SS: As NATO more broadly modernizes and individual states are expanding the size of their military, Canada has pursued some policies that have contributed to a rise in applications for the CAF. However, these policies are being matched by a correlative outcome in Basic Military Qualification (basic training) pass rates at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS). This post is relevant because it demonstrates the implementation and outcomes in one case where Canada is trying to grow its armed forces.
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As both the article and the testimony have shined public light on the challenges facing recruits, it still does not share the full scope of the policies introduced and how they are impacting the operational employment of soldiers. As a reminder, these are the main policy changes:
* Elimination of aptitude testing (CFAT) for applicants
* Elimination of security screenings for some applicants (mostly PRs)
* Eligibility of permanent residents for enrolment
* Elimination of some medical categories that were previously prohibitive for potential enrolment
What hasn’t been touched on is the security issue. Many of these applicants are in positions where they will complete their training to reach an employable point, but will remain *de facto* unemployable. Without the security screenings that were eliminated, they are unable to be even employed in proximity of some basic sensitive equipment. As a generic example, there are infantry soldiers who are unable to utilize radios because they lack the security clearance.
Those security issues can only be resolved by eligibility for a higher security screening, which is stuck behind the barrier of citizenship.
These issues have been picked up on the ground level by those in the recruiting and training establishments, but have been outright denied by some senior leaders until now. The problem is not affecting a majority of applicants, however it is greater than the article/testimony make it seem. This is creating a backlog in the training establishments that are already overworking instructors and running at maximum annual capacity. A reduction in pass rates may seem like not a huge deal, but those are recruits who have a delayed out-processing from the schools, which in turn restricts the capacity of the CAF to hire more applicants.