[Newsbot]

Title: 'Hard-sell' navy targets lagging military profile
Category: Military
Posted By: Hyack
Date: 2009-10-15 22:16:24
Canadian

[Guy_Fawkes]

$1:

"Strategically, I believe that our major issue is a lack of public awareness of (the) Navy, what it does, how it does it and why it is a good life, one that Canadians should be considering actively and positively," Col. Matthew Overton, commander of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group at CFB Borden, Ont., wrote in November 2008.

I think that is a major problem for the CF as a whole, not just the navy.

The military needs update its recuiting process and basic training. For one have 3 schools set up, one central, one western, and one east.

[stokes]

The Navy is suffering the most of the three branches, I see ships going to sea all the time with 60-70% manning levels. The technical trades specifically are the ones worst hit due to the amount of training time to get new people qualified.

[QBall]

I think the awareness aspect is worse for the Navy than it is for the Air Force or the Army. Unless you live in Halifax, Quebec City or Victoria then the Navy is mostly an invisible entity. I saw the army at several events this past summer in and around Toronto, and the Air Force is always there at Air Shows and shows put on by the Snow Birds. However berths in areas easily accessible for the public for the heavys (MCDVs have more options but they aren't the flagships of the fleet) aren't always available in cities with ports, plus people in the prairie provinces or central or north Ontario and Quebec will never see them where they live. Even news reports of what the Navy is doing hunting off Somalia really don't convey the level of danger that our sailors face, so it may seem a little bit of a benign life compared to the troops or fly boys.

[commanderkai]

Once again, I'll say this simply. We need to hire the people who do the US Army/Navy/Air Force TV commercials. On top of that, post multiple billboards around Windsor, and maybe other cities hard hit by the recession, and then just say "We Have Jobs!!! Call This Number: 1-519-555-5555"

[Guy_Fawkes]

What they need to do is promote the perks more, "Join the Navy, get shore leave in Hawaii, Jamaca, Japan, ect.."

[Benn]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

What they need to do is promote the perks more, "Join the Navy, get shore leave in Hawaii, Jamaca, Japan, ect.."

And for some a ready Girlfriend in each port. I saw the black books some of the guys had. The worst were the submariners lol

[EyeBrock]

They should do more trips around the Great Lakes. That would be a good jolly for the fish-heads and they'd been on the local news every night. I know the smaller frigates can get through because they have made the odd trip, but a consistent annual PR run through the Seaway and around Lake Ontario (and any other lake they can get in to) would be good training and great PR.

[commanderkai]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

They should do more trips around the Great Lakes. That would be a good jolly for the fish-heads and they'd been on the local news every night. I know the smaller frigates can get through because they have made the odd trip, but a consistent annual PR run through the Seaway and around Lake Ontario (and any other lake they can get in to) would be good training and great PR.

I agree. Hell have some joint US-Canada training on the Great Lakes. Like, in case of a disaster/terrorist attack on a Great Lake city (ranging from Chicago, to Detroit, to Hamilton to Toronto (and whatever else) and have some training drills in case of some disaster relief effort. At worst, they simulating shelling Toronto for kicks.

[bootlegga]

This is sad really, because the navy is arguably our most important service, given the fact that we have the world's longest coastline.

QBall QBall:

I think the awareness aspect is worse for the Navy than it is for the Air Force or the Army. Unless you live in Halifax, Quebec City or Victoria then the Navy is mostly an invisible entity. I saw the army at several events this past summer in and around Toronto, and the Air Force is always there at Air Shows and shows put on by the Snow Birds. However berths in areas easily accessible for the public for the heavys (MCDVs have more options but they aren't the flagships of the fleet) aren't always available in cities with ports, plus people in the prairie provinces or central or north Ontario and Quebec will never see them where they live. Even news reports of what the Navy is doing hunting off Somalia really don't convey the level of danger that our sailors face, so it may seem a little bit of a benign life compared to the troops or fly boys.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

[Freakinoldguy]

What they really need to do is stop this elitist recruiting crap. At one time the Navy, and I know the Army to, relied on societies problem children to fill out the ranks and the court system was more than happy to oblige them.

It may take longer to train a person if he just came out a court room vice a university, but he is still trainable and you wouldn't be competing with every other high tech industry for his services.

If you give a person a second chance he's gonna be alot more attentive to his duties, training and career than some guy who's got a myriad of job opportunites, that he can fall back on if he doesn't like the Military.

This system worked in the past and we got alot of good sailors that way, who made the Navy their career. The only drawback I can see is if you take these types of people you have to be able to discipline them and given the current state of discipline in the Military you might have a problem with some who are incorrigable.

So to alleviate the disicpline problem, have the Military exempted from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and go back to the pre 1982 version of Military discipline.

Problem solved.

[EyeBrock]

Keel haul them or 10 lashes?

[Freakinoldguy]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Keel haul them or 10 lashes?

Haar, me bucko that'd be it.

Naw, the military had a pretty good and fair system of discipline before the Charter came along and gave the Ordinary Seamen more rights than the Admiral.

Now it's just a giant screwup.

The funny thing is that they did a study of US Marine Recruits after they softened their training and an overwhelming majority of them said they expected and wanted more discipline in their training.

It's jus another case of, the people making the rules not living the life.

[coltsrmint2]

This is pretty funny to read. Everyone has a great idea to improve recruiting. Maybe instead of being on here, go to your local recruiting centre and join...That might help. LMAO Or you can check out the forces.ca web page and see if there are any jobs you guys here would like. I know after 22 yrs in the Navy, I am pretty comfortable saying, there are jobs available today for you guys to join the Navy. I know for sure there is....I know a few recruiters and they cannot find qualified people because of the education levels required to join some of the Trades that are hurting....The failure rate in training is crazy high because of the level of education required. Also, basic training isn't as easy as some people think and the voluntary releases are really hit because people don't like to be told what to do, they just want to get paid.....

[EyeBrock]

Colt. Many of us posting have served or are serving.