Eagle Eye View said:
This is good on paper but most Air Force trades can take up to 3/4 years of continuous training before being able to do the job. Also, we now see members being promoted to Sgt within 7/8 years of service. Again, I'm not sure if it'll fix anything to be honest, particularly within the RCAF.
My idea is that I wouldn't give them any specific trade training in that first three years. Admittedly, I'm not sure how or even if it would work for the Air Force, but I'm fairly confident, we could usefully employ personnel in the both the Army and Navy for three years without a great deal of trade training. As it is, we currently recruit a sailor who can spend upwards of a year on training before he even sees his first ship. Once at sea, although he will get a fair bit of time working in his trade, he will also spend a lot of time on general shipboard duties that anyone can do and have to be done (cleaning stations, watch on deck, scullery, laundry, etc). Why spend a lot of time in training someone for a job they will only get to do for part of the time?
I envision a system where people are recruited for a three year term. They are given basic military and environmental training and then employed on general duties for the duration of their three years with only minimal follow-on training. In that three years, they would get exposure to all aspects of service life in their respective environments, which in the case of the Navy would include spending time with all departments on board (e.g. spend a few months/weeks helping the stokers clean engines, general duties in the galley, etc.). The idea would be for them to get good exposure to everything that goes on onboard a ship. They would also spend some time ashore helping (and learning about) supporting ships. Add in to all of this would be time spent on "public duties" (e.g. ceremonial guards - instead of hitting up units to provide). The idea is that at the end of the three years, they've had a chance to look at us and we've had a chance to look at them in order for everyone to make better and more informed choices about what trade they wish to pursue. I'm sure we could do something similar for the Army in the sense that everyone could spend a few months in each of the combat arms as well as a service battalion, etc.
I would like to see this as sort of voluntary national service program, where people join with the understanding that they will only receive minimal training, low pay, be employed in mostly mundane tasks (with a few opportunities for excitement - port visits) and will likely have to live in single quarters. Doesn't sound too appealing, but I think we could add the following incentive. If you satisfactorily complete your three years, the following options become available:
1) release and then be provided with full tuition to complete a bachelor degree, diploma or other certificate at any approved Canadian post-secondary institution;
2) continue to serve with a retention bonus (essentially equivalent to the amount of tuition the ones releasing would get) and immediately sent on trade training; or
3) continue to serve with a retention bonus and sent on officer training.
It would seem to me that providing an opportunity for people to earn their entire tuition would lead to no shortage of applicants and there would be the following benefits to both the individual and the country:
1) a far greater number of people would end up serving in the CAF, which can't be a bad thing. Public support for the CAF increases if more people have exposure to military service;
2) better informed choices can be made by both the individuals and the CAF as to the best path (individuals will have a better understanding of the trades they may wish to pursue. The CAF will have a better idea of the individual's suitability);
3) more personnel available for public duties (yes, this is important because it's about public engagement, which leads to better support from the public); and
4) all potential officers could benefit from a little time in the ranks.