CF Seeks Private Sector Help for BMQ/PLQ Training

[The Bread Guy]

Thought this merited a separate thread for any discussion it might lead to.

This spotted on MERX this morning (highlights mine):

TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL

(....)

NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROCUREMENT

The CF generally provides training using military personnel as instructors, training support, and most administrative support.  However, sustaining operations while simultaneously engaging in significant force growth has placed an unmanageable strain on military personnel resources. As a result, there are insufficient military resources for the CDA to adequately fill all the roles necessary to conduct basic military qualification (BMQ) and primary leadership qualification (PLQ) training.  The CDA intends to address this personnel shortfall by contracting services to support CF military instruction, training and administrative support while retaining overall CF military oversight. Contracted services required to support BMQ and PLQ training include the following:
Stream 1 - Administrative Support
Stream 2 - Training Support
Stream 3 - Instructional Support ....

(A little bit) more on the attachment.

 

[George Wallace]

I don't know.  Right now Calian is responsible for running many Courses and Exercises.  They hire former CF officers and very senior NCOs.  They don't hire many of the lower ranks.  I have experienced an Arctic Sovereignty Exercise/Operation run by them, and really wasn't too impressed (overall).  I work with a former PPCLI Sgt who decided, as Day Staff he should have more Dvr Qualifications than Staff Car/Panel Van in order to draw ammo, etc. so he loaded himself on one of the Calian run D&M Crses run in Meaford.  He shows up, and is the only student who was not a Pte/Cpl.  The Calian staff, all Ex-Sgt Majors, assign him as permanent Crse Snr, Crse WO, etc. as well as being a student.  He did all the administrative work, the disciplinary work, and over the period of the Crse, did fairly much everything that the Crse Staff should have taken care of, except teach. 

Perhaps the bean counters should look a little more closely into the 'requirements' that they want in these contracts to civilian contractors and old them to their contracts.  No cancellation of Crses because it is Hunting/Fishing Season.  No passing off of contractual duties to Service Members.  And no Unions. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

I work with a former PPCLI Sgt who decided, as Day Staff he should have more Dvr Qualifications than Staff Car/Panel Van in order to draw ammo, etc. so he loaded himself on one of the Calian run D&M Crses run in Meaford.  He shows up, and is the only student who was not a Pte/Cpl.  The Calian staff, all Ex-Sgt Majors, assign him as permanent Crse Snr, Crse WO, etc. as well as being a student.  He did all the administrative work, the disciplinary work, and over the period of the Crse, did fairly much everything that the Crse Staff should have taken care of, except teach.

Ah, the "unseen cost to the system" of using consultants....

Perhaps the bean counters should look a little more closely into the 'requirements' that they want in these contracts to civilian contractors and old them to their contracts.  No cancellation of Crses because it is Hunting/Fishing Season.  No passing off of contractual duties to Service Members.  And no Unions.

It's always in the contract language, isn't it?  You would think after the first one or two such documents, such things get ironed out, no?

 

[ltmaverick25]

There is no doubt that our system is struggling as per the reasons listed in the procurement notice, however, im not so sure if this is the best way to go about it.  We already have the corporate knowledge in the reserve system to step in and fill gaps in the short run.  What we need is some very strong legislation that would mandate the full time work of certain reservists to fill the gaps, while at the same time mandating civilian job protection for them full stop.  That is what the reserve force is for - to step up to the plate when needed.  They just need to be protected from consequences on the civilian side.

 

[dapaterson]

Maverick:  We do not have a Reserve Force to save the Reg Force from its own damn stupidity - much of the trouble now was seen a decade ago or more, but no action was taken.

In addition, the ability of the Reserve Force to surge is extremely limited.  There is no real Air Reserve as they are fully committed already; the Navy and Army reserves already have in excess of half of their parading personnel in ranks from MS/MCpl through CPO2/MWO working as full-time Reservists.  The well is pretty much dry.

 

[PanaEng]

As of mid May, most if not all of the Snr NCO and Jnr O of our unit will be on course or teaching as well as +90% of the trained Pte/Cpl being on course or supporting them - leaving us with about 40% of staff requests made to our unit unfilled. (numbers came out of my @$$ but they are close)

The need is there; the implementation is the weakness.

cheers,
Frank

 

[daftandbarmy]

As of mid May, most if not all of the Snr NCO and Jnr O of our unit will be on course or teaching as well as +90% of the trained Pte/Cpl being on course or supporting them - leaving us with about 40% of staff requests made to our unit unfilled. (numbers came out of my @$$ but they are close)

The need is there; the implementation is the weakness.

cheers,
Frank

There is also the added bonus of almost 100% of our most experienced keeners being either deployed, just about to deploy, or just returning from deployment to Afghanistan. Some are on their 2nd and third tours (I think one guy is thinking about going for #3 even after being blown up twice - he needs to find another hobby).

Add to that the big bunch of other 'regular paraders' we are now sending to Op Podium, then you can guess where the average militia unit sits right now in terms of 'force generation' for anything else...

 

[ArmyRick]

I could see hiring civilian staff for assisting in BOR duties.
I have also seen some success with civilian companies working things like ammo, base supply and IT.

I would tread very carefully about training BMQ troops. It is one thing to teach trained soldiers how to drive military vehicles and it is quite another thing to teach a civilian youth off the street military discipline, military ethics, drill, basic military skills. It would also be a problem I think when it comes to mentoring and disciplining recruits.

 

[aesop081]

I would tread very carefully about training BMQ troops. It is one thing to teach trained soldiers how to drive military vehicles and it is quite another thing to teach a civilian youth off the street military discipline, military ethics, drill, basic military skills. It would also be a problem I think when it comes to mentoring and disciplining recruits.

If you read the request for bids, you would see that this is not what the CF is seeking to contract.