- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
I was struck speechless by this today (well, almost). The article is from CP and reflects additional results of the survey quoted elsewhere on the Forums. What purpose is served by such inane, pointless and expensive surveys?
Military attracts violent louts - study
By CP
OTTAWA -- Young Canadians interested in joining the military tend to lack life goals, feel alienated and accept violence to achieve ends, says an internal army study obtained by The Canadian Press. Some findings in the 80-page report suggest army recruiters should carefully screen the 5,000 additional soldiers they plan to hire over the next five years.
People interested in a career with the Canadian Forces tend to be "lacking in life goals and feel alienated from society and its values," says the document, co-authored by three senior officers.
"They are attracted to violence more than the average member of Canadian society and accept violence as a legitimate means of getting what they want."
Generally, those interested in joining the Forces also tend to be "somewhat timid in the face of change and preferred traditional categories of identity by race, gender, and nationality," says the survey. "As a result, they may resist affirmative action initiatives."
The observations are contained in a draft copy of the study, Canada's Soldiers: Military Ethos and Canadian Values in the 21st Century Army. The attitudes of people interested in joining the military were extracted from pollster CROP Inc.'s annual survey of Canadians. The research was also based on 60 questions to 1,297 regular soldiers and 440 reservists.
There are about 19,500 active soldiers and 15,000 army reservists in Canada. The Canadian Forces survey's 26% response rate - about 7,300 were distributed - was considered low but acceptable. The army, expected to take on a greater role in international peacemaking and disaster relief, is likely to get the bulk of the new recruits under new government policy.
While the report suggests attitudes "mellow" with age, it paints a picture of potential recruits who are spoiled, petulant and who "defer to external codes and rules" but look after their own self-interest:
- Those exploring a military career are not so much interested in serving as in "being someone and belonging to something."
- They tend to pursue happiness before duty, give personal life priority over work, and in ethical dilemmas tend to favour personal interests.
- They want to own status symbols and look good, and need to "break out of their isolation and share the collective emotions of a group."
Col. Mike Capstick, a co-author of the report, says not all those who expressed an interest in the military would have signed on, nor would all who signed on have been accepted, survived training or unit integration. "We know that some of them are released because they're just not suitable for military service," said Capstick.
Some characteristics of potential recruits are similar to those of serving soldiers.
"Survey results suggest that soldiers tend to be traditionalists in regard to gender and minorities," it says.
And another:
Que. soldiers have different views on role
By STEPHEN THORNE
OTTAWA (CP) - Quebec-based soldiers have "a completely different view" of appropriate army roles compared with troops in the rest of the country, placing domestic disaster relief and search-rescue above combat, says an army survey.
"To (Quebec) personnel, non-combat operations in Canada are the most appropriate roles," says the draft report, obtained by The Canadian Press. In a poll of Canadian Forces members conducted last year, Quebec-based soldiers rated disaster relief and search-rescue in Canada as first and second priorities.
Soldiers in the other three army areas - West, Ontario and Atlantic - rated combat operations to defend Canadian territory and combat operations to defend Canadian citizens at home and abroad as first and second.
Quebec-based soldiers rated combat operations fourth and fifth, even lower than aid to the civil power in Canada - a role that includes enforcement of the former War Measures Act, now the Emergencies Act, that was so resented by Quebec during the October Crisis of 1970.
The report does not specify which units were questioned in Quebec or elsewhere. About a quarter of Canada's 19,500 full-time soldiers are based in Quebec, home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, or Vandoos.
The 80-page report, Canada's Soldiers: Military Ethos and Canadian Values in the 21st Century Army, is based on questionnaires completed by about 1,700 soldiers.
The survey found that Quebec-based soldiers are more concerned with ecology and social responsibility than their counterparts in other areas, and are more intolerant of foreigners.
"This might lead to a preference for 'in Canada' disaster relief operations rather than foreign war-fighting operations," says the report, written by three senior officers.
"(Quebec-based) personnel express more concern for troop safety in combat operations than personnel of other (areas). However, (Quebec-based) personnel express more willingness to place troops in danger on non-combat ops compared to personnel of other areas."
