Divining the right role, capabilities, structure, and Regimental System for Canada's Army Reserves

[daftandbarmy]

My high school in the 80’s had RCMP and CAF recruiting drives.

I was at a local mall yesterday around 3.30pm. It was packed with high school kids from the local schools getting snacks etc.

There are four malls like that within a 15 minute drive of each other around here.

Why there is zero CFRC presence at these locations is a lost opportunity, for CAF recruiting anyways, IMHO.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I was at a local mall yesterday around 3.30pm. It was packed with high school kids from the local schools getting snacks etc.

There are four malls like that within a 15 minute drive of each other around here.

Why there is zero CFRC presence at these locations is a lost opportunity, for CAF recruiting anyways, IMHO.

A conversation overheard at a local mall.

Excuse me Mister, why are you hanging around the food court? I've seen you here every day for the past two weeks.

I'm looking for fit young boys and girls. I want to show them something exciting.

Please come with me. We want to have a chat with you.

 

[Remius]

A conversation overheard at a local mall.

Excuse me Mister, why are you hanging around the food court? I've seen you here every day for the past two weeks.

I'm looking for fit young boys and girls. I want to show them something exciting.

Please come with me. We want to have a chat with you.

Without context that could go another direction fast…

 

[daftandbarmy]

A conversation overheard at a local mall.

Excuse me Mister, why are you hanging around the food court? I've seen you here every day for the past two weeks.

I'm looking for fit young boys and girls. I want to show them something exciting.

Please come with me. We want to have a chat with you.

Call me crazy but a recruiting office located in a mall, like any number of other businesses, might attract a few more inquiries than where it is now - in the middle of a downtown business district where few of the locals are interested or eligible, and no one is likely to see it because : work from home.

If the CAF wants to attract people it needs to believe that they really have something good to offer kids, as opposed to being embarrassed/ afraid to engage with the public because of a lack of corporate self-esteem.

 

[PrairieFella]

Call me crazy but a recruiting office located in a mall, like any number of other businesses, might attract a few more inquiries than where it is now - in the middle of a downtown business district where few of the locals are interested or eligible, and no one is likely to see it because : work from home.

If the CAF wants to attract people it needs to believe that they really have something good to offer kids, as opposed to being embarrassed/ afraid to engage with the public because of a lack of corporate self-esteem.

That's where a major block exists for the CFRCs. They aren't actually allowed to do their own COMREL in local communities and are limited to "events" such as career fairs and the like.

 

[KevinB]

Call me crazy but a recruiting office located in a mall, like any number of other businesses, might attract a few more inquiries than where it is now - in the middle of a downtown business district where few of the locals are interested or eligible, and no one is likely to see it because : work from home.

If the CAF wants to attract people it needs to believe that they really have something good to offer kids, as opposed to being embarrassed/ afraid to engage with the public because of a lack of corporate self-esteem.

99% of US Mil Recruiting offices are in malls...

I am not exactly sure where else one would put them?

 

[daftandbarmy]

99% of US Mil Recruiting offices are in malls...

I am not exactly sure where else one would put them?

In Canada?

'Coventry', apparently

 

[Rifleman62]

Malls: Years ago, we at 38 CBG, set up a permanent (rent free, as a courtesy from Cadillac Fairview) a pop up recruiting station in Polo Park shopping mall.

Polo Park is the premier mall in Wpg.

Our G1 Recruiting ran it with support from the units. Open same as the Mall hours. Recruiting was for the CF, not just the local PRes units.

Argued for years with the CFRC head shed that the CFRC office in an old bldg. on Fort St, downtown was the wrong location. CFRC has now moved to a more modern bldg several blocks away.

 

[PrairieFella]

Malls: Years ago, we at 38 CBG, set up a permanent (rent free, as a courtesy from Cadillac Fairview) a pop up recruiting station in Polo Park shopping mall.

Polo Park is the premier mall in Wpg.

Our G1 Recruiting ran it with support from the units. Open same as the Mall hours. Recruiting was for the CF, not just the local PRes units.

Argued for years with the CFRC head shed that the CFRC office in an old bldg. on Fort St, downtown was the wrong location. CFRC has now moved to a more modern bldg several blocks away.

When was this? I can bring that up to my CoC in 38 CBG who are extremely hawkish on recruiting. If there's precedent...

