Developing the next generation of leaders

I am exceptionally proud to have served with the Canadian Armed Forces in the Defence of the Country and especially having graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC). ?

https://everitas.rmcalumni.ca/flashback-1993-where-industry-gets-captains/

“Nearly every major military among Canada’s allies has its own institutions for the training of officers, a system that traces its roots to the specialization of warfare in the 19th century. RMC opened in the 1870s and today has more than 1,000 full-time students, both graduate and undergraduate. 22 percent of cadets are Women.”

My cadet brothers and sisters are strong, highly-intelligent, motivated and disciplined. We really believed in Truth, Duty, and Valour [honour and integrity]. We shared experiences, exhilaration, tests and trials and formed life-long bonds. ?

In addition to an Engineering degree, I had mandatory courses in leadership and management, psychology, sociology, philosophy, ethics and law. As a Cadet officer, I was given pragmatic leadership experience for four years before graduating and taking command of my first army unit. ?

In addition to academic and military components of the program, there was a heavy emphasis on sports and team work. RMC was the most efficient, well run and professional organization that I have ever been apart of. It was meant to be the gold standard for leadership. Only a small fraction of my 1st year class ended up graduating and taking leadership roles in the CAF - standards were high.?

It wasn’t all fun and games. It was tough. But it was what I signed up for as did everyone else.?Were there shenanigans - absolutely. Mostly harmless practical jokes or ‘skylarks.’??

Notwithstanding, RMC was predominately a young male culture when I arrived. Not toxic, but certainly testosterone fuelled. The introduction of female cadets began only a couple of years earlier. I remember my recruit class, on the very first day being told in no uncertain terms, as we stood to attention, that there would be zero tolerance for any harassment, intimidation, discrimination or hazing of any kind. We attended multiple lectures yearly on the subject. RMC was not the type of place that one generally breaks the rules.?

That being said, we did see and hear of sexual harassment.?I can’t say if it was more or less than what occurs on a typical university campus, but was generally unwelcome and unacceptable. We tried to shut it down, and report it. Cadets were charged. Behaviours modified.?Frankly, I did not catch all of it or even see everything, because I (like many of my brothers and sisters) was carrying a full academic load (three times the number of courses as a regular university), competing in two varsity sports teams and engaged on military activities during working hours including leading junior cadets.?People slipped through the cracks both victims and offenders.?

Hearing decades later, about some incidents, is heart-wrenching.?

I absolutely agree that Military Colleges need to emphasize socialization, diversity, equality, inclusivity and mainstream Canadian values which as soldiers we have sworn to protect. But recommending tearing down the institution is narrow-sighted and ill-conceived. ?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-arbour-report-recommends-rethinking-of-military-colleges-emphasizing/

We also need to put matters into perspective. Every university in Canada is struggling with sexual assault, harassment issues, drinking, drugs and out of control partying. Throwing the next generation of leaders into a civilian university and hoping for the best after four years is risky. In military college, there was persistent supervision and selection. Many did not make it, for reasons other than academics. Officer leadership education is not just about degrees. It builds character, fitness, professionalism and discipline required for war.

That being said, a institution like RMC. whose goals are to develop leaders, needs to be held to the highest standard.?We can do better and we will need external perspectives and a willingness to substantively evolve.

It is worth recognizing that RMC will likely adapt to cultural change faster than the regular forces. It's existence as an institution is likely key to reforming the enterprise.

Part of the social challenge is keeping cadets confined to the campus with limited interaction with the real world.

Perhaps, we should:

• Let cadets out more;
• Seek gender equity and diversity in enrolment including LGBTQ;
• Provide additional courses emphasizing normative values, ethics, and code-of-conduct beyond what is already taught;?
• Facilitate the rapid dismissal of cadets and staff engaged on sexual harassment, and charge all assault cases in civilian court;
• Set up a process where victims can raise concerns to both chain of command and an independent representative or civilian authorities while ensuring privacy and discretion;
• Offer more courses and degrees other than principally engineering to attract a more diverse student body;
• Employ more civilian professors and instructors at gender parity;?
• Allow cadets to take at least one course, in person, at a local University;
• Reduce the course-load to what is reasonably expected of a regular university;
• Support weekly sports exchanges/practices with local clubs, colleges and universities.
• Allow cadets to go on to post grad at a civilian university immediately after undergrad.