Privatizing the CFRC.

[Enzo]

This is something that came up in conversation recently:

"What if the CFRC was privatized?"

What are the pros and cons? What are the realities and the difficulties involved with implementing such an drastic organizational change? Why could this work? Why couldn't it? What would be the costs? How would the integrity, professionalism and imagery of the CF be maintained? Why will this happen? Why won't it?

Have other countries any similar or past experiences with their recruiting systems? Are any other countries considering such a move? What of other national agencies? NavCanada comes to mind; what has the change brought/cost to the personnel that they recruit?

Just wondering, anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[Pieman]

My experience with the British recruiting system often had civilian employees working in their office. I suspect the civilians would handle the paper work and the Military officials were there to greet, take questions, and conduct interviews. Having permanent staff at CFRC that want to be there might keep the ship running smooth.

As for a full privatization, can't see how it would work.

 

[1feral1]

Its like that here in Australia, no shyte!

Some of the recruitng process is done through an Aussie contractor called Manpower. ADF are still invloved, but some of this is privatised, as is the medical side of things now.


Cheers,

Wes

 

[pbi]

I think that some supporting services could be delivered by DND civilian employees or perhaps by contractors (ie: medical exams). But, the actual business of sitting a potential recruit down, talking to them, assessing them, and creating a strong first impression of the military, can only be done by military people, and very good ones at that. As well, the business of active recruiting (going out into the community at large) is not just about getting people in: it is about creating impressions and is very closely linked to our information operations in Canada, including such things as public affairs, community outreach activities and military speakers' programs. To do this important job correctly, you need the right people. Unfortunately the CF (especially the Army, and particularly the Combat Arms) have not always put the best people into these jobs. Perhaps this is due to the fact that recruiting is a "CF purple" animal, and no one service really has a sense of ownership towards it.

Contrast this with the recruiting system used by the German Reichsheer in the 1920's and early 1930's in Germany, in which each company/battery/squadron commander was responsible to recruit and select his own people each year. He knew he would run an excellent chance of getting these guy in his sub-unit when they graduated from the Regimental training battalion, so he did the best job he could and looked for the best human material.

A very fine example of how to do the recruiting is provided today by the USMC. It is a high-pressure job (the OC of the recruiting det must deliver the numbers) but it is highly regarded by the Marine Corps, and the recruiters set an impressive example.

Cheers

 

[cobbler]

I think that some supporting services could be delivered by DND civilian employees or perhaps by contractors (ie: medical exams). But, the actual business of sitting a potential recruit down, talking to them, assessing them, and creating a strong first impression of the military, can only be done by military people, and very good ones at that.

That's how it's done here in Australia.

Medical, psyche, and the behind the scenes paperwork is handled by civilians. But applicants are assessed by, deal with, and are in contact with military personnel.

 

[kratz]

To my knowledge, much of the CFRC process is already within the civilian realm. The medical, drug screening, and security checks are all contracted out or part of another government department. The remaining testing and final screening are all that remain for CF members to directly work on and contribute to. So the IMO the only remaining potential 'privatization' of services that could occur would be to farm out the clerical duties of the CFRG and their CFRC.

 

[TN2IC]

"What if the CFRC was privatized?" Good.. more troops to send over seas then having comfy desk jobs. I always have a bad vibe each time I walk into CFRC. But that is me, I'm an odd one.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Privatization .... we can compare it to the Royale Lepage Relocation Services, which handles relocation on posting.  Undoubtedly there were some economies, but the most siginificant difference was dealing with people who were held to following the system, and there was absolutely no flexibility at the service level. The system also went through considerable revamping over its first few years as the guidance tried to cover all the possibilities that CF clerks used to be able to handle, or at least directly contact decision-makers for resolution. With privatization, even the most minor difference in interpretation of the regulations required a formal application for reconsideration.  Privatization can work, but only if the guidance they receive covers every possible situation, eventually that might be achieved, but there would probably not be a significant improvement in delivery in the short term.

 

[pbi]

Mike: you raise good points. As we both know, a contracted service is only as good as the contract itself. Too often we have seen contracts written that failed to cover all the requirements, thus resulting in either a reduction of service from what went before, or the need to re-open the contract and get it done properly. Meanwhile, the people who are supposed to be getting the service, don't. We would have to be very careful in extending the areas of civilian involvement in our recruiting process, since recruiting is vital to our survival.