Soldiers were asked to assess appropriateness of army roles such as combat operations to defend Canadian territory, peace support operations, disaster relief operations in Canada and promoting Canadian societal values.
"Personnel feel that all specified roles except one, 'promoting Canadian societal values,' are appropriate army roles," says the report.
Overall, "soldiers show a clear preference for war-fighting roles and specifically war-fighting in defence of Canada and Canadians.
"Combat operations to defend an ally and humanitarian operations throughout the world were rated less highly but still received support."
Soldiers were neutral to positive on gender integration, except in the West where "soldiers' acceptance is most guarded."
"Land Forces Western Area, alone among the (army areas), reject women in combat," it says. "(Western area) alone among the (areas), also refused to certify that gender integration is 'going well'."
The survey says soldiers based in the West are "not fundamentally misogynous."
It suggests that women in the West may be less able to fit in than their counterparts in other areas, possibly because of more macho units or more challenging jobs.
The report says diversity is generally well accepted in the army "with the exception of gay and lesbian members who are not acceptable as workmates to a large segment of the male sample."
"Women, on the other hand, are as accepting of gay and lesbian members as they are of members of ethnic backgrounds, though not as accepting as they are of other religions or persons of different skin colour."
"(Western) personnel are the least favourably disposed to gay and lesbian workmates."
The report's co-author, Col. Mike Capstick, says the army survey results are "very reflective" of Canadian society as a whole, based on general polls.
"We found it remarkable that there was a great deal of consistency," he said.
Quebec is unique in the military because its soldiers for the most part were born and raised in Quebec, with the exception of some francophone Ontarians and New Brunswickers.
But Capstick said attitudes elsewhere were also consistent with the general populace in those areas, even though many of the soldiers based there may be from other parts of the country.
"Support for all of the roles and missions is strong," he said. "It's a matter of degree as opposed to support or non-support.
"It's an interesting dynamic but not a red-flag kind of dynamic. It's something you have to watch."
You can find the entire survey on the net somewhere (or at least the DIN) - it makes for "interesting" reading, particularly in its rush to develop conclusions.
Restraining the urge to launch on a tirade :rage:, a Western "lout",
TR
Military attracts violent louts - study
By CP
OTTAWA -- Young Canadians interested in joining the military tend to lack life goals, feel alienated and accept violence to achieve ends, says an internal army study obtained by The Canadian Press. Some findings in the 80-page report suggest army recruiters should carefully screen the 5,000 additional soldiers they plan to hire over the next five years.
People interested in a career with the Canadian Forces tend to be "lacking in life goals and feel alienated from society and its values," says the document, co-authored by three senior officers.
"They are attracted to violence more than the average member of Canadian society and accept violence as a legitimate means of getting what they want."
Generally, those interested in joining the Forces also tend to be "somewhat timid in the face of change and preferred traditional categories of identity by race, gender, and nationality," says the survey. "As a result, they may resist affirmative action initiatives."
The observations are contained in a draft copy of the study, Canada's Soldiers: Military Ethos and Canadian Values in the 21st Century Army. The attitudes of people interested in joining the military were extracted from pollster CROP Inc.'s annual survey of Canadians. The research was also based on 60 questions to 1,297 regular soldiers and 440 reservists.
There are about 19,500 active soldiers and 15,000 army reservists in Canada. The Canadian Forces survey's 26% response rate - about 7,300 were distributed - was considered low but acceptable. The army, expected to take on a greater role in international peacemaking and disaster relief, is likely to get the bulk of the new recruits under new government policy.
While the report suggests attitudes "mellow" with age, it paints a picture of potential recruits who are spoiled, petulant and who "defer to external codes and rules" but look after their own self-interest:
- Those exploring a military career are not so much interested in serving as in "being someone and belonging to something."
- They tend to pursue happiness before duty, give personal life priority over work, and in ethical dilemmas tend to favour personal interests.
- They want to own status symbols and look good, and need to "break out of their isolation and share the collective emotions of a group."
Col. Mike Capstick, a co-author of the report, says not all those who expressed an interest in the military would have signed on, nor would all who signed on have been accepted, survived training or unit integration. "We know that some of them are released because they're just not suitable for military service," said Capstick.
