Recruiting Posters, Slogans and Commercials [Merged]

[Matt-Z]

ummm I agree to some extent of what people are saying. The Canadian Forces have things that would appeal to more groups of people but you must take some things into consideration. Fist of all, our current recruitment video shown in various movie theaters and whatnot is not all as horrible as you say. It does have an important element. It appeals to the mass amounts of people who really need help to get through school and to help make career decision choices. I know personally one of the major reasons I'm in the CF is because I love my country and I want to be part of the great legacy that is the CF. BUT I can not deny the fact me being 16 I saw the CF as a tool to help build an education and career and wether or not I will be in the CF 20 years from now is still up in the air. Now about making our commercials more action oriented and basically telling the more passive people to change the channel. What about our more rear echelon people who would rather not being the man posting a grenade in a trench system? you can not deny the fact that they are needed just as much as an infanteer who may want combat action. When making a commercial you must appeal to as many people as possible and this may mean that the CF may have to make multiple commercials or even make them more diverse.

PS. One of the greatest accomplishments of JTF2 is the fact that they are not well known. Infact they prefer it hence their long hair to not arouse suspicion

 

[Gayson]

I'm fond of the MOC commercials the US Army has.

Each commercial highlights a different career that the US Army offers, everything from the SOF to being a clerk.

The CF does need to show some more action in the ads but I think they should still show some of the things we do now.

A variety of different ads is IMO the key.  Have ads that show videos from Op Apollo while having other ads that show more ech oriented jobs aswell as the benefits that the CF offers (Tuition, health care etc...).

 

[2 Cdo]

I am going to say whats on my mind the last few years and it offends anyone, please realise that no offence was meant.

Our recruiting ads SUCK! They are some of the worst pieces of drivel that I have seen in years. As a member of the Combat Arms side of the house I almost feel like throwing up whenever I see them, I definitely don't feel any sense of pride in being a member of the Forces after watching them.

Now for the offensive part. I honestly think that our recruiting ads should focus more on the combat arms for the following reasons. In most Combat Arms units the Battalions, Squadrons are understrength. Some SEVERELY understrength. Almost everytime they deploy they end up raiding other Battalions, Squadrons to bring themselves up to full strength. We have a level of attrition that is not even remotely approached by the support trades side of the house. I understand that due to the nature of the Combat Arms and that hard, physical training extracts a toll on the body, we will lose more people than support trades. Over the years I have met a number of Canadians who have enrolled in the armies of other nations simply because they perceived that the Canadian army is all "peacekeeping, DART, and handing out treats to needy children". These are hard charging men who would have willingly joined the CF if they knew we had Combat Arms troops who actually do go out and find themselves in harms way!

To all the support trades out there, I appreciate the job you do supporting me and my troops whenever the need arises. I know there is a role for you in todays modern army and by no means is this meant to be a slag against you and yours. But lets face facts, most service support organizations are either near full strength or in some cases ABOVE strength. The people who might want to join todays army for adventure and action don't see that in todays ads, and thus we lose them to another army, one that advertises action and adventure.

The Canadian government and the military must find a way to attract more "fighters, warriors, tip of the spear types" as opposed to trying to attract more rear eschelon mother f*ckers ;D! Just one soldiers two cents worth, and if you found anything offensive in here,,,,,oh well, none was meant!

 

[Britney Spears]

In most Combat Arms units the Battalions, Squadrons are understrength. Some SEVERELY understrength.

Can you qualify this statement? Because as far as I know it isn't true, or at least, not today. It may have been true five years ago, but it seems that we are doing quite well at meeitng recruitng goals for cbt arms these days. Training them seems to be another matter entirely. Operational shortages, again AFAIK, are principally in the CSS trades.

 

[Blakey]

First off, I have to addmitt that I haven't recently seen these "new" recruiting commercials.
But from what I can remember of the older ones, they were more of a "Tri-Service" orientated commercial ie, all 3 services (Army, Air, Navy) were advertised. I'm not sure if it has or is being done but, I have an idea. Why not go the way of the American Military and have each service do their own recruiting ads and commercials ect?. That way the Army could put out a better representation of their trade. and so forth for the other 2 elements. I actually have some ideas on this but, "What say 'Ye?)

 

[IcEPiCk]

Yea where does that leave the purple trades though?

 

[civvy3840]

First off, I have to addmitt that I haven't recently seen these "new" recruiting commercials.
But from what I can remember of the older ones, they were more of a "Tri-Service" orientated commercial ie, all 3 services (Army, Air, Navy) were advertised. I'm not sure if it has or is being done but, I have an idea. Why not go the way of the American Military and have each service do their own recruiting ads and commercials ect?. That way the Army could put out a better representation of their trade. and so forth for the other 2 elements. I actually have some ideas on this but, "What say 'Ye?)

I think that is a good idea. I also have not seen the new recruiting videos. But I agree that it would be better if the army could make there own. Showing Infantry soldier in afghanistan, going through swamps, jumping out of planes/helicopters. JTF2 kicking in doors, clearing a plane, fast roping from a helicopter onto a building. Combat engineers taking down a bridge, clearing a minefield...

The navy could show some battleships launching rockets, showing sailors out on a dinghy boarding a ship carrying mp5's, Submarine's launching torpedos at a ship...

