Military can absorb Tory recruit promises if there is money: Hiller

[Armymatters]

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=canada_home&articleID=2157653

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006 

Military can absorb recruits promised by Tories if there's money: Hillier

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's top soldier says the military can absorb the thousands of new troops promised in the Conservative campaign platform if the new government also comes up with the money to train and equip them.

Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of the defence staff, says it wouldn't be easy enlisting and training the 13,000 regulars and 10,000 reservists promised by the Tories, but it can be done if the money is there.

He says it would mean short-term pain as people are pulled off other duties to train the newcomers, but the benefits in the long run would be worth the effort.

The Liberals promised a year ago to add about 5,000 new troops, but the money to pay for them was promised in two or three years' time, meaning the military couldn't start filling the ranks.

Hillier says he can start recruiting and training the new people right away if the money is available.

The Forces now have an authorized strength of 60,000 for army, navy and air force, but there are only about 55,000 people trained and operational.

© The Canadian Press, 2006

Thoughts? Comments? Hiller is definetely optimistic about absorbing the promised troops.

 

[Docherty]

More Soldiers is great, but we can't drop the standards for recruiting to fulfill the quota.

 

[Sig_Des]

Sounds like the answer to everything else that's ever promised in Campaigns or speeches by the politicos.

Politicians say we will do this.

DND says, that's a great idea...make the funds available, and we'll implement and produce.

Will it happen? Watch and shoot

More Soldiers is great, but we can't drop the standards for recruiting to fulfill the quota.

Agreed

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

and the time frame for this is what?

 

[geo]

As things stand right now, areas are short of $ and have cut back $ to the Reserve and Regular formations to meet the shortfall.
Reservist have had training cancelled - how are you supposed to maintain interest when you suddenly tell em to stop and come back in a month or two. Retention is going to take a pounding.
Reg exercises being trimmed back.... cheez!

Now we're talking about enrolling 13000 Regs AND 10000 Res?
don't see where the financial support is going to come from....
Harper is talking about reduced Cap Gains, Reduced GST, increased transfer payments to the provinces & the taxpayers (health & education)... how's this going to work?

Unless your name is Merlin or Rumplestilskin - can't see these programs moving forward with any great speed.

 

[Armymedic]

Put me in, Coach, I'll help train them.

BMQ, SQ, QL 3, I don't care, where do you want me to help?

 

[watson]

Well come train me because 40 other troops and myself have been waiting for SQ for about a month and our course doesn't start for another 2 months. So maybe we should concentrate on the 5000 that are not trained yet before we start trying to jam another 13000 in with us...

 

[ERIK2RCR]

23000 more people to stand idle monday thru friday except for the odd ex that gets cancelled or scaled down at the last minuit. It's fine to add the numbers to bring the ranks up, but are they going to raise the budget for units? Training dosen't end with BMQ SQ and then your trade training. I just can't see where the money will come from long term.

 

[RCD]

Get the equipment first. Then the recruit's will followed

 

[geo]

Get a plan,
get the money,
get troops and equipment

Having one without the other is just wasting everyone's time
and just pissin in the wind

 

[Armymedic]

Get the equipment first. Then the recruit's will followed

Wrong...

All the kit in the world is useless without the troops to use it. Infact right now we have more trucks, rifles etc then people, thanks to deployments.
For now, lets get the troops cause we need them, and that need is right now. And while that process is working and building our strength, get the kit.

Having one without the other is just wasting everyone's time
and just pissin in the wind

Not wrong,
Sounds like they got a plan...now show us the money.

 

[geo]

more trucks than people to use em?
uhhh..... where?
areas have developed a system where they rotate their vehicle pools from unit to unit - that doesn't sound like we have more than we need.... I mean - really need.

 

[ERIK2RCR]

And what we do have for vehicles are sitting in a compound with a drip pan full of various fluids underneath it. There are too many shortfalls already, and throwing troops at problems dosen't fix all of them

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Well Col Barr seems to feel there are plenty of troops to fill the bill of this new regiment.  Of course there is no mention of how or if it will undermine the current regiments.

 

[ERIK2RCR]

We've been told that for the first year, CSOR will be hand picking it's training and admin staff,(we've lost a few key people already, and after that candidates will have to apply much in the same fassion to JTF-2 selection. It sounds like they're going with a purely volunteer approach to filling out the majority of their ranks.

 

[Armymedic]

more trucks than people to use em?
uhhh..... where?
areas have developed a system where they rotate their vehicle pools from unit to unit - that doesn't sound like we have more than we need.... I mean - really need.

I am not sure what its like in Valcartier, but come to Pet. There are several units here who have more vehs then people.
Possibly that is a result of deployments, but more then likely its because most of the units are underborne.

As a result of the CSOR, 3 RCR will have only 2 rifle companies of 2 platoons each....yep, lots of people to go around.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

"As a result of the CSOR, 3 RCR will have only 2 rifle companies of 2 platoons each....yep, lots of people to go around."

And that's only cause their original tasking was taken away.  I see his point that there are plenty of highly fit and motivated troops out there that would love to apply but if they took everyone that passed the other units would be severly devistated as we are all undermanned as it is.

 

[geo]

AM
as CSOR stands up and fills out, they're going to be a lookin for rolling stock would be my guess. This managed readiness thing is being applied on bases across the country. Valcatraz can't be the only place around where vehicles are scarce.

 

[TCBF]

Let's take some of the money and institute MANDATORY psychological testing for ALL entrants.  Ten more psycopaths and we won't have an Army.

Tom

 

[KevinB]

Let's take some of the money and institute MANDATORY psychological testing for ALL entrants.  Ten more psycopaths and we won't have an Army.

Tom

I'm out now - so they have room for one more  ;D