- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
(hmmm ... "the truth shall set you free" ... it's got a certain something, doesn't it?)
Bitter troops give up on Forces brass
Incompetent, uncaring leaders given as reasons why soldiers quit
a journalist
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, April 12, 2002
The recruiting slogan may claim "there's no life like it," but those leaving the Canadian Forces tell of an organization that treats its soldiers poorly and is plagued by incompetent leadership and political interference.
Written comments submitted by more than 350 people who voluntarily left the military last year don't bode well for a Canadian Forces desperately trying to keep its trained personnel and attract new recruits.
"Led by the increasingly incompetent, my years of service have been a tragic waste of my youth," one military member wrote in the Forces survey obtained by the Citizen. "Thanks for nothing."
Asked if he would consider again serving in the military by joining the part-time reserves, another soldier replied: "Not if I was eating from a dumpster."
"I am tired of being sold out by politicians," added another.
The military asked its soldiers, sailors and aviators to fill out a questionnaire and submit written comments as part of an effort to determine why personnel are leaving and, if necessary, develop new methods to keep them. Forces officials have warned that the organization will be facing a major personnel crunch around 2005 when a large majority of its people will be eligible for early retirement.
Only about a dozen of those who submitted written comments said they enjoyed their time in the Forces, and most of those also had serious concerns about ongoing problems in the military.
But Maj. Rob Morrow, who is with the military's directorate of human resources research and evaluation, said not enough information has been gathered to determine whether there is a trend explaining why people leave. It is also not possible to come to any one conclusion based on the information in the written submissions, he added. "It's very very hard to take one individual's comments and generalize across a large group of individuals in the CF (Canadian Forces," Maj. Morrow said.
One of the concerns the military had about the questionnaires and written submissions, he said, was that they were targeted at those who have already decided to leave. "We're asking them after the fact what caused them to leave, so that tends to attract people who have got more negative things to say," according to Maj. Morrow.
He said an informal analysis of the questionnaires showed that personnel listed concerns about leadership as well as being separated from their families for too long a period. Also highly ranked was the attraction of civilian jobs or taking advantage of the military pension they had earned.
Similar concerns were also raised in the written submissions. In those, about 100 people said they quit the ranks because they felt they had little chance of promotion or that the system was so steeped in favouritism that only incompetent individuals moved up the ladder. Another 80 listed family reasons, such as being moved around too many times, or being offered a better-paying civilian job.
Poor leadership, the abundance of "yes men" in the officers corps and a generally poor attitude toward personnel were listed in 75 cases. Almost 30 listed government cuts and the dwindling ability of the Forces to fight a war as among their reasons for quitting.
A common complaint was that personnel were overworked because of government budget cuts. One military member wrote that while there was a serious lack of trained technicians, "there is no shortage of incompetent, overbearing officers."
Several complained they had received training aimed at understanding sexual and racial harassment, yet weren't taught basic war-fighting skills, such as weapons handling and how to survive a chemical or biological attack.
One air force technician warned that continual government cuts have led to obsolete aircraft and reductions in flying safety. He decided to get out before an accident happened. "We were lucky nothing crashed," he noted.
Many warned that experienced personnel are leaving in large numbers and the situation will only get worse. A high degree of cynicism also appeared to be evident. One applicant asked for additional comments responded: "It doesn't matter. The people in Ottawa don't really care anyway."
Why I Quit: A Sampling of the Survey
Some responses to the Canadian Forces' survey:
"When I joined the military we had a mission to train for war. I now spend more effort ensuring political correctness."
"Too many young 'yes men' in supervisory positions that care nothing any more about people."
"No money, no equipment, no people. It's time to leave."
"The senior leadership in the CF has let us all down."
"I would do it again in a heartbeat. There is no life like it."
"Not interested in watching brown-nosers get promoted while the hard workers get overlooked."
"I love the military, but it is so poorly run I can't sit around and watch."
"Senior military leaders appear to be more concerned with political whims and personal goals rather than the good of the service."
"Every problem in the CF is a failure of leadership, and it's getting worse. Only a massive loss of life is going to fix it."
"Political correctness is being taken to extremes."
"I joined a military, I release from a business."
"Rank carries responsibilities, not privileges -- a key point lost on our leaders."
"CF leadership is non-existent. Cutbacks have turned our leaders into business executives with briefcases and budgets. Their agenda is making their bosses happy and not carrying for their people."
"(I'm) tired of working for incompetent officers who do not want the expertise of their experienced NCMs (non-commissioned members) but would rather surround themselves with even more incompetent 'yes men' who are easier to control."
"The CF puts in no effort to look after its people."
"All senior qualified personnel are leaving. Supervisors are being promoted because they are the only ones left."
"The politicians have taken all the fun out of soldiering.
"The CF, and the air force in particular, is slowly collapsing, leaving remaining members to struggle through the mess."
"There is no future in it."
"I have no confidence nor respect for the senior leadership of the CF. I will continue to fly with another Air Force."
"The CF appears to be in an uncontrolled spiral."
"I had a good career. No regrets."
"The CF is in for a shock. Everyone on (my) floor is counting the days till they have twenty years in" and can retire.
"Over the past decade, the military has lost its mental and physical toughness to be an effective force."
"Touchy feely bull****. You will reap what you sow. Say hello to your new military."
(The Canadian Forces) is now no more than a social experiment conducted by politicians who have no idea what the ultimate role of the military is."
