to professionals. People who can make 2 times or 3 times the amount having a private practice would want to come to the CF why? What do we offer them? Pay? Nope. Experience? Not really... other then trauma, but any EP in a large Emerge will experience that if not most of it. Courses? Most hospitals pay for many of the advanced courses and many of the physicians out there make enough to cover any course they want. So... using the health care professionals as an example... what do we offer?
........?
So let's set up a display team. Sure we have the Skyhawks and the Snow Birds... but... so what? Can anyone walk up to them and say hi? To ask them questions? To see their air craft? To listen to stories? To not have to wait in line for hours to get merely a glimpse of them at an Air Show?
Each Bde should have a display team for the PRes. They should be Class B soldiers coming from all walks of life. Different MOC, ranks and regiments. Bring back the Scarlets, bring back the Blues. Get authorization to wear them again, because the DEUs are NOT cutting it for the Army. It should be a joint effort for the Bde because community involvement, is good PR and good PR = higher likelihood of recruitment.
Want to make things exciting? Mount a Guard at all the Legislatures. Why not? Why shouldn't the Citizen Soldiers of the area be allowed to mount a guard outside of their Province's seat of power? Now this is a suggestion for Display and Community connection ONLY, and NOT to be misinterpreted.
Want to include the youths of today? Get Cadets to mount a guard with the members. Why not?
Why not have a Drill Competition amongst the Regimens and Units? Have it in a place where the public are encouraged to view and participate and watch. Why not?
Before you go into "funding" and other "considerations" consider this. Every time a yuppy or liberal nut says something about us we remain silent. We don't go forth to prove that they are wrong. We do not attempt to educate the public, all we do is sit amongst our selves and rant. So why doesn't the CoC move us INTO the community to expose us to the public and the public to us?
Keep in mind that we were ALL civies once. We KNOW how they think, and we KNOW what they're like. They don't know what we are at all, and they don't know what we do. They are scared. So put down our masks and smile at the people who we are here to protect and serve. I am not suggesting that this should be taken as a priority over a unit's operational tempo or end state. However, hearts and minds and recruiting is in many ways MORE important then our mission in Afghanistan.
Why you ask? Because if we don't do a good job on the Home Front recruiting, representing our brethren overseas, they are not going to feel the support from the nation. They are not going to come home to a nice of an atmosphere as they would if we helped people understand. PAF cells should shift focus AWAY from damage control and into preemptive strike. Get ahead of the yuppies for once, don't let them dictate our community involvement. Don't let them dictate our goals and our methods to achieve them. Move beyond the small battles of hippies and move into the overall war of national understanding and acceptance.