Thread: Recruitment up by 16 Per Cent

Very good article from The Times today concerning recruiting. A link there also to a cracking Mick Smith blog as well discussing the Paras (Did anyone know that the great and the good at the MOD have banned fiming by soldiers?). Both worth a read.

Having seen the draft of the Army Recruiting Plan for next year (a really crap effort by the way boys) it's interesting that this fine document continues to portray operations in Afghanistan and Iraqistan as a barrier to recruiting. Urban myth I would say - if anything it is pulling them in in droves.

Articles like Mick Smith's have also helped the process on hugely. ARP? Who need it?

Originally Posted by Storeman Norman

it's interesting that this fine document continues to portray operations in Afghanistan and Iraqistan as a barrier to recruiting. Urban myth I would say - if anything it is pulling them in in droves.

Whilst recruitment may be up by 16% with the percieved Operations bolstering the recruitment figures, this needs to be tempered against the figures of Armed Forces personell leaving due to overcommittment.

Whilst I have not looked at these figures directly, I am sure that a status of equilibrium will have been achieved between recruitment and Operational Manning losses.

Has "natural wastage" (ie: colour service limitations, medical discharges etc) been taken into consideration? If so, the recruitment figures will still fall short of replacing these personell.

Perhaps this is why the Army is 7000 short at present!!!!! Dress it up statistically whichever way you wish, but there is no denying that the Army is currently undermanned!!!!!!

All agreed. However in my view that's from the 'cup half empty' school of thinking. Sure there are many reasons why we shouldn't be complacent - and a turnover rate of +25% is way, way too much - but our manning would be a damned sight worse if we weren't pushing them in from the bottom in increasing numbers.

I noted with interest in my son's recent pass off parade, that the program notes referred to Iraq and Afghanistan as "Travel opportunities"

Originally Posted by RABC

I noted with interest in my son's recent pass off parade, that the program notes referred to Iraq and Afghanistan as "Travel opportunities"

A bit of a Busmans holiday?