For what its worth here are my opinions on the reserves. Streamline our recruiting process to a medical and background check done at the local unit level. At one time we were capable of enrolling people in under a week. Personnel officers for high tech firms, hospitals, medical schools even law enforcement, fire and paramedics can do this why do we need to take weeks. Two much value is placed on interviews by PSOs, career tests and aptitude testing. For most 16 yearolds that are applying this is their first job and their first interview. When I hear of fit, capable, sports-minded, young Canadians being turned down because they fail to impress an interviewer who is rating them against 24 yearolds looking for a full-time military career I get cheesed off. In our Bde the year before last we were turning down one in six applicants.
Now you might argue our youth are so unfit both mentally and physically that we are better off without them. but I look at 16 year olds and see potential. Seems to me some Youth nowadays need toughening both mentally and physically. And there is nothing like military life to do that: drill, sports, fieldcraft, digging trenches and humping your ruck are all excellent means to build soldiers from citizens.
A previous writer mentioned the German Staff schools of the 20's and 30's. By international law the size and equipping of the army was limited and so they used TEWTS to build a leadership cadre. However they also had youth organizations of all descriptions where young leaders were cultivated. In Canada, believe me there is nothing like giving a corporal and master corporal the responsibility of training troops. This is where character is formed and forged. And there is no organization better at fostering a military ethos then the reserves (militia from my experience).
Several years ago we ran a BMQ course that offered school credit. If memory serves me right we took in 19 and graduated 17 or 18. All of the parents were impressed by what the militia had done for their sons and daughters. Talk about a community footprint we had 100 people out for the grad parade including elected officials, school administrators and parents and grandparents. We had 60 people for the next course that was cancelled because of lack of further training opportunities post BMQ. We know how to get people in but there is just no will to buck a recruiting system that places the reserves on least priority.
There are those that will dismiss this opinion as wanting to return the reserves to "basement recruiting" a term I came to understand meaning no standards and no quality. Well go talk to the 12 people that are still in the reserves from that course. They are now training others and going on tours. Once exposed to the reserve life it gets in your blood for most people. I think it's time we changed our recruiting structure and began to empower senior officers and NCOs to step up and get training.
BG