Some characteristics of potential recruits are similar to those of serving soldiers.
"Survey results suggest that soldiers tend to be traditionalists in regard to gender and minorities," it says.
And another:
Que. soldiers have different views on role
By STEPHEN THORNE
OTTAWA (CP) - Quebec-based soldiers have "a completely different view" of appropriate army roles compared with troops in the rest of the country, placing domestic disaster relief and search-rescue above combat, says an army survey.
"To (Quebec) personnel, non-combat operations in Canada are the most appropriate roles," says the draft report, obtained by The Canadian Press. In a poll of Canadian Forces members conducted last year, Quebec-based soldiers rated disaster relief and search-rescue in Canada as first and second priorities.
Soldiers in the other three army areas - West, Ontario and Atlantic - rated combat operations to defend Canadian territory and combat operations to defend Canadian citizens at home and abroad as first and second.
Quebec-based soldiers rated combat operations fourth and fifth, even lower than aid to the civil power in Canada - a role that includes enforcement of the former War Measures Act, now the Emergencies Act, that was so resented by Quebec during the October Crisis of 1970.
The report does not specify which units were questioned in Quebec or elsewhere. About a quarter of Canada's 19,500 full-time soldiers are based in Quebec, home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, or Vandoos.
The 80-page report, Canada's Soldiers: Military Ethos and Canadian Values in the 21st Century Army, is based on questionnaires completed by about 1,700 soldiers.
The survey found that Quebec-based soldiers are more concerned with ecology and social responsibility than their counterparts in other areas, and are more intolerant of foreigners.
"This might lead to a preference for 'in Canada' disaster relief operations rather than foreign war-fighting operations," says the report, written by three senior officers.
"(Quebec-based) personnel express more concern for troop safety in combat operations than personnel of other (areas). However, (Quebec-based) personnel express more willingness to place troops in danger on non-combat ops compared to personnel of other areas."
Soldiers were asked to assess appropriateness of army roles such as combat operations to defend Canadian territory, peace support operations, disaster relief operations in Canada and promoting Canadian societal values.
"Personnel feel that all specified roles except one, 'promoting Canadian societal values,' are appropriate army roles," says the report.
Overall, "soldiers show a clear preference for war-fighting roles and specifically war-fighting in defence of Canada and Canadians.
"Combat operations to defend an ally and humanitarian operations throughout the world were rated less highly but still received support."
Soldiers were neutral to positive on gender integration, except in the West where "soldiers' acceptance is most guarded."
"Land Forces Western Area, alone among the (army areas), reject women in combat," it says. "(Western area) alone among the (areas), also refused to certify that gender integration is 'going well'."
The survey says soldiers based in the West are "not fundamentally misogynous."
It suggests that women in the West may be less able to fit in than their counterparts in other areas, possibly because of more macho units or more challenging jobs.
The report says diversity is generally well accepted in the army "with the exception of gay and lesbian members who are not acceptable as workmates to a large segment of the male sample."
"Women, on the other hand, are as accepting of gay and lesbian members as they are of members of ethnic backgrounds, though not as accepting as they are of other religions or persons of different skin colour."
"(Western) personnel are the least favourably disposed to gay and lesbian workmates."
The report's co-author, Col. Mike Capstick, says the army survey results are "very reflective" of Canadian society as a whole, based on general polls.
"We found it remarkable that there was a great deal of consistency," he said.
Quebec is unique in the military because its soldiers for the most part were born and raised in Quebec, with the exception of some francophone Ontarians and New Brunswickers.
But Capstick said attitudes elsewhere were also consistent with the general populace in those areas, even though many of the soldiers based there may be from other parts of the country.
"Support for all of the roles and missions is strong," he said. "It's a matter of degree as opposed to support or non-support.
"It's an interesting dynamic but not a red-flag kind of dynamic. It's something you have to watch."
You can find the entire survey on the net somewhere (or at least the DIN) - it makes for "interesting" reading, particularly in its rush to develop conclusions.
Restraining the urge to launch on a tirade :rage:, a Western "lout",
TR