 

[daftandbarmy]

When was this? I can bring that up to my CoC in 38 CBG who are extremely hawkish on recruiting. If there's precedent...

 

[Kirkhill]

When was this? I can bring that up to my CoC in 38 CBG who are extremely hawkish on recruiting. If there's precedent...

Back in the 80s (81 IIRC) newly issued with a parchment I was tasked to go recruit my own platoon. I was dispatched with a Grizzly and a kilt and a couple of Corporals to high schools and to SouthCentre Mall. By October we had a trainable body of 26 recruits wearing Balmorals.

We also had free ads in the help wanted section of the Calgary Herald and on the local radio.

 

[FJAG]

We need to get back to a regimental recruiting sergeant and a drummer going to all the local pubs with a bag full of shillings.

 

[Rifleman62]

When was this? I can bring that up to my CoC in 38 CBG who are extremely hawkish on recruiting. If there's precedent...

Around the 1990's. Also had a full time Recruiter in Minto. Wore an FGH badge.
Full time G1 Recruiting at Bde HQ plus several full time Recruiters throughout the Bde. Also, a Reg F Capt (LDSH) who was posted in was tasked as G1 Recruiting.

The task for our Recruiters was to generate people for the CF (mainly Army), P Res and Reg F.

 

[PrairieFella]

Around the 1990's. Also had a full time Recruiter in Minto. Wore an FGH badge.
Full time G1 Recruiting at Bde HQ plus several full time Recruiters throughout the Bde. Also, a Reg F Capt (LDSH) who was posted in was tasked as G1 Recruiting.

Interesting. Ill talk to our local recruiter first to get his impression. They recently clawed all regimental recruiters back to the brigade who now work for the BRG (Brigade Recruiting Group). It's been good for units with poor leadership who never hit their numbers or put their recruiter to work and bad for units with good leadership who did the opposite. It'd be interesting to see if something could be worked out at Polo or St Vital.

 

[Blackadder1916]

99% of US Mil Recruiting offices are in malls...

I am not exactly sure where else one would put them?

https://recruiting.army.mil/aboutUSAREC/

"more than 1,400 recruiting stations across America and overseas"

But for "processing", applicants have to go elsewhere.

https://www.mepcom.army.mil/Sectors-Battalions-and-MEPS/

The question then for CFRCs, is their primary function attraction or processing? Or is it an equal responsibility?

 

[PrairieFella]

https://recruiting.army.mil/aboutUSAREC/

"more than 1,400 recruiting stations across America and overseas"

But for "processing", applicants have to go elsewhere.

https://www.mepcom.army.mil/Sectors-Battalions-and-MEPS/

The question then for CFRCs, is their primary function attraction or processing? Or is it an equal responsibility?

Regional CFRCs do both but are way more heavily invested on thr processing side. Our local CFRC has been leaning on an ARes unit to help with attractions because they're so hamstrung with what they can do and what kind of equipment they can request.

 

[Rifleman62]

Well I had to reassign one ex Reg F Capt who was G1 Recruiting as he wasn't getting it done. Thus the LDSH Capt.

St Vital Mall would probably be a good addition.

 

[KevinB]

https://recruiting.army.mil/aboutUSAREC/

"more than 1,400 recruiting stations across America and overseas"

But for "processing", applicants have to go elsewhere.

https://www.mepcom.army.mil/Sectors-Battalions-and-MEPS/

The question then for CFRCs, is their primary function attraction or processing? Or is it an equal responsibility?

The files go elsewhere - but most of the actual processes get done at the recruiting station.
I know a few kids who processed entirely at a local strip mall USMC Recruiting - and there next stop was bootcamp.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The files go elsewhere - but most of the actual processes get done at the recruiting station.
I know a few kids who processed entirely at a local strip mall USMC Recruiting - and there next stop was bootcamp.

That's the Gold standard, for sure...

... but that kind of a 'Lean' process would knock over too many rice bowls in the CAF I'm guessing

 

[KevinB]

That's the Gold standard, for sure...

In this day and age it should just be the standard.
Identification can be verified digitally and backup by biometrics
All intake information should be easily entered electronically - either by login from home, or a tablet at a recruiting center.
Medical - a list of accredited providers in the area should be available - and a medical scheduled and linked to the application.
Testing -- well - here is the DOD website
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Recruiting shouldn't be hard