"AWOL rates for Canadian troops rose with Afghan deployment ...."

[The Bread Guy]

This from Global News:

The number of Canadian soldiers charged for going absent without leave peaked alongside Canadian deaths in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 and have dropped since the withdrawal in mid-2011, military records show.

At the same time, more soldiers are opting for a tougher but fairer disciplinary system than summary trials that had become the norm.

The statistics are taken from published data and more recent numbers obtained by Global News under access-to-information laws.

That trend holds true even if you compare it to the military’s regular force headcount, which has held steady even after troops left Afghanistan ....

The story's based on stats obtained here (JAG annual reports) and here (2 page PDF, material obtained from DND via ATIP).

 

[pbi]

OK...but what do these stats actually mean?

(Rhetorical question, not directed at you...)

Were more people charged with AWOL because war causes discipline to tighten up in general, so we don't pass faults we might wink at in other times? Were there more REMFs** put into a field force environment who weren't used to the expectations?

Did troops party harder on leave, seeing what they had just come from and what they were going back to? (Just like every war we've ever been in, I'd venture to say...) And, after partying harder, get up later?

And, anyway, what was represented by each individual charge? Five minutes late? An hour? Missing for three days?

Anyway, I'm sure the usual gang of suspects will make a meal out of the "decay and indiscipline" of the CAF, blah, blah, blah. :



**REMF isn't about cap badge or branch: it's about mentality.

 

[RADOPSIGOPACCISOP]

OK...but what do these stats actually mean?

(Rhetorical question, not directed at you...)

Were more people charged with AWOL because war causes discipline to tighten up in general, so we don't pass faults we might wink at in other times? Were there more REMFs** put into a field force environment who weren't used to the expectations?

Did troops party harder on leave, seeing what they had just come from and what they were going back to? (Just like every war we've ever been in, I'd venture to say...) And, after partying harder, get up later?

And, anyway, what was represented by each individual charge? Five minutes late? An hour? Missing for three days?

Anyway, I'm sure the usual gang of suspects will make a meal out of the "decay and indiscipline" of the CAF, blah, blah, blah. :



**REMF isn't about cap badge or branch: it's about mentality.

Yeah it's hard to say, I've seen some places where a soldier sleeping in 45 minutes to be late the first time ever get charged, I've seen others where a soldier is habitually late or straight up didn't show up a day have it all swept under the rug. Different CoCs apply the rules differently.

Personally, the first time a troop is late I think a serious talk is due, but I don't agree with jumping to charge on an otherwise solid soldier. I'd rather see a Pte 45 minutes late once than a Pte 5 minutes late 9 times.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

also changes in reporting criteria can create changes in statistical data. Has the reporting criteria changed in the not so distant past?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Personally, the first time a troop is late I think a serious talk is due

Just for being late once?