The airforce could show a C-130 landing on a desert strip, Griffon pilots coming in low wearing NVG's, Sea Kings launching missile's, Fighter jet doing flips and rolls while engaging with another "enemy" fighter...

By doing the commercials this way like you pointed out each element could show the stuff that they do the best. 

 

[2 Cdo]

Britney, I qualify my statements by the fact that I am serving in the Forces and I have been posted to both "Line Battalions" and am now presently with a Service Support unit. In the Battalions I have rarely had a full section (unless getting ready to deploy), in fact in some cases I've had as few as 3 total troops in a 10 man infantry section! This, sadly is usually the norm for an infantry battalion.
Presently I am employed with a service support unit that has approximately 90% of it's mandated troops. I know this because I conduct ALL their pre-deployment training, thus I know the numbers involved.
As far as your statement referring to recruitment goals, this is not the same as numbers in the units. Borden alone, mainly a service support training facility has HUNDREDS of young potential recruits sitting around waiting, sometimes for a few YEARS, for a course start date. So "as far as you know" maybe you can explain where you come up with your info, because I live with my info every day!
Have a nice day.

 

[Armymedic]

We can't have 100% of our recruiting videos showing the cool stuff like what most of you are describing because that would be a lie.

95% of the job is in the preparations, in the details, which on a screen look and are truly boring.

A mix of some action, 2 parts of professionalism and dedication to duty, with a good dose of patriotism to touch the emotions on the populations.

This would bring an acceptace to the CF and attract a better candidate then the movie full of extreme activities that just looks cool.

 

[Britney Spears]

So "as far as you know" maybe you can explain where you come up with your info, because I live with my info every day!

I've not seen any recruiting numbers and I haven't done a systematic survey, so you probably know more than I do.

However, I am fairly sure that the lack of deployability right now is not due to any lack of effort in recruiting, cbt arms or otherwise. Based on my own anecodtal observations, (which are, again, just that, and not a systematic survey) the raw numbers are there, as you mentions with the hundreds of recruits waiting around in PAT battalion,  but the proccess of getting them trained seems to be the big bottleneck, more so with CSS courses which are generally longer than Cbt arms courses.

I'm not downplaying the importance of recruiting. The very problem you speak of, which we did have some years ago, is the reason we are in such a pickel now. I am of the opinion that our current recruiting efforts, although not perfect, are sufficient. There is no capacity in the training system to handle more recruits, in any case, and that we should focus our efforts on more pressing matters

 

[Infanteer]

My own observations lead me to agree with Britney Spears.  Kincanucks mentions the number of people sitting around because their file has been boarded (even after making it throught he recruiting red tape gongshow) to the next selection - the training pipeline doesn't seem to be up to handling the influx of people who are interested in the CF.

 

[Britney Spears]

Also stop recruiting fat chicks.

I mean, really, we don't need ANY of those. For ANY reason.

 

[Infanteer]

I remember hopping on the bus to head to basic and sitting by an obese 17 year old girl who was going to be an Infantry soldier.   She (naturally) failed the course, but the fact that she made it through both the Regimental recruiting office and CFRC makes me say "WTF, over?"

 

[2 Cdo]

Britney you completely missed the point of my first post. Yes we have a huge bottleneck of troops awaiting training in Service Support trades. We don't have a huge bottleneck of Combat Arms troops awaiting training. I already pointed out where the recruiting ads seem to emphasize trades training, enough already, we have more than enough trades personnel awaiting training.
If we showed recruiting ads featuring infantry and armoured conducting combined arms attacks on exercise, or the engineers and artillery blowing stuff up we could ATTRACT more hard charging action and adventure seeking troops. It is because we don't show this that we lose these individuals to other armies, namely the Yanks, Aussies and the Brits. Funny enough these are countries that show ads like I mentioned. Do you now see what I was getting at?

 

[Springroll]

Also stop recruiting fat chicks.

I mean, really, we don't need ANY of those. For ANY reason.

What do you consider a fat chick?
Am I an example of a fat chick?

Just asking so that i have a better idea of what you are referring to.

 

[Britney Spears]

2 Cdo:

OK, agreed.

What do you consider a fat chick?
Am I an example of a fat chick?

I haven't seen you, so I wouldn't know. Ask hubby, he probably has a pretty good idea. Ask him to draw a comparision between you and his female co-workers. 



Seriously, if you are, you'd know.

 

[Springroll]

Well, I am still curious as to what you consider a fat chick.

Are we talking Anna Nicole "fat chick"
or say Kate Winslet "fat chick"
or even Marilyn Monroe "fat chick"?

 

[Britney Spears]

I'm afraid there's nothing more I can contribute to this thread.

 

[Infanteer]

Can somebody definitively answer if there is a backlog of 031 (and other Combat Arms troops) that are stuck in the training pipeline somewhere?  Or should we be converted some STCSDES Techs waiting for their course into riflemen for a few years?

 

[paracowboy]

Well, I am still curious as to what you consider a fat chick.

Are we talking Anna Nicole "fat chick"

used to be, yes

or say Kate Winslet "fat chick"

who? Don't bother answering.

or even Marilyn Monroe "fat chick"?

imagine she's pretty damn skinny by now, ain't she? Kind of an extreme diet, not eating for 3 decades.