# War In Afghanistan Caused Surge In Canadian Forces Applications



## SOES_vet (26 Jun 2011)

This shouldn't be news to people in the CF or people that have been following the recruiting trends but I found this article had some interesting commentary. I especially liked the comments about the recruiting standards of the CF. 

"We're not looking (for) a candidate who just wants to kill what they consider bad guys. We want soldiers who can actually think for themselves, who can make a lifelong career in the military and can be successful as a leader and representative of Canada."

Although, the comments from the readers leave something to be desired. Hopefully one day, the CF can completely vanquish some of the negative myths surrounding it.

Shared from huffingtonpost.ca, with the usual disclaimer:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/25/war-in-afghanistan-caused-surge-in-army-applicants_n_884522.html

THE CANADIAN PRESS -- TORONTO - War may be hell, but that didn't seem to deter tens of thousands of would-be soldiers who applied to join the ranks of the Canadian Forces over the course of Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan.

Military statistics compiled over the past 10 years show that while regular and reserve forces were not always able to meet their enrolment targets for a given year, it was never because of a shortage of interested applicants.

As the death toll in Afghanistan mounted and the political rhetoric surrounding the mission grew more heated, the number of Canadian Forces applicants rose steadily, sometimes reaching levels twice those at the beginning of the mission.

In 2009-10, the Canadian Forces received 25,738 applications, up dramatically from the 2001-02 fiscal year, when applications numbered 13,504 — a figure that included existing soldiers seeking transfers to other units.

With the mission winding down, the Forces received 18,881 applications in 2010-11.

The extensive media coverage of military life in Afghanistan was a key factor in the surge, said Richard Langlois of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group.

Infantry positions, which have historically been difficult to fill, got the biggest boost, Langlois said. Rather than act as a deterrent, the well-documented perils of life in theatre seemed to highlight the urgency and importance of the work being done.

"I think it certainly had an influence on people to see this is not a game, this is reality," Langlois said.

"Our soldiers are trained, they're prepared to do that. It's risky, yes it is, but people are proud to call themselves soldiers."

Although the military stopped tracking applicant numbers for a four-year stretch from fiscal 2005 through 2008, Langlois said the increase in applicants has been continuous for at least the past five or six years.

Of course, some of what the mission gave the Canadian Forces, it likely took away as well: the annual rate of attrition bulged to 6,217 in 2008-09, up from 4,265 in 2004-05, before dwindling to just shy of 4,700 in the 2010-11 fiscal year.

The mission's high profile also had its downside, Langlois said: a large number of applicants does not always guarantee a wide selection of quality candidates.

"You will always have people who are very gung-ho — they go to the recruiting centre because they like weapons or because they want to kill terrorists," he said.

"We're not looking (for) a candidate who just wants to kill what they consider bad guys. We want soldiers who can actually think for themselves, who can make a lifelong career in the military and can be successful as a leader and representative of Canada."

New recruits who do make the cut these days will find their training experience dramatically influenced by Canada's time in Afghanistan, a mission that has forced the military to deepen its understanding of counter-insurgency training, said Army Maj. Martell Thompson.

Afghanistan drove home the importance of civilian-military co-operation (CIMIC) training, a principle based on sound cultural awareness, intelligence and the ability to focus on the population and its needs, Thompson said.

"When you look at core competencies in civil-military co-operation, those are really assets that have been largely developed in the Afghan theatre," Thompson said.

The military said it is continually enhancing pre-deployment training in areas such as cultural awareness, language training and the use of language assistants.

New generations of soldiers will also receive more intensive training in dealing with improvised explosive devices, the deadly roadside bombs that accounted for the majority of Canadian deaths in Afghanistan, Thompson added.

Working with IEDs was considered a specialist skill at the beginning of the mission, but it now forms a part of every soldier's preparation, he said.

Langlois said it's too early to say whether recruitment will suffer from Canada's withdrawal from combat in Afghanistan.

Lower-profile missions, such as the training effort Canadian soldiers will undertake in Afghanistan in the coming months, don't generate the same level of public interest. But Canada's traditional peacekeeping role is likely to keep public enthusiasm high.

"I don't think it's a question of combat or the amount of danger," Langlois said. "The more people see about it, the more they're interested."


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## wildman0101 (26 Jun 2011)

SOES-V,
Welcome to the website.
As I'm sure you scoped us out.
This website is well developed and as i'm 
sure you have checked or you would be,,,
having said that all info is here somewhere,,you
just have to do a search. If you can't find the 
info you looking for ,,just ask, and you'll be di-
rected to it.  Yes there was a big influx,so to speak
in regard's to A-Stan. As you know we have been 
there for pretty close to a 10 yr's or more. 
Not sure if your thinking of joining but I will tell you 
this- all rank's are trained including just all job's
depending on your trade. Combat Arm's is a 
very specific in as much as you are trained/re-
quired to know many aspect's of not only your 
job but including your Snr Nco's as you maybe re
quired to take over as Combat require's due to 
death injury ect. everyone I'am sure will agree.
So to speak. I've been out for a long so I'm sure 
better people will help you in your question.
Best Regard's
Scoty B


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## SOES_vet (27 Jun 2011)

wildman0101 said:
			
		

> Not sure if your thinking of joining but I will tell you
> this- all rank's are trained including just all job's
> depending on your trade.
> 
> Scoty B



Hi Scoty B,

Thanks for the reply, and for the welcome. In fact, I am in the very final phase of the recruiting process, and I will be starting my training in the fall.
I am really excited to have finally joined the CF family, and I am anxious to get started.

