Senior Officer numbers - FB post by Col (Ret'd) Michel Drapeau

[grayzone]

As of 19 Aug and according to Guardian, the CAF Reg Force is made up of (Read Rank, Filled, Unfilled):

Pte(B), 0, 1857
Pte, 1296, 278
Pte/Cpl, 10378, 3325
Cpl, 6657, 1908
MCpl, 7903, 2166
Sgt, 5905, 1211
WO, 3491, 672
MWO, 1808, 322
CWO, 425, 14
OCdt, 0, 3126
2Lt, 0, 615
Lt/Capt, 1650, 990
Lt, 172, 121
Capt, 4173, 1364
Maj, 3424, 763
LCol, 1231, 154
Col, 331, 24
BGen, 61, 4
MGen, 31, 1
LGen, 9, 0
Gen, 1, 0
Totals, 48946, 18915 or if all positions were filled 67861

Reserve
Pte(R), 538, 246
Pte(B), 1, 1
Pte, 292, 184
Pte/Cpl, 10282, 6721
Cpl, 1497, 2067
MCpl, 2910, 4087
Sgt, 2265, 2823
WO, 958, 1464
MWO, 457, 536
CWO, 163, 53
OCdt, 244, 114
2Lt, 68, 38
Lt/Capt, 1077, 925
Lt, 218, 151
Capt, 1147, 1425
Maj, 840, 835
LCol, 281, 255
Col, 42, 53
BGen, 6, 7
MGen, 0, 4
Totals, 23286, 21989, or if all posns were filled 45275


So the ratio of all Reg Force filled officers vs all NCO posns is 3.41. If all positions were filled that ratio changes to 2.71.
The Reserve numbers for filled posns is 4.93. If all posns were filled it changes to 4.85.

Combining the numbers of filled posns Reg and Reserve would give 3.81 and 3.35 if we were full up posn wise.

Note these numbers do not contain Rangers or COATS posns.

His numbers add up to about 66K, the last open source RegF number I can find is 68K (Canadian Armed Forces 101 - Canada.ca). I'd be curious to see his dataset, including its date. At the very least, it appears that he may be counting OCdt/NCdts in the total, who are officers, but not commissioned.

As per his FB: "These numbers about the Regular Force were obtained from DND under the ATIP. They were released on August 16, 2021 under DND ATIP No A-2021-00803"
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...what jumps out at me is these numbers, under Reg force: OCdt, 0, 3126 (filled, unfilled)

Last I checked we have two military school campuses: CMR St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and RMC Kingston... which should make up roughly 1200-1400 OCdts/NCdts on ROTP and 50-90 in ALOY program? Whatever the number, it's certainly not 0.

 

[dapaterson]

That's a data quality issue, I suspect. Particularly for BTL/SUTL management, it's not unusual for individuals not to be assigned to a specific position. So its entirely possible to have, for example, 100 positions for OCdts, 100 OCdts enrolled, and 100 vacant OCdt positions.

Frequently those responsible for data entry come up with work-arounds to simplify their work without necessarily understanding how the data they enter is rolled up and used; similarly, those at the top frequently create systems to create the data they want without design considerations to maximize utility for those doing the actual data entry.

 

[Jarnhamar]

113,136 Regular Force and reservists "if all posns were filled".

How many people could we get on a plane and deploy next month?

 

[PuckChaser]

113,136 Regular Force and reservists "if all posns were filled".

How many people could we get on a plane and deploy next month?

Are you assuming the transport aircraft would actually work or are we chartering Ryanair?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Are you assuming the transport aircraft would actually work or are we chartering Ryanair?

Great point but I just meant people who would dag green.

 

[PuckChaser]

Should be everyone, I thought we kicked out all the trash with the vaccination attestation mandate.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Great point but I just meant people who would dag green.

A couple of years ago I heard a figure of around 40% being bandied about.

Based on our experiences deploying troops on various Domops, in the Reserves anyways, I think that's a little high.

