Canada moves to 2% GDP end of FY25/26 - PMMC

[ytz]

Quadruple it and it might be attractive. 250 bucks get you dinner and tank of gas for a family of four these days.

What's the goal? That's the question. Are we doing Supp Res just to have a list of names? No consideration of employability? What's the point?

Don't make it a tax credit. Make it an incentive program. $250 to verify all tombstone and qualification information on the list. $250 to have current medical and fitness test. $500 for IBTS to be current. Etc. We need similar incentives for PRes too. And honestly the new annual bonus for the Reg F should be tied to something like this.

 

[McG]

Just use their equivalent RegF establishment. At roughly 135 ARes units @ appx 600 each gets you to roughly 83,000. Add in the HSvcs and MP reserves and AirRes and NavRes and Bob's your uncle. Then comes the hard part.

That would be the intellectually easy path to meeting huge growth targets. It would also ensure we continue to lack sustainment capability to actually be able to employ the grown force.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Almost as if having bases near major cities helped with recruiting and presence?

Careful, I might get up on my soap box about that again

It's too bad that we seem to have exiled much of our Reg F from the population base that sustains it...

 

[MilEME09]

Careful, I might get up on my soap box about that again

It's too bad that we seem to have exiled much of our Reg F from the population base that sustains it...

If the CAF wants to expand, I cant see it just being the army, the airforce and navy would expand to. For the airforce, to expand we would have two choices, expand current bases or duel use airports. Example Summerside could be explored for duel use military and civilian use, or former CFB Chatham, edmonton international is about to be duel use. It could be a good test model for RCAF expansion. Especially to expand the AIRres near major cities.

 

[Kirkhill]

Nah. This is feel good nonsense to justify your opinion. You'll not be able to back this up with a shred of evidence.

At least when you talked about their system before post secondary, you were on to something.

Nah. It is not worth the effort for you will not accept the evidence of my own eyes.

Cheers, lad.

 

[quadrapiper]

If the CAF wants to expand, I cant see it just being the army, the airforce and navy would expand to. For the airforce, to expand we would have two choices, expand current bases or duel use airports.

Dual use is definitely possible, and Comox proves it can be done with a busy, multi-mission wing and a reasonably active airport.

 

[PrairieFella]

We have a system like that in Canada. CÉGEP.

Theres talk of instituting CEGEP in Manitoba in the French immersion stream which would be fantastic. Some pushback that is frankly valid is itll only serve to widen the academic gap between the Engliah only stream which leaves lots to be desired and the French immersion stream which is far more rigourous academically.

 

[PrairieFella]

If the CAF wants to expand, I cant see it just being the army, the airforce and navy would expand to. For the airforce, to expand we would have two choices, expand current bases or duel use airports. Example Summerside could be explored for duel use military and civilian use, or former CFB Chatham, edmonton international is about to be duel use. It could be a good test model for RCAF expansion. Especially to expand the AIRres near major cities.

Lots of room at CFB Winnipeg for expansion.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Lots of room at CFB Winnipeg for expansion.

Given where the majority of Canada's population lives we probably need a 'CFB Vancouver/LMainland, Toronto and Montreal too, each with an all arms type Brigade Group in residence, kind of like Edmonton.

 

[MilEME09]

Dual use is definitely possible, and Comox proves it can be done with a busy, multi-mission wing and a reasonably active airport.

So does winnipeg, ottawa is technically duel use now, edmonton is about to be

 

[MilEME09]

Given where the majority of Canada's population lives we probably need a 'CFB Vancouver/LMainland, Toronto and Montreal too, each with an all arms type Brigade Group in residence, kind of like Edmonton.

Montréal-Mirabel International Airport would have potential room for duel use

 

[Czech_pivo]

Montréal-Mirabel International Airport would have potential room for duel use

Could Hamiltons Munro Airport similarly?

 

[MilEME09]

Could Hamiltons Munro Airport similarly?

Really any airport that has room to expand easily could work.

