I__. - International Military Testing Association

their implications in light of socio-demographic trends in the
Canadian population and organizational changes planned for the
reserves, are highlighted in this paper. A profile of
reservists is presented first. This is followed by data on the
Canadian public's knowledge of, and attitudes toward, the
reserves.
FINDINGS
A. SURVEY OF RESERVISTS
The reserves are dominated by young, single males. At the
time of the survey, thirty-one percent of the reservists were -.
students and 18% were unemployed. Together, these two groups
comprise almost one-half of the reserves. Of the remaining 51%
who were employed, about 24% were Class B or C Reservists, and
thus in continuous ful!l-time employment with the military. In
comparison to 1976, there has been only a modest change in the
percentage who are employed. However, there has been a
substantial increase in the percentage who are unemployed and a
decrease in the percentage who are students. This is an
indication of how closely tied reserve recruitment and
retention is to the employment situation in the Canadian
economy, and in particular the regional economy - relationships
well documented in regular force research.
The reserves are attracting and/or retaining more personnel
who have or are achieving post-secondary education. Of the
reservists who were attending school in 1976, 66% were in high
school, 17% were in college and 16% were enroled in university.
The recent survey indicated that 50% of the students were in
high school, 20% were in college and 30% were in university.
The increase in reservists with, or attaining post-secondary
education reflects the greater emphasis on education in
society, the greater technical demands in some areas of the
forces, and the use of reserve activity to subsidize
post-secondary education costs.
Many reservists have prior experience with the military -
forty percent had been members of the cadets and 20% had
previously been in another reserve unit. Ten percent of primary
reservists had served in the 'regular force. Ex-service members
provide expertise and training that is difficult; if not
impossible, to recruit from the civilian work force. There are
some 65,000 ex-regular force members who would be suitable for,
but are not members of the reserves (Bossenmaier, 1987).
Our study indicated that word of mouth was the most common
first source of informatiori on the reserves. Only 7% of
reservists reported that formal advertising had provided their
first. information on the reserves. National advertising
campaigns have not been the focus of reserve recruiting in the
past, however, they are an effective means of directing a
specific message to a target population. Indeed they may
provide a very functional mechanism to enhance public awareness
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