 

[quadrapiper]

A couple of years ago I heard a figure of around 40% being bandied about.

Curious what percentage of the CAF is in units that are actually meant to be deployable, and how that 40% is distributed?

Also, wondering what the concerns were with the 60%: how many have simple-fix currency issues versus chronic or complex problems?

 

[PuckChaser]

Currency issues are self-made problems because we're risk adverse. They're waived all the time. The bigger issues will be the administrative and medical issues because we retain those folks in uniform.

 

[MilEME09]

Speaking of waivers, can we stop the mass wave of advanced promotions? I've seen Sargeants stay in rank without their course for years because 6A courses haven't been running. We need to start kicking schools to run courses properly so we get timely career progression

 

[daftandbarmy]

Curious what percentage of the CAF is in units that are actually meant to be deployable, and how that 40% is distributed?

Also, wondering what the concerns were with the 60%: how many have simple-fix currency issues versus chronic or complex problems?

Just a word of caution... those weren't exact numbers that I shared.

I'm guessing that's one of the issues, of course: a lack of accurate, up to date data.

 

[KevinB]

113,136 Regular Force and reservists "if all posns were filled".

How many people could we get on a plane and deploy next month?

The question isn't could, its more would.
The CAF could get them ALL on a plane, doesn't matter if they DAG Red, they could be put on a plane if the GOV said so.

Realistically the issue isn't PY's, it is equipment.

How many sets of current NOD's, MFAL's, Body Armor, Radios, SHORAD, TTHAD, ATGM's does the CAF have.
How many Planes, Trains and Automobiles could the CAF get to theatre?

 

[Navy_Pete]

Currency issues are self-made problems because we're risk adverse. They're waived all the time. The bigger issues will be the administrative and medical issues because we retain those folks in uniform.

How is waiving currency on something like C7 or CBRN risk adverse, seems the opposite?

Comes back pretty quickly when I get out to the range, but outside of basic training I've never had to carry a C7, so big difference between DAGing green and actually getting effective pre-deployment training for those purple type jobs working in an Army situation. CAF was pretty good about dropping people into those with a two week notice in AFG, usually because the one person that was tagged for it DAGd red at the 11th hour.

 

[PuckChaser]

I meant we've made massive lists of items that we have to complete before deploying, because we're risk adverse. Not that the waivers are risk adverse.

Reading down those lists, very few actually relate to someone's core mission function, or is just a repeat of IBTS. It adds months to the predeployment training all in a CYA measure for Senior Officers.

 

[KevinB]

I meant we've made massive lists of items that we have to complete before deploying, because we're risk adverse. Not that the waivers are risk adverse.

Reading down those lists, very few actually relate to someone's core mission function, or is just a repeat of IBTS. It adds months to the predeployment training all in a CYA measure for Senior Officers.

I've often believed a lot of the Pre-Deployment training is just training that is sneaking other ways to be paid for...

 

[Halifax Tar]

I meant we've made massive lists of items that we have to complete before deploying, because we're risk adverse. Not that the waivers are risk adverse.

Reading down those lists, very few actually relate to someone's core mission function, or is just a repeat of IBTS. It adds months to the predeployment training all in a CYA measure for Senior Officers.

DAG forms are like clearance cards... If you want to see how big our bureaucracy has gotten or an indication of our "mission creep" have a look at them.

 

[MJP]

DAG forms are like clearance cards... If you want to see how big our bureaucracy has gotten or an indication of our "mission creep" have a look at them.

You'll be thankful they exist when you encounter a fire and can use an extinguisher properly

/s

 

[Halifax Tar]

You'll be thankful they exist when you encounter a fire and can use an extinguisher properly

/s

For me its anywhere I just go and they stamp it without having to review anything.

Library and post office I'm looking at you first...

 

[coolintheshade]

Are you assuming the transport aircraft would actually work or are we chartering Ryanair?

Nah...we taking WOW air. See what I did there. LOL