 

[FJAG]

We will need to offer more than one pathway. That said, I think you'd be surprised by how many would sign up for a year if they knew that school would then be paid for. That's the part you're missing here.

Not missing it at all and I fully agree - multiple paths is what are needed.

today's high school graduate is probably not anywhere as mature as you were back then. They may get through training. Not sure I trust them leading troops full time at 20 though.

You obviously didn't know me at 16 because if you had you wouldn't be giving me credit for maturity. Having been a young gunner in the ranks back then I can pretty much say that it's a given that a large number of them will be lacking in maturity when they join. It comes with time and being given responsibility and trust. Quite a few never make it. Most do.

I won't even get to the changing nature of war and the impact of Somalia in driving a fully degreed officer corps.

Yup. That was pretty much CYA season.

That would be the intellectually easy path to meeting huge growth targets. It would also ensure we continue to lack sustainment capability to actually be able to employ the grown force.

The point actually was that to create a unit model is easy. As you say, developing the force structure - what capabilities are needed, in what quantities, and how to equip, train and sustain the force are a much more complex issue.

Lots of room at CFB Winnipeg for expansion.

There used to be a lot more, and at Calgary and other places.

 

[dapaterson]

Dual use is definitely possible, and Comox proves it can be done with a busy, multi-mission wing and a reasonably active airport.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/westjet-plane-wing-tip-hits-tail-of-parked-military-hercules-at-comox-airport-7388027

 

[ytz]

If the CAF wants to expand, I cant see it just being the army, the airforce and navy would expand to. For the airforce, to expand we would have two choices, expand current bases or duel use airports. Example Summerside could be explored for duel use military and civilian use, or former CFB Chatham, edmonton international is about to be duel use. It could be a good test model for RCAF expansion. Especially to expand the AIRres near major cities.

Again, I ask. What's the goal?

It's really difficult to have an air reserve that flies part time. Especially given the legal limits on airline aircrew for total flight hours. But also, simply keeping basic flight skill doesn't result in combat readiness.

There's a reason that basically the US is the only country in NATO with a substantial air national guard type of operation. Where other countries do have air reserves or conscripts it's largely for lightly skilled work or lower risk augmentation. For example, Swedish conscripts who do aircraft servicing. Or say reserve pilots who can do ferry and maintenance test flights.

I'm not sure why there has to be an air reserve developed to the same extent. They are different ops with different needs. The army needs larger numbers of lightly skilled personnel. That makes it more adaptable for part time work. Running a billion dollar flying club is less value for money.

So before all this discussion about what places are appropriate for the expanded air res, maybe discuss their purpose and goal.

I'll give a personal example. The space community has looked at inducting space science students as space operators. Useful skill that matches up with a need. Don't need an airfield for that. And we mapped out that they could be fully trained in basically 2 summers in the CAF.

Honestly, the only valuable flying I see for air reservists as an actual formation? Operating brigade level UAVs and UCAVs. Group 2. Max Group 3. I wouldn't even let them touch Group 4 or higher. I'd take away cockpit time from the reserves in the future. Unless they want to work as augmentees after a Reg F career.

 

[lenaitch]

Is there any reason why the government couldn't make an index of all past members by their SINs and use that as the foundation of their 300,000 Supplementary Reserve? At least they would know what the available resouce was. They wouldn't have to start calling prople in. But perhaps a pleasantly worded email asking if they might be avalable to assist in some form and a promotional campaign.

And I agree with you on the officer training.
OCTP
RESO
MITCP

Even Sandhurst only takes 44 weeks. 8 weeks if you already have passed basic training (DP1?)

Service Canada administers the SIN program and I'm not aware that they track you location or address. I'm not even sure if they know if you are dead or alive unless the NOK tells them. Some users of SINs do track you, like the CRA (assuming you file). I could be wrong but signing on to a potential lifetime commitment to the government might give some people pause.

Quadruple it and it might be attractive. 250 bucks get you dinner and tank of gas for a family of four these days.

Heck, volunteer firefighters and SAR members get a $6K tax credit.