Marketing the reserve Part 1 [ Attractors,Drivers and negatives ]

[DeV]

"Managing Retention in the TA"
An Aide Memoire on Unit & Sub-Unit Retention

http://www.4para.com/RetentionTAM/index.html

[ODIN]

I like the line "Allow leaders to be leaders". could it work here?!?

[sgtbilko]

I think the only way that the reserve could recruit and retain reservists is
A ) rotate cadre staff and bring in new younger cadre ncos with fresh ideas and get rid of some of the old dinasaurs who havent seen a GPMG since 1976 and there are many.
B ) Bring in alternative training from time to time and not just corp training during the training year
ie in some units the same training at the same time without change every year.
C ) rdf leaders be leaders and lead by example and show civvies and pdf that your fit to fight

[trellheim]

Good. Sorry I haven't had time to come back to this thread in a while. I do promise to put together some conclusions from comments.

[JAG]

Complete equipment issue on day 1, replaced as necessary.
One paid weekend a month.
One paid month a year.
Paid training nights.
Challenging & achievable training and targets.
Liability for compulsory overseas service.
Instruction & training by regular soldiers, regularly rotated/provided by the BTC.
Fcuk drill. Fcukit and dammit to hell.
Annual retention bounty for achieving individual requirements.

Copy the TA.

[The Sultan]

Instruction & training by regular soldiers, regularly rotated/provided by the BTC

Spot on.

JAG, if you were given the chance to change the system, would you, even though your gone?

[ODIN]

Jag I agree with everything you say except for 1 point...you cannot get rid of drill...just because the TA did it does not mean its right.

[trellheim]

Which of the communications media would it be worth advertising in ?

1.For the entire RDF ?
2.For local units ?

How do other organizations do this ?

[The Sultan]

Word of mouth. Alot of people haven't heard of organisations like OoM, SJA, Civil Defence, RDF etc.

Its gonna need more than a few ads in the Northside People.

[ODIN]

Go to schools and colleges, power point presentations, national media, local media....bombard the public with information on all aspects of the NEW RDF...

[ackack]

Which of the communications media would it be worth advertising in ?

1.For the entire RDF ?
2.For local units ?

How do other organizations do this ?

TV ad campaigns and dedicated OFFICIAL unit websites and posters are the way to go. Seeing as most people are recruited when they are in school or college, a poster in the school would help out, also a stand for each local unit in the ilcal uni or IT for their clubs and soc day would yeild a lot of recruits.

[Docman]

also a stand for each local unit in the ilcal uni or IT for their clubs and soc day would yeild a lot of recruits.

Been doing it for a while. Unfortunately students have a lot of societies and clubs to choose from, and the Reserve is not a popular one.....

You would be surprised how few join up, especially when the Barracks is more than a few minutes walk away.

[DeV]

You would be surprised how few join up, especially when the Barracks is more than a few minutes walk away.

My company (now a platoon (post-reorg)), never had a problem getting people who were interested in joining, the problem is getting them in and keeping them.

The problem with getting them in is mainly time:
Paper work is very repetative (same questions asked multiple times)

The security clearance has to be back before the audiogram is organised (i've seen a case where it took 6 months). It now goes via the Brigade Intelligence Officer. Offically the potential recruit should not be on DF property / sitting in on lessons untill the security clearance is back.

The audiogram has to be done before the medical, there are very limited places.

A strict list of personnel qualified to do the medicals has been issued.

Then once attested, wait a number of weeks for the army number to come back. Then longer to eventually get a uniform.

The link I posted above for improving retention in the TA has many excellent ideas.

[Steamy Window]

On the question of retention, this might be useful:

http://www.4para.com/RetentionTAM/

[Docman]

The security clearance has to be back before the audiogram is organised (i've seen a case where it took 6 months). It now goes via the Brigade Intelligence Officer. Offically the potential recruit should not be on DF property / sitting in on lessons untill the security clearance is back.

I'd check those procedures again. Security clearances tend to be the last thing we get, everything else already having been completed....