Leaked report shows basic training pass rate fell after military recruitment changes

[Jarnhamar]

April 20th the Minister of Defence proudly released this.

Canadian Armed Forces reach highest recruitment in 30 years

Canadian Armed Forces reach highest recruitment in 30 years - Canada.ca

Today, Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, announced that for a second consecutive year, the Canadian Armed Forces surpassed its Regular Force recruiting target. In fiscal year 2025/26, the CAF enrolled 7,310 new members, surpassing its target of 6,957 new members and marking the...

www.canada.ca

Today, Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, announced that for a second consecutive year, the Canadian Armed Forces surpassed its Regular Force recruiting target.

“The Canadian Armed Forces’ continued recruiting success signals more than progress—it reflects a renewed strength at the core of our military. Our investments are delivering, and we are accelerating that momentum by modernizing recruitment, removing barriers to service, and upholding the high standards that ensure the CAF remains ready to defend Canada—at home and around the world.”

The Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

“Our ability to deliver for Canadians starts with our people. Growing our ranks is essential to meeting Canada’s defence commitments at home and alongside our allies abroad, and we are seeing real progress as we modernize how we recruit and bring new members into the force. The priority now is to sustain and build on that momentum while expanding our capacity to train, integrate, and support those who choose to serve. This is how we will ensure the Canadian Armed Forces remains ready today—and prepared for the challenges ahead.”

General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff

Turns out someone must have gave the CDS and MND bad information.


Leaked report shows basic training pass rate fell after military recruitment changes

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-recruits-failure-defence-training-9.7183537

Getting rid of the CFAT, pre-basic fitness testing, and opening the doors to non-citizens had disastrous results.

-Success rates in basic training dropped 8%
-Applicants joining with mental health conditions, notably anxeity. Many of them hide their conditions until they hit basic (then clog up the medical system)
-Recruits requiring multiple attempts to pass basic rose 6%
-Significant cultural issues (I.e men from misogynistic cultures treating women like shit)
-Some platoons had recruits who have only been in Canada for 3 months
-Recruits that speak neither french or english


Someone should have gave the CDS and MND a copy of Lt Col Kieley's report.

 

[The Bread Guy]

(....)

Leaked report shows basic training pass rate fell after military recruitment changes

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-recruits-failure-defence-training-9.7183537

(....)

Since CBC isn't sharing the report, here's a copy

 

[markppcli]

April 20th the Minister of Defence proudly released this.

Canadian Armed Forces reach highest recruitment in 30 years

Canadian Armed Forces reach highest recruitment in 30 years - Canada.ca

Today, Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, announced that for a second consecutive year, the Canadian Armed Forces surpassed its Regular Force recruiting target. In fiscal year 2025/26, the CAF enrolled 7,310 new members, surpassing its target of 6,957 new members and marking the...

www.canada.ca

Turns out someone must have gave the CDS and MND bad information.


Leaked report shows basic training pass rate fell after military recruitment changes

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-recruits-failure-defence-training-9.7183537

Getting rid of the CFAT, pre-basic fitness testing, and opening the doors to non-citizens had disastrous results.

-Success rates in basic training dropped 8%
-Applicants joining with mental health conditions, notably anxeity. Many of them hide their conditions until they hit basic (then clog up the medical system)
-Recruits requiring multiple attempts to pass basic rose 6%
-Significant cultural issues (I.e men from misogynistic cultures treating women like shit)
-Some platoons had recruits who have only been in Canada for 3 months
-Recruits that speak neither french or english


Someone should have gave the CDS and MND a copy of Lt Col Kieley's report.

Both can be true at the same time. We are getting record numbers of recruits while also dealing with these issues. The numbers passing out of St Jean can still be a positive despite these issues.

 

[Jarnhamar]

It looks like we increased the number of recruits we hired to get through the door, with a net increase to recourses and failures.

 

[MilEME09]

This is what happens when you shift things from recruiting to bmq

 

[daftandbarmy]

It looks like we increased the number of recruits we hired to het through the door, with a net increase to recourses and failures.

And costs...

... the cost of the whole 'front end' will probably skyrocket...

 

[brihard]

Higher risk hiring, easier hire and easier fire… More bodies in the door faster but yeah, more attrition:

The pendulum has already swung back somewhat in the couple months since this report went up. PRs now need three years in Canada instead of three months; some are getting referred to language testing.

Massive increases in hiring will come with growing pains.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I find it spectacular that there isn't some kind of language testing prior to sending someone to putting them on a bus to St Jean. That's more than a growing pain.

 

[markppcli]

It looks like we increased the number of recruits we hired to get through the door, with a net increase to recourses and failures.

I didnt see a net but rather a percentile increaze? Maybe I read the data wrong.

 

[childs56]

I find it spectacular that there isn't some kind of language testing prior to sending someone to putting them on a bus to St Jean. That's more than a growing pain.

A few of my friends and Co-Workers were just discussing this the other day. Where a person can write, read and understand English but they can not speak it. Or any combination of them. It makes it difficult when the assessments are not in person.
Two places I have worked have now gone to In person interviews only after suffering hiring a person who does not speak English, is not the same person who interviewed. I would have thought the Military would learn from industry but you cant tell them anything.