Cheers

 

[Echo9]

Privatization won't cure the biggest problem with the recruiting system- the overly risk averse culture and resulting rigid adherence to regulation.  Privatizing things as they stand right now might change the cost/output ratio, but not necessarily in terms of changing the output for the better.

I think that some of you may remember the days when every single medical assessment needed to be sent to review by one guy- talk about creating a choke point where none was required.  The thrust behind this is to reduce the error rate (as defined by irregular enrollments among other things) down to zero.  This single point of review, if you remember, was also around the same time that a recruit died on PT from a heart attack.  The bureaucracy's answer was, of course, to do a review so that it would pass the lawyerly "unreasonably cautious man" test.

A few things that might help:
1.  Remove responsibility for component transfers from the CFRC.  Ultimately, it's the career managers who are responsible for filling all of the slots on their posting matrices- CFRG just gets a number from the manglers that they have to hit.  Make that number a target moving quarterly adjusted on the basis of CTs and you remove maybe 5-10% of the workload from the overburdened CFRCs.  There's nothing that a CFRC provides that could not be done locally (res brigades have PSOs, bases have B Hosps to do medicals, fitness testing is outsourced- or done by PSP).

2.  Remove reserve recruit processing from CFRCs and make their role one of quality control.  The reserve stuff was in-sourced from units in the first place because of wildly differing standards (that and CFRG trying to maintain headcount through the lean years- the purple version of 10/90 that has survived to this day).  Again, much of the testing can be done locally- I know of several units that either had Med O's or had contracts with doctors to do med testing; again, the res brigades all have PSOs; fitness testing is outsourced.

3.  Most importantly, tell the lawyers to go home.  Better to have a 2 month recruiting process where there are a few mistakes made than a 6 month process where you end up losing good candidates due to the delays.


Last, all of the help to the recruiting system won't help when the people that you recruit spend a year waiting for basic...training systems need to be fixed just as much...

 

[Springroll]

3.  Most importantly, tell the lawyers to go home.  Better to have a 2 month recruiting process where there are a few mistakes made than a 6 month process where you end up losing good candidates due to the delays.

Last, all of the help to the recruiting system won't help when the people that you recruit spend a year waiting for basic...training systems need to be fixed just as much...

AMEN to both of these!!

 

[navymich]

1.  Remove responsibility for component transfers from the CFRC.  Ultimately, it's the career managers who are responsible for filling all of the slots on their posting matrices- CFRG just gets a number from the manglers that they have to hit.  Make that number a target moving quarterly adjusted on the basis of CTs and you remove maybe 5-10% of the workload from the overburdened CFRCs.  There's nothing that a CFRC provides that could not be done locally (res brigades have PSOs, bases have B Hosps to do medicals, fitness testing is outsourced- or done by PSP).

CT's have been moved into the CFRC to speed up the process.  Yes, I know, sounds unbelievable.  But after doing numerous studies, it was determined that a reservist could release and begin a new application and re-enroll faster then going through the system.  Therefore, they eliminated the requirement of the request through the chain and the visits with the BPSO.  Not saying that CT's couldn't be removed from the CFRC, but alot of work needs to be done first to ensure that a system is in place to handle them.  Which would also mean many reservists falling back under the over-burdened BPSOs.

2.  Remove reserve recruit processing from CFRCs and make their role one of quality control.  The reserve stuff was in-sourced from units in the first place

This one I highly agree with.  Reserve units have their own recruiting budget.  They know who and what they are looking for and how many and when the person can start and what they can offer them etc etc moreso then the recruiter downtown.  Too often I have seen the case where the potential reserve recruit goes to the CFRC and is never seen again because they were convinced to go RegF.  Not saying there is anything wrong with this, more power to them.  But, it would help with the reserve recruiting drives by allowing the units to process their own.

Off-topic a bit from the the main subject, I know, but working on these points will go along way towards the bettering of CFRC.

 

[Hot Lips]

3.  Most importantly, tell the lawyers to go home.  Better to have a 2 month recruiting process where there are a few mistakes made than a 6 month process where you end up losing good candidates due to the delays.


Last, all of the help to the recruiting system won't help when the people that you recruit spend a year waiting for basic...training systems need to be fixed just as much...
[/quote]  I would agree with these points...I must say the frustration has been the hardest part of the whole process...but we're gettin' there...lol

HL