SOES_v


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## toyotatundra (28 Jun 2011)

"You will always have people who are very gung-ho — they go to the recruiting centre because they like weapons or because they want to kill terrorists," he said.[/quote]

Isn't a gung-ho attitude exactly what the combat arms needs?



> "We're not looking (for) a candidate who just wants to kill what they consider bad guys.



What they consider bad guys? So are we now debating whether the Taliban are bad guys?


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## Container (28 Jun 2011)

I think the issue with people joining to kill what they consider the bad guys is that the "bad guys" always change. There are new bad guys with every mission and when a guy joins to be the first guy to kill a kraut he might find himself not as interested in his duties in the Pacific, or Africa, 

or a more recent example of the problems with certain Islamic soldiers in the US who may have joined before the GWOT and feel less interested in carrying out their duties now. Joining to defend Canada and her interests are to be preferred over flavor of the day.


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## Fishbone Jones (28 Jun 2011)

toyotatundra said:
			
		

> "You will always have people who are very gung-ho — they go to the recruiting centre because they like weapons or because they want to kill terrorists," he said.
> 
> Isn't a gung-ho attitude exactly what the combat arms needs?
> 
> What they consider bad guys? So are we now debating whether the Taliban are bad guys?



No we are not. Try reading a little deeper with an open mind.

Or quit trolling.

Milnet.ca Staff


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## aesop081 (28 Jun 2011)

toyotatundra said:
			
		

> Isn't a gung-ho attitude exactly what the combat arms needs?



No. The CF needs people who are capable of controlling themselves. For your reference, the combat arms do not have a monopoly on killing people.


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## Towards_the_gap (28 Jun 2011)

toyotatundra said:
			
		

> Isn't a gung-ho attitude exactly what the combat arms needs?



How do you know what the combat arms needs?

Gung-ho often times equals complete idiot in my experience. Give me a quiet professional, who does his job then goes home and doesn't talk about it, any day.

Especially in my line of work.


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## Michael OLeary (28 Jun 2011)

Towards_the_gap said:
			
		

> How do you know what the combat arms needs?



He's probably been reading and believing things like this.:

http://www.forces.ca/en/job/infantrysoldier-4



> Not afraid of challenges? As an infantry soldier you are the Army’s primary war-fighters and at the core of the Combat Arms team. You are responsible for closing with and destroying the enemy.





> Infantry Soldiers must be physically robust, mentally tough, dependable, self-disciplined, and able to react quickly and adapt readily to changing situations. They must possess courage and common sense, and be both able and willing to learn the wide range of specialized skills and techniques made necessary by the diverse nature of infantry operations. Personal integrity and leadership ability are vital, as is the ability to work well as part of a team.



Not much there about personal introspection. Unfortunately, not everyone has the benefit of years of experience in the CF or a close personal relationship with a soldier to gain a better perspective than what popular media provides.   I think that's why people come here and ask questions. A critical approach to dealing with those who do not have the advantage of a balanced view does have the effect of making the forum look like an unwelcoming environment.


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## toyotatundra (29 Jun 2011)

Container said:
			
		

> I think the issue with people joining to kill what they consider the bad guys is that the "bad guys" always change. There are new bad guys with every mission and when a guy joins to be the first guy to kill a kraut he might find himself not as interested in his duties in the Pacific, or Africa,
> 
> or a more recent example of the problems with certain Islamic soldiers in the US who may have joined before the GWOT and feel less interested in carrying out their duties now. Joining to defend Canada and her interests are to be preferred over flavor of the day.



So the recruiters are thinking long term. I can see the rationale for that.


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## kawa11 (29 Jun 2011)

Container said:
			
		

> I think the issue with people joining to kill what they consider the bad guys is that the "bad guys" always change. There are new bad guys with every mission and when a guy joins to be the first guy to kill a kraut he might find himself not as interested in his duties in the Pacific, or Africa,
> 
> or a more recent example of the problems with certain Islamic soldiers in the US who may have joined before the GWOT and feel less interested in carrying out their duties now. Joining to defend Canada and her interests are to be preferred over flavor of the day.


Can't remember where the quote is from but it's along the lines: "Every generation is looking for their own WW2 to kill a Nazi."

Working briefly as a security guard I used to get nervous as hell working with the "Gung Ho" guys.
Always shooting off their mouths and getting themselves into stupid situations. I can't count how many times the police had to break up 'situations' and file assault charges on both sides.

Did they learn anything from it?
Nope. Still keeping the halls of public libraries safe, still looking at elevator license expiry dates and updating staff on the working status of an EXIT sign lightbulb.


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## wildman0101 (29 Jun 2011)

SOES-_v,
Congrat's and thank-you for carry the torch.
Let me know how thing's are going and keep in 
touch. Cheer's
Scoty B


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## SOES_vet (29 Jun 2011)

kawa11 said:
			
		

> Working briefly as a security guard I used to get nervous as hell working with the "Gung Ho" guys.
> Always shooting off their mouths and getting themselves into stupid situations. I can't count how many times the police had to break up 'situations' and file assault charges on both sides.



I hear ya. I too had a short stint as a security guard, and I always dreaded going on shift with the super gung-ho guys. While these guys were preparing for WW3, and thinking every incident was the next 9/11, I couldn't have helped but thought that it would have just been easier to have just asked the drunks/etc to just leave.


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## SOES_vet (29 Jun 2011)

wildman0101 said:
			
		

> SOES-_v,
> Congrat's and thank-you for carry the torch.
> Let me know how thing's are going and keep in
> touch. Cheer's
> Scoty B



Thanks Scoty B.

Will do


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