Recruiting former CF members, an idea.

[CanadianGuy]

I was out running tonight and when in that "zone" I had an idea that I hope wasn't discussed to death allready in this forum. There has been recent news about how the CF will have difficulty recruiting new personnel and how it will train them with the lack of NCO's/Officers and the ongoing normal loss of experienced NCO's and Officers through retirement or their just leaving the CF, etc... Anyway the thought was to help "encourage" former trained NCO's and Officers to return was to have a window of time say the next 3-5 years whereas a former member could return and retain their previous rank and qualifications. Heres the catch, gone for up to 3 years in Supp Reserve or having left entirely you just return with full rank and qualifications as is done now-no problem. For people that have been gone for greater then 3 to say up to 10 or 12 years on return you have to committ to taking a "refresher" course appropriate to your rank, this could be broken up into 3 weekends of classroom time with lots of pre-course study to be done and a 1 week field ex? You may be required to "shadow" the same rank/position person in your unit for a certain amount of time (ie)6 months. Now I'm referring more here to reserves but something of greater length could be done in the Reg Force. Of course personnel re-entering would have to pass medical and fitness tests. Having myself returned to the Primary Reserve after only a short absence (1 1/2 years) I became aware that there are "others" out there who might return but are very wary of losing rank and qualifications but these are good people and if you were a Sgt in 1996 when you left the CF I'm sure with a little refresher training you would be back up to speed very quickly (but imagine the list of new acronyms you would have to learn!) I have no idea how many people you could entice to return but such an idea could get back some highly trained, experienced people when they are greatly needed. Also I am not 100% certain on how returning members rank/qualifications are currently scrutinized so please comment!

 

[George Wallace]

I imagine some thought has been given to programs like that.  Incentives have been offered to people who had been Released under FRP, but I don't know what percentage ever came back.  Another point is that many of these people are well past their "Best Before Date" and are kind of old to be getting back into the physical aspects of the job.  Many of them have found employment with companies like Calium and Bombardier and FATS and contribute to training young soldiers in that way.  As Contractors, with military experience, for these companies, they can be found on nearly every Base in the country, teaching, running Ranges, running Simulators, and other types of support facilities. 

 

[DG-41]

Welll, I was out for about 8 years, came back, and was reinstated with full rank and qualifications. It was like I never left.

And as far as "best before date" goes.. I have to admit that I need a lot of work on the physical fitness front, but all the other skills and knowledge seems to still be there for the most part. Not perfectly (there have been more than a few "Oh right, I have to do *this* too" moments) but far better than I first expected.

I would offer that there are two classes of former serving members: good troops and dead wood. When the dead wood goes, it's good riddance to bad rubbish, but a good troop is pretty much always a good troop, and is worth having back.

It seems to me that I'm seeing a lot of old timers returning to the fold. I don't think that's a bad trend at all.

DG

 

[ZipperHead]

I think that while it is a good idea in principle, it has a few flaws.

1) You would have to examine why a person left the CF. If it's because of the policies, programs, etc (diversity, harassment, equality, etc) they certainly wouldn't come in now, as those policies aren't going anywhere, anytime soon (though I wish they would.....).

2) Having a person leave for a prolonged period of time, and then come back in as though they weren't gone is going to cause a certain amount of animosity with those that "toughed it out". One of my favourite sayings in regards to how much any one person will be missed is this: Put your finger into a bucket of water (the finger in the water is you). Remove the finger, and see what happens.

3) I know a lot of people who get out, for one reason or another, and want to get back in, but feel that they don't want to start all over again, or have to deal with those that were beneath them, and would now be their bosses. Well, tough tittie, I say. Time waits for no man, nor should the military.

I think that it would send the wrong message if they start actively pursuing those that left the CF in the past to get them back in. The old FRP fiasco doesn't need to be repeated. If someone wants to get back in, let them jump to NEAR the front of the line (but drug checks, background checks, etc still need to be done, as Lord only knows what some people get themselves into after a few years in the military and are then out on the street  : ). Because if they don't do that, people will just take their release, wait a few months, and then rejoin, expecting all the goodies (incentives, bonuses, free pigs, etc)

Al

 

[CanadianGuy]

Certainly any returning former CF member would have to pass the appropriate medical, fitness and security checks and better be able to handle the situation on return where that once annoying Corporal is now your Pl 2 I/C !  The idea I floated out would be to entice mostly NCO's and Officers to return since you would have an instant (ie)Sgt with possibly only some minimal refresher training as opposed to the long and expensive process of developing an NCO/Officer. Why they left could be an issue and hopefully that could be found out on enrolling the member. This proposal would only be a possible way of helping to bolster the NCO/Officer ranks when it looks like we could use the additional personnel, developing and retaining the current NCO and Officer Corps is a another issue.

 

[George Wallace]

A few problems have been pointed out with bringing them into their old positions in the CF Regular Force.  Perhaps, it may be better to bring them into a whole new organization - like the Reserves.  The Reserves are hurting for Officers and NCOs.  Not only are enrollments down, but many of the NCOs and Officers who rise through the ranks in the Reserves are University students, who on completion of a Degree often leave for parts unknown.  Encouraging them along with Ex Reg Force to come back would be a Godsend to the Reserves.  It would solve a problem of a former superior coming back into a Reg Force Posn and working for a former subordinate and learning everything that was implemented in their absence.

 

[ZipperHead]

I'm in agreement with George in regards to the Reserves idea. The biggest problem I could see would be geography (a lot of places don't have Reserve units, obviously), you may be trying to use an orange in an apple's job (former crewman Sgt trying to fit in, or start over, as a infantryman or medic, or whatever), and the fact that once a lot of guys/girls get out, they want nothing to do with the military again  ;D.

Plus, I'm sure a lot of Reserve unit's aren't exactly overjoyed at the prospect of having someone "drop in" without having even having started out there. I know this already happens when guys retire, and then airdrop into Reserve units. Personally, I figure it's tough luck for them (the guys who usually have to wait for someone to die or get transferred out with their civvy job.......). There was more than a few years (in the Reg F) where we were hoping for the Sr NCO's mess to blow up so the promotions could start happening.......

Anyway, I'm sure the pointy heads in Borden at CFRG (Cdn Forces Recruiting Group) already have some cunning plan that will solve all of the problems (I'm only being somewhat sarcastic here). They have to have a plan, right?!@??! Maybe that plan involves lurking in Army.ca and stealing (acquiring, whatever) our ideas, implementing them, and then getting promoted!!!!

Al

 

[Bert]

The air force has a process to re-enrol ex-members.

http://www.airforce.gc.ca/cardocs/re_enrol_e.asp

The link specifies pilots and technicians but I'v met several re-enrolled members over
my time in various MOCs and elements.