- 30 -
Bitter troops give up on Forces brass
Incompetent, uncaring leaders given as reasons why soldiers quit
a journalist
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, April 12, 2002
The recruiting slogan may claim "there's no life like it," but those leaving the Canadian Forces tell of an organization that treats its soldiers poorly and is plagued by incompetent leadership and political interference.
Written comments submitted by more than 350 people who voluntarily left the military last year don't bode well for a Canadian Forces desperately trying to keep its trained personnel and attract new recruits.
"Led by the increasingly incompetent, my years of service have been a tragic waste of my youth," one military member wrote in the Forces survey obtained by the Citizen. "Thanks for nothing."
Asked if he would consider again serving in the military by joining the part-time reserves, another soldier replied: "Not if I was eating from a dumpster."
"I am tired of being sold out by politicians," added another.
The military asked its soldiers, sailors and aviators to fill out a questionnaire and submit written comments as part of an effort to determine why personnel are leaving and, if necessary, develop new methods to keep them. Forces officials have warned that the organization will be facing a major personnel crunch around 2005 when a large majority of its people will be eligible for early retirement.
Only about a dozen of those who submitted written comments said they enjoyed their time in the Forces, and most of those also had serious concerns about ongoing problems in the military.
But Maj. Rob Morrow, who is with the military's directorate of human resources research and evaluation, said not enough information has been gathered to determine whether there is a trend explaining why people leave. It is also not possible to come to any one conclusion based on the information in the written submissions, he added. "It's very very hard to take one individual's comments and generalize across a large group of individuals in the CF (Canadian Forces," Maj. Morrow said.
One of the concerns the military had about the questionnaires and written submissions, he said, was that they were targeted at those who have already decided to leave. "We're asking them after the fact what caused them to leave, so that tends to attract people who have got more negative things to say," according to Maj. Morrow.
He said an informal analysis of the questionnaires showed that personnel listed concerns about leadership as well as being separated from their families for too long a period. Also highly ranked was the attraction of civilian jobs or taking advantage of the military pension they had earned.
Similar concerns were also raised in the written submissions. In those, about 100 people said they quit the ranks because they felt they had little chance of promotion or that the system was so steeped in favouritism that only incompetent individuals moved up the ladder. Another 80 listed family reasons, such as being moved around too many times, or being offered a better-paying civilian job.
Poor leadership, the abundance of "yes men" in the officers corps and a generally poor attitude toward personnel were listed in 75 cases. Almost 30 listed government cuts and the dwindling ability of the Forces to fight a war as among their reasons for quitting.
A common complaint was that personnel were overworked because of government budget cuts. One military member wrote that while there was a serious lack of trained technicians, "there is no shortage of incompetent, overbearing officers."
Several complained they had received training aimed at understanding sexual and racial harassment, yet weren't taught basic war-fighting skills, such as weapons handling and how to survive a chemical or biological attack.
One air force technician warned that continual government cuts have led to obsolete aircraft and reductions in flying safety. He decided to get out before an accident happened. "We were lucky nothing crashed," he noted.
Many warned that experienced personnel are leaving in large numbers and the situation will only get worse. A high degree of cynicism also appeared to be evident. One applicant asked for additional comments responded: "It doesn't matter. The people in Ottawa don't really care anyway."
Why I Quit: A Sampling of the Survey
Some responses to the Canadian Forces' survey:
"When I joined the military we had a mission to train for war. I now spend more effort ensuring political correctness."
"Too many young 'yes men' in supervisory positions that care nothing any more about people."
"No money, no equipment, no people. It's time to leave."
"The senior leadership in the CF has let us all down."
"I would do it again in a heartbeat. There is no life like it."
"Not interested in watching brown-nosers get promoted while the hard workers get overlooked."
"I love the military, but it is so poorly run I can't sit around and watch."
"Senior military leaders appear to be more concerned with political whims and personal goals rather than the good of the service."
"Every problem in the CF is a failure of leadership, and it's getting worse. Only a massive loss of life is going to fix it."
"Political correctness is being taken to extremes."
"I joined a military, I release from a business."
"Rank carries responsibilities, not privileges -- a key point lost on our leaders."
"CF leadership is non-existent. Cutbacks have turned our leaders into business executives with briefcases and budgets. Their agenda is making their bosses happy and not carrying for their people."
"(I'm) tired of working for incompetent officers who do not want the expertise of their experienced NCMs (non-commissioned members) but would rather surround themselves with even more incompetent 'yes men' who are easier to control."
"The CF puts in no effort to look after its people."
"All senior qualified personnel are leaving. Supervisors are being promoted because they are the only ones left."
"The politicians have taken all the fun out of soldiering.
"The CF, and the air force in particular, is slowly collapsing, leaving remaining members to struggle through the mess."
"There is no future in it."
"I have no confidence nor respect for the senior leadership of the CF. I will continue to fly with another Air Force."
"The CF appears to be in an uncontrolled spiral."
"I had a good career. No regrets."
"The CF is in for a shock. Everyone on (my) floor is counting the days till they have twenty years in" and can retire.
"Over the past decade, the military has lost its mental and physical toughness to be an effective force."
"Touchy feely bull****. You will reap what you sow. Say hello to your new military."
(The Canadian Forces) is now no more than a social experiment conducted by politicians who have no idea what the ultimate role of the military is."
- 30 -
.
