Do we need Cadets? Should they be military/uniformed? (split from Trump administration 2024-2028)

[Colin Parkinson]

If you have a method of identifying Cadets who have a interest in joining the CAF, when they turn 16, they get sent to a base for part of the summer for a BMQ lite within their selected element. Likely 1-2 platoons per element needed. This gives them a idea if they want that lifestyle and the military can see if they are worth pursuing as recruits.

 

[ueo]

If you have a method of identifying Cadets who have a interest in joining the CAF, when they turn 16, they get sent to a base for part of the summer for a BMQ lite within their selected element. Likely 1-2 platoons per element needed. This gives them a idea if they want that lifestyle and the military can see if they are worth pursuing as recruits.

Nice idea, but where do the instructors come from?

 

[McG]

We have "BMQ lite" (and "BMQ plus") programs linked with indigenous out-reach and high school coops. Every one of these programs enrolls the trainees into the PRes where they are paid and covered in the event of training injury/accident. If you want people in the PRes, recruit them into the PRes.

 

[childs56]

If you have a method of identifying Cadets who have a interest in joining the CAF, when they turn 16, they get sent to a base for part of the summer for a BMQ lite within their selected element. Likely 1-2 platoons per element needed. This gives them a idea if they want that lifestyle and the military can see if they are worth pursuing as recruits.

Cadets already get a BMQ lite in their basic training. They learn to march, they learn to take care of uniforms, set up mod tents etc.
Then depending on their next steps they do pretty much everything required except the rifle shooting, grenade tossing aspect.
They learn discipline, self determination, team work, how to be away from home. ( I have seen more then a few adults in tears because they were away from home to long for training).

The Supp Res are not current members of the CAF. The Canadian Rangers

There could be some arguments to end the Cadet program at 16 to encourage more former cadets to join. Essitianlly create a natural transisition. For a lot of them this could mean they would be BMQ and trades qualified before university, which would make the time commitment more reasonable.

I get that this would make the program more dependent on the adult leadership, but this could create a culture shift in the cadets that could lead to more cadets join the CAF or create a bit more of an unofficial strong suggestion.

Then the Cadet program would loose many of their instructional staff (summer staff Cadets) and depth they have built over the years of training their Cadets. Relying on more volunteer staff which is already in short supply.

Those who want to join the Military already can at 16, some do.
Tell a Air Cadet who wants their glider wings or Power Wings they cant get them because you age out at sixteen, your only option is to leave the program and join the Military and not have any chance for a number of years to be trained to fly an airplane. Kind of looses its appeal for many as they loose that chance.
Or take away all ship/ boat deployments Cadets get to do, because you have to be sixteen or older to do them.
Or take that that Jump Course away that attracts many to the Army Cadets.
You essentially kill the programs highlights for Young Cadets to work towards.
It makes it worse because the draw to the Cadet program diminishes and the option is already there.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

In my plan, you are not looking at the majority of senior Cadets going into a different stream, you still have enough Staff Cadets to run the summer camps, currently there are more applicants than slots for summer staff, which the Cadets get paid to do.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

We have "BMQ lite" (and "BMQ plus") programs linked with indigenous out-reach and high school coops. Every one of these programs enrolls the trainees into the PRes where they are paid and covered in the event of training injury/accident. If you want people in the PRes, recruit them into the PRes.

Staff Cadets are paid and get coverage as well. Not sure exactly where the budget resides.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Those who want to join the Military already can at 16, some do.
Tell a Air Cadet who wants their glider wings or Power Wings they cant get them because you age out at sixteen, your only option is to leave the program and join the Military and not have any chance for a number of years to be trained to fly an airplane. Kind of looses its appeal for many as they loose that chance.
Or take away all ship/ boat deployments Cadets get to do, because you have to be sixteen or older to do them.
Or take that that Jump Course away that attracts many to the Army Cadets.
You essentially kill the programs highlights for Young Cadets to work towards.
It makes it worse because the draw to the Cadet program diminishes and the option is already there.

The main thing which draws most into Cadets is the fact it is a free program. Yeah the later stuff might drive a few to achieve it, but you can change it up and offer some alternative or just not.

If the main goal is to try and get troops out of it, then we shouldn’t have it as a competing program to actually serving. And if that isn’t the main goal why is this a military funded program?

 

[McG]

If the main goal is to try and get troops out of it, then we shouldn’t have it as a competing program to actually serving. And if that isn’t the main goal why is this a military funded program?

Government funds it. The military doesn't own the money.
Cadets is not a recruiting tool, but it does have a mandate to stimulate an interest in the CAF. That interest may translate into some recruits, but it also translates into aware and supportive of the CAF. Kill the program or give it away to another organization and the CAF looses that mechanism to build affinity ... along with the funding and a handful of other reciprocal benefits that disappear too.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The main thing which draws most into Cadets is the fact That their parents find out it is a free program. Yeah the later stuff might drive a few to achieve it, but you can change it up and offer some alternative or just not.

If the main goal is to try and get troops out of it, then we shouldn’t have it as a competing program to actually serving. And if that isn’t the main goal why is this a military funded program?

FIFY

 

[Furniture]

If you have a method of identifying Cadets who have a interest in joining the CAF, when they turn 16, they get sent to a base for part of the summer for a BMQ lite within their selected element. Likely 1-2 platoons per element needed. This gives them a idea if they want that lifestyle and the military can see if they are worth pursuing as recruits.

That likely would have pushed me out of cadets, and out of interest in the CAF.

I was raised in rural PEI, by rather flexible, but religious parents. If I spent my summer at 16 in the drunken shenninagins of a BMQ, My parents would have withdrawn consent, and I likely would have been repulsed by it. (They knew what the CIC were doing in the mess, but they didn't want their kid mixed into that sort of environment).

A few years later, graduated, and looking to make a go of the world on my own, the BMQ shenanigans weren't so shocking, and my parents had no say... 25+ years into this career, I'm glad I wasn't initiated until I was an adult and could make my own decisions.