National Defence committee  It is different across the country. This is the first thing I think we have to understand. You can't take a cookie-cutter approach with the country and try to say that every province is the same in social makeup. So it is a slightly different approach, agreed? I'll turn it over to Commodore MacKeigan to tell you what's happening on the west coast, on the diversity side, and then I'll turn over to Karol to tell you a little bit about the programs we have at the other end.

National Defence committee  On the pay side, when you talk about benefits I don't think we want to be a place where it's all about money. I know in other countries it has become that. As Commodore MacKeigan will tell you, many of the recruits understand that very early on. The pay is actually very, very good.

National Defence committee  Agreed. It is not a dissatisfier.

National Defence committee  Ah; great question. We got the data for that yesterday: it's not true. Karol, you can jump in here on what we've found.

National Defence committee  The figure you want to kind of hold onto--my folks and I have looked at this, and we always provide this advice--is the number of rotations. After your third rotation is when you really start thinking about whether you should stay or whether you should go. All the way up to the third rotation in anything, be it Afghanistan or the Congo, operationally, it is still part of the challenge of why you joined.

National Defence committee  As I'm sure you're aware, committee members, we could talk for hours on this stuff. But I know we don't have hours, so I apologize.

National Defence committee  I'll turn it over to Karol, who is driving that piece.

National Defence committee  On the other hand, remember, everything is open. It's very different from other militaries. Everything is open, including combat. I was in Israel about a month and a half ago, looking at the ill and injured program they have in place. They have a very different approach. Every nation, based on its social views, has a different approach on how you employ everybody.

National Defence committee  I'll give you a quick answer and I'll let Karol give you the details. We've looked at it all. When it comes to bonuses and incentives, our sense is that it will have little effect on the 19- to 24-year-old age group because it's not about money. Compensation benefits in the Canadian Forces are very good today.

National Defence committee  It's great business for Saint-Jean, especially for the Corporation du Fort Saint-Jean.

National Defence committee  In the end, it has worked with a different style and approach. We're keeping you around a little bit longer now. If people do want to leave, and they're adamant, we'll let them go. We'll let them go. But the number has dropped dramatically by changing our approach, putting in some policies.

National Defence committee  But he was the only one. I've gone down and visited three times now. I've gone quite a bit to Saint-Jean. I've visited and talked to those in that fitness company. There's a company structure to it. They come out of there, after 30 days, fit. Then they carry on with their training.

National Defence committee  Do you want me to answer the second one?

National Defence committee  What I'll do, Mr. Chair, is give a quick answer to the first question, then turn it over to Commodore MacKeigan. We'll come back to the second one. Having been intimately involved with what happens at recruit school, I'll answer your question as if Mr. Jack Harris were a recruit.

National Defence committee  On the second one, we looked into this issue of what is going on between year zero and year three, particularly at the recruit school. What happens is you walk into a recruiting centre...and remember, it is my team that actually approves the recruiting advertising. It comes from Dan himself, put together by public affairs.