Higher risk hiring, easier hire and easier fire… More bodies in the door faster but yeah, more attrition:

The pendulum has already swung back somewhat in the couple months since this report went up. PRs now need three years in Canada instead of three months; some are getting referred to language testing.

Massive increases in hiring will come with growing pains.

This is more then growing pains, this is ignoring the basic fundamentals of hiring for a safety sensitive security job. Many spoke of this similar scenario happening. But the people in charge did it anyways.

 

[Ostrozac]

There’s some good information in that document that wasn’t emphasized in the panicky langauge of the media releases. Thanks for that, The Bread Guy.

One thing that jumps out at me is the apparent reason for why the most dramatic (and headline grabbing) issues occurred in Francophone BMOQ platoons —which isn’t clearly stated but strongly implied — a seeming dire shortage of young Made-in-Quebec potential officers.

There’s been rumblings for years about bilingual-capable Anglos being sent off to Valcatraz to keep the numbers up, but I haven’t seen enough discussion about why. But I have my suspicions. I suspect that the CAF (and by extension the R22eR and 12eRBC) historically didn’t really recruit out of Quebec, it recruited out of small town Quebec. And as small town Quebec becomes largely depopulated of fighting age youth, that’s that. Similar to small town Newfoundland, Maritimes, Northwest Ontario and the Prairies —once fertile recruiting lakes that have gone dry.

But I don’t have a good conspiracy theory about why it’s hitting Franco officer candidates particularly hard. And we need beaucoup Québécois to hit those new official language targets — newbies that speak neither official language seem particularly unhelpful.

 

[daftandbarmy]

There’s some good information in that document that wasn’t emphasized in the panicky langauge of the media releases. Thanks for that, The Bread Guy.

One thing that jumps out at me is the apparent reason for why the most dramatic (and headline grabbing) issues occurred in Francophone BMOQ platoons —which isn’t clearly stated but strongly implied — a seeming dire shortage of young Made-in-Quebec potential officers.

There’s been rumblings for years about bilingual-capable Anglos being sent off to Valcatraz to keep the numbers up, but I haven’t seen enough discussion about why. But I have my suspicions. I suspect that the CAF (and by extension the R22eR and 12eRBC) historically didn’t really recruit out of Quebec, it recruited out of small town Quebec. And as small town Quebec becomes largely depopulated of fighting age youth, that’s that. Similar to small town Newfoundland, Maritimes, Northwest Ontario and the Prairies —once fertile recruiting lakes that have gone dry.

But I don’t have a good conspiracy theory about why it’s hitting Franco officer candidates particularly hard. And we need beaucoup Québécois to hit those new official language targets — newbies that speak neither official language seem particularly unhelpful.

Demographics is not in their favour...

A portrait of Canada’s growing population aged 85 and older from the 2021 Census

This Census in Brief article examines recent trends for the population aged 85 and over in 2021. It provides some insights on the size and growth of this group, as well as on those of centenarians. This article also provides information on the population aged 85 and over living in collective...

www12.statcan.gc.ca

 

[Jarnhamar]

Are applicants medically checked out in person or is that done online too?

 

[Cloud Cover]

A few of my friends and Co-Workers were just discussing this the other day. Where a person can write, read and understand English but they can not speak it. Or any combination of them. It makes it difficult when the assessments are not in person.
Two places I have worked have now gone to In person interviews only after suffering hiring a person who does not speak English, is not the same person who interviewed. I would have thought the Military would learn from industry but you cant tell them anything.

This is more then growing pains, this is ignoring the basic fundamentals of hiring for a safety sensitive security job. Many spoke of this similar scenario happening. But the people in charge did it anyways.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Demographics is not in their favour...


View attachment 100100

A portrait of Canada’s growing population aged 85 and older from the 2021 Census

This Census in Brief article examines recent trends for the population aged 85 and over in 2021. It provides some insights on the size and growth of this group, as well as on those of centenarians. This article also provides information on the population aged 85 and over living in collective...

www12.statcan.gc.ca

Far too many people retire to BC or immigrate to BC, with a healthcare system that has apparently shrunk in capacity ( but not size or cost).

 

[RangerRay]

I find it spectacular that there isn't some kind of language testing prior to sending someone to putting them on a bus to St Jean. That's more than a growing pain.

I’m told that you don’t need to know French to join the French Foreign Legion, but you better learn fast on the job.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

There has never been any expectation that French Legionnaires can speak. It's a bonus if they can.

 

[OldSolduer]

I find it spectacular that there isn't some kind of language testing prior to sending someone to putting them on a bus to St Jean. That's more than a growing pain.

We found when recruiting some new staff that fluency in English was somewhat lacking in a few cases.

 

[RangerRay]

There has never been any expectation that French Legionnaires can speak. It's a bonus if they can.

They don’t need to speak, but they better learn to understand it quick!

 

[George Wallace]

Some of the reports on this matter are rather interesting. 7,000 of the 70 thousand applicants being accepted to CFRS Saint Jean doesn't seem to come anywhere near what used to be run through the Recruit Schools in a year. But I found one report saying that of those 7,000, just over 1,000 were Filipinos. 1 in 7 is a relatively high number, and that number is not including the recruits from Cameroon and Cote d'Iviore who have been creating quite the problem assaulting each other and disrespecting female candidates and staff. I question how foreign applicants can be processed in as little as three months, and Canadian applicants are taking three years or more. What is the logic/reasoning here?