this post was submitted on 16 May 2025

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Leaked Canadian military report shows many new recruits are quickly leaving (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 1 day ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

47 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The Canadian military insists it's getting a handle on its recruiting crisis, but a new leaked internal report obtained by CBC News suggests many of those who come through the door quickly leave in frustration over the inability to get trained and into the job they want.

In addition, the effort to retain experienced soldiers, sailors and aircrew was dealt an important blow recently when a Department of National Defence office — set up to find ways to keep people — was defunded.

The struggle to recruit new members to both the regular and the reserve force has been a major preoccupation as the Forces face a shortage of up to 14,000 qualified personnel.

But the flip side of the equation — that has gotten less attention — is the effort to hold on to people, especially in critical technical trades.

top 47 comments

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[–] rxbudian@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 hours ago

You probably can hire some of the Trans soldiers from the US. I heard something about them getting laid off because of the current administration

[–] SneakyWeasel@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I left the shit show of the military. I wanted certain things for my career and i was never given them. I worked my ass off to get where i did and yet there were alot of other people who just somehow always got what they wanted.

Not saying everybody got what they wanted but sometimes it felt like someone from way highup was out to ruin your career sometimes.

When i finally had enough of being in the military, i put my papers in for the release. Then all of a sudden, all the opportunities started to roll in my favor.... i had had enough of it anyways and i havent looked back in 2 years after getting out.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What opportunity were you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?

[–] SneakyWeasel@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I was looking for Promotions and Courses.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 0 points 4 hours ago

Psst. People are looking for promotions and courses outside the cf too.

I'm sorry it didn't come fast enough for you.

[–] villasv@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Which is totally normal? Most countries have a difficult time with talent retention in the military because it's basically a public servant with extra hot spice when you don't want any spice. Hate meetings and power tripping bosses? Well imagine your company is composed of the same people but the hierarchy is 5x bigger and they're harder to fire and they're more macho and into guns.

The exception in terms of retention is maybe the US that uses the insane cost of higher education to lure people in debt into the military payroll, but I wouldn't wish a similar system on my compatriots. Also probably Israel is another exception not to follow...

[+] cyborganism@lemmy.ca -13 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Considering the state of the world, I wouldn't be against mandatory military service. Maybe people still won't stay, but they might have higher retention than now. Plus, we'd have citizens that have been trained and ready to defend the country if needed.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Considering the state of the world, I wouldn't be against mandatory military service.

Just to be clear, the reason new recruits are leaving is because of the following (from the article) ...

The reason new members are quitting: Training delays and difficulty adjusting to military life.

In some cases, recruits are waiting over 206 days for training — notably in specialized trades.

"There are insufficient trainers, equipment, training facilities and other supports to meet training targets effectively," said the report, written in April 2025.

"This leads to delays which significantly frustrate [new] members, who often face months of underemployment."

[–] dermanus@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 day ago

This needs more attention. It's the start of a death spiral of expertise in the armed forces. Eventually those trainers are going to retire or leave, and we're not training their replacements.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 5 points 1 day ago

I'm very sorry they are unhappy and Canada needs to retain recruits.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ah OK thanks for clarifying.

Edit: I thought about it and it could still provide a bigger pool of professionals to pick from to train people. Which could potentially fix the problem.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 day ago

Considering the US's history of aggression towards Canada, I'm honestly surprised we don't already have compulsory military service. Ask any free country bordering Russia if it's such a terrible idea.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Doesn't seem to be much of a hardship for Europeans like the Swiss. It does give pause to other countries when they know most civvies know how to use the rifles they've been sent home with.

[–] DicJacobus@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

what does "If needed" mean?

If its mobilizing to fight in Europe, thats one thing. * Assuming Russian agents or comprimised American/Canadian Sympathiser dont blow up our own armories.*

If its mobilizing to defend our own country from a physical invasion. Theres only one country on earth that has the means to take Canada, and it isnt a country that has to cross an ocean to do so. Repeat what I said about armories getting blown up by American sympathisers.

given our proximity and exposure to the politically turmoiled USA, and all the problems thats brought with people on edge in our own country, I dont think the Swiss solution of making every young man in the country become a reservist, and making every reservist take home an assault rifle incase of invasion, is going to work. We'll have our own Sandy Hook the next day.

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago

I think the idea would be, if the US invades Canada, to make us more like Afghanistan than Switzerland. Or perhaps Finland is a better comparison, being somewhere in the middle.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago

You know there's more to the army than infantry.

[–] leftytighty@slrpnk.net -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Our conventional military forces, even with mandatory service, won't compete against our threats.

If anything the training will be useful for the deserters who then go on to form rebel and guerrilla factions, similar to what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan when the armed forces melted away into an underground resistance.

Canada isn't going to fight and win a symmetric war with any of our adversaries. I think our able bodied people and military equipment would be better used off the conventional battlefield.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You mean, against the invading and occupying forces of the United States? Whom invaded under false pretext? Like they keep saying they want to do to Canada?

