MND Announces 4800 Person Reduction in CAF and DND Management

[Old Sweat]

Mr Nicholson held a press briefing at 1400 re the above. Details are still sketchy.

 

[dapaterson]

MND announcement was about a set of initiatives called "Defence Renewal" that may free up up to 4800 PYs to re-invest in other capabilities, through process modernization in a number of areas; they may also save millions of dollars a year.

Anyone who went through MCCRT in the 1990s should dust off the comms material from then and watch for the similarities.

 

[The Bread Guy]

A bit more detail from CBC.ca:

The Department of National Defence has launched a top-down review of how it manages its back office with a goal of finding about a billion dollars a year in savings it can reinvest in operations and training.

The so-called Defence Renewal initiative was launched in the summer of 2012, but really took flight after Tom Lawson took over as chief of the defence staff. One of his goals was finding "more teeth and less tail," as prime minister Stephen Harper put it.

After more than a year of review, the Defence Department Monday laid out a five-year plan that will see activities like maintenance, information technology, contracting and personnel management be reviewed and realigned.

Defence planners expect these and other similar efforts to result in significant manpower savings. Planners say they expect to be able to reassign between 2,800 and 4,800 military and civilian personnel.

 

[The Bread Guy]

And here's the Info-machine version - highlights mine:

The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of National Defence, today launched a major initiative to bolster front-line investments by reducing inefficiencies, streamlining business processes and reducing corporate overhead within Canada's defence organization.

"In line with the Prime Minister's intent to free up support for operational capability and readiness, National Defence has put forward an ambitious plan to reduce corporate overhead," said Minister Nicholson. "Defence Renewal will help National Defence continue to build a modern first class military, ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow."

The initiative is forecasted to generate between $750 million and $1.2 billion in savings per year by 2017-18 to be reinvested in Defence operational and front-line priorities. Since 2006, the Government has increased the Defence budget by $4.5 billion to support Canada's men and women in uniform.

Some of the key areas where efficiencies will be sought include:

•Consolidation and synchronization of training across the Forces for common skill areas;
•Aligning and modernizing information systems to better predict spare parts and maintenance requirements, increase stocktaking accuracy and optimize the use of available stock items; and
•Improved contracting of goods and services, through simplifying contract specifications and consolidating purchases where appropriate.

Defence Renewal is not a cost-cutting exercise and the overall intent is not to reduce the number of Regular Force, Reserve Force or civilian employees. However, it is expected that there will be a rebalancing of the workforce to address higher, operationally-driven priorities. As part of this rebalancing of the defence organization the objective will be to reallocate the equivalent of between 2800 and 4800 military and civilian personnel to address higher priority tasks.

"In providing every National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces member an opportunity to have a say in Defence Renewal, we are promoting a culture of change and building our future together," said Richard Fadden, Deputy Minister of National Defence.

"This initiative is being embraced by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces and will be led from the top of the defence organization," said General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff. "Building on this, Defence Renewal presents us an opportunity to look for additional ways to better direct limited resources towards higher operational capability and readiness."

Defence Renewal was initiated by National Defence to strategically position resources and investments, and to continue building the modern, combat-effective, multi-role military envisioned in the Government's Canada First Defence Strategy.

Notes to editor / news director:

For more information on Defence Renewal, please visit the Defence Renewal website.

For more information on the Canada First Defence Strategy, please visit the Canada First Defence Strategy website ....

 

[Old EO Tech]

If they want to make our spare parts system more effective they can give us a real scaling tool in DRMIS.....

I can hardly wait to see how they actually enact some of these changes especially in light of the pending rust out off our entire B fleet before it is replaced in 2023.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I can hardly wait to see how they actually enact some of these changes especially in light of the pending rust out off our entire B fleet before it is replaced in 2013.

Condemned vehicles don't need maintainers.

 

[Old EO Tech]

Condemned vehicles don't need maintainers.

Well they are not going to hire contractors to rape all the parts of the condemned vehicles, to keep the rest going 

 

[Halifax Tar]

If they want to make our spare parts system more effective they can give us a real scaling tool in DRMIS.....

I can hardly wait to see how they actually enact some of these changes especially in light of the pending rust out off our entire B fleet before it is replaced in 2013.

To me it has more to do with the supply side of the house and utilizing the CFSS over LPO where ever possible.  But now with DRIMIS SPSS/MAINT and Unit Supply are fully tied at the hip.

I like the idea of more accurate stocktaking's as I personally feel our material accounting is dismal.

 

[Occam]

If they want to make our spare parts system more effective they can give us a real scaling tool in put a bunch of 76 mm HE rounds in DRMIS.....

FTFY.

 

[jollyjacktar]

:cheers:

Hell yeah!!  I'll second that.  Friggn DRMIS, how I hate that program.

 

[FJAG]

DND Press Backgrounder with links to some info here:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/news/article.page?doc=defence-renewal/hmhfyhmz

:cheers:

 

[Old EO Tech]

:cheers:

Hell yeah!!  I'll second that.  Friggn DRMIS, how I hate that program.

I don't disagree, but fighting DRMIS is even more futile than fighting pips and crowns  :-\

 

[cavalryman]

I don't disagree, but fighting DRMIS is even more futile than fighting pips and crowns  :-\

DRMIS is like the Borg.  You will be assimilated.  In both official languages

 

[jeffb]

This announcement conjures up images for me of all these staff wienies wandering out into the light and stumbling around the training area. Not really sure what exactly the front-line units are going to with NDHQ types.... Maybe we can have a survivors of NDHQ Btn somewhere? 

 

[dapaterson]

The reinvestment would be positions, not people: as folks retire, they would not be replaced.

Thus, the 147 Majors in the Basket-weaver trade would see their numbers reduced to 102, and those 45 positions would be converted to front-line Hip-Hop dancers at the Cpl/MCpl rank.  The recruiting system would recruit more Hip-Hop dancers, and all the older Hip-Hop dancers would badmouth the school and talk about the poor quality coming out of CFSHH these days, and how when they were young...

 

[FJAG]

Too bad really.

I had visions of six battalions of NDHQ wogs forming up in front of NDHQ and being route marched to Petawawa with colours flying :cdnsalute:  and bands playing iper:

;D

 

[Journeyman]

The recruiting system would recruit more Hip-Hop dancers...

Just remember this moment when the site is overwhelmed with people wanting to enlist as hip-hop dancers.    :facepalm:

 

[dapaterson]

Just remember this moment when the site is overwhelmed with people wanting to enlist as hip-hop dancers.    :facepalm:

Don't worry - they'll get bitter as their VIE is drawing to a close and want to remuster.  To a meaningful trade with real-world qualifications.  Like Twerkers.

 

[exgunnertdo]

Throughout this rebalancing process, Defence will maximize the use of attrition, alternation, and retraining wherever possible.  We will also ensure that all employees are treated with respect and dignity, and fully supported as we transform the institution.

^^that's from the Backgrounder.  I read that as "people who don't want to, will be leaving."  Some of the 4800 will be "rebalanced" via attrition, but not all.  :-\ not good news, that's for sure.

 

[Journeyman]

.....We will also ensure that all employees are treated with respect and dignity, and fully supported ......

Perhaps this change is the 'newsworthy' part of the report?