[–] leftytighty@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'm not sure what you think my comment is saying but yeah United States is a danger and so too might Russia or China be, all are beyond our capabilities.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Most Canadians understand that, but it doesn't negate the fact the many of us can (and should) be trained in sabotage, guerilla tactics and insurgency strategies that could help fight against a US/China/Russia invasion.

[–] leftytighty@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That was my point, really. I guess if you're thinking of military training as resistance training then we agree. I think training our young men and women to immediately blow up in tanks and planes and die in trenches isn't going to be useful.

I guess I don't see the Canadian military training a bunch of Che Guevaras.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

Why not? I mean not everyone has the leadership abilities to become a Che Guevara, but we should all learn what we can to help each other survive.

Remind people to purchase enough canned food and bottled water to last 3-4 weeks, train others on how to operate drones, take courses to learn how to be a medic, etc etc.

There's all kinds of training that can come from military training that could help us all. It's never been just about shooting a gun.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

The US is the biggest threat here. Russia can't even support their one war against Ukraine. And China? I think we overestimate them.

Besides, the US would find it difficult to find enough recruits willing to fight Canadians. But whoever is left could be a big threat, still.

We'd have a much better fighting chance by training people than not at all.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Nah war is cringe.

If we all refuse to die for our nepo baby leaders then war doesn't happen.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I'm not sure you've thought this through.

If we decide to not plan for war and Trump chooses to invade, there will be a war whether we like it or not. And to be clear we won't like it at all.

I agree that preparing our military doesn't have to lead us down the same road the US has chosen (almost endless wars). But we should be recruiting and training people for our military forces in case they are needed -- whether it's for peacekeeping or self-preservation.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago

Maybe. But sometimes it's forced upon us.

If a bully physically attacked you, wouldn't you be better off having had self defense lessons beforehand?

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you want peace, prepare for war.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And then we go to war anyway because why waste all the equipment?

That's seriously the reason that global elites are pushing China and the US to start WWIII, for the profits that will be made.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Wouldn't going to war so that the equipment not go to waste not be considered profit motive but rather sunk cost fallacy?

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A war means more equipment needs to be bought

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

Not if it's fought with dance

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca -5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nah war is cringe.

Wow I'm literally shaking right now. I just showed your comment to Putin and he immediately ordered all Russian troops out of Ukraine. Your Nobel Peace Prize invitation should arrive momentarily.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Why did me saying that make you so upset?

War is objectively a bad thing for everyone involved besides the leaders and rich people on the winning side.

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm not upset by the sentiment, I'm upset by the flippant naivete. Go tell Ukrainians or Gazans about your solution for world peace and count down the seconds till you get punched in the face.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world -4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

It's not an immediate solution lol

But if all humans refused to go to war we wouldn't have war.

That kind of global cultural change happens not through laws but ideas.

Ideas like the objective reality that war is cringe.

Go be mad about real problems.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

But if all humans refused to go to war we wouldn't have war.

Unfortunately, we don't live in a fantasy world with unicorns and rainbows where everybody lives in harmony.

There are some power hungry psychopaths out there who do want war because they want more land, resources, or because they think they are the chosen people of God. And we need to be ready for these assholes.

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Go be mad about real problems.

Coming in here with a "solution" that requires the worldwide eradication of capitalism, authoritarianism, and imperialism and then tells me I'm the one unaware of real problems. r/im14andthisisdeep-ass conversation.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world -3 points 1 day ago

You see this makes me feel like you'd rather bitch and whine than go focus on real problems.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh come on!

This isn't about invading and occupying a country to topple the government to install a pro-canadian dictator to benefit Canadian businesses and economy.

We're talking about defense here. We have been relying too much on the US and now it's coming back to bite us in the ass.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world -2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

War is cringe

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nobody is saying it isn't ffs. We are saying it can be a necessary evil if someone attacks us.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world -4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

There's a lot of people shoiwing up here to argue for WWIII

And that's cringe

If we were talking about a bad country then I would be getting up voted

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

Nobody is advocating for WWIII. Where did you even read this?

We're talking défense ffs. Can you even read?

[–] Alloi@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

war is cringe, but the US is the cringiest nation right now, and they want to annex us, which is super duper cringe. they are slowly prepping their population and military to do the cringiest war(s) possible. its dumb as hell. we dont want it. and because of that, we have to do cringey things to stop the worst case cringe, or maybe even deter it entirely in case the cringe comes over the boarder to do cringe stuff.

you may not like it (neither do i) but if someone came into my house to sexually assault me id rather be wearing jeans and a belt, than no pants at all.

we are just "trying" to put the jeans and belt on right now. there is nothing cringe about defending our home and rights from a foreign invader. much like it isnt cringe to defend yourself from being assaulted.

trust me im with you, i hate war. but id rather be canadian than american.

war is cringe. so lets deter it.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yes yes, keep whining some more.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

I hope your dopmanie hit was as good as mine fellow drug addict

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 day ago

Your comment is the cringiest most naive and innocent comment in this whole thread. Wake up and smell the coffee.