Part 4: Military recruitment

4.1
In this Part, we discuss NZDF's progress with increasing:

• personnel numbers in the Air Force, Army, and Navy; and
• personnel numbers, and effective personnel, in the critical trades and ranks.

4.2
The Defence Funding Package enabled NZDF to recruit and retain personnel with the right skills and experience to meet the Government's expectations. However, it is not easy to recruit trained personnel from the general labour market. Therefore, much of the time, NZDF must recruit and train its military workforce.¹

Increasing personnel in the Air Force, Army, and Navy

The Army achieved, and slightly exceeded, its target personnel numbers. The Air Force achieved about 97% of its target personnel numbers. The Navy achieved about 96% of its target personnel numbers.

4.3
The Air Force, Army, and Navy set annual targets for personnel numbers for each of the Initiative's 10 years. We expected NZDF to meet its personnel targets for the foundations phase.

4.4
The results for the foundations phase (up to 30 June 2008) were as follows:

• The Air Force's target was 2570 personnel. It reached 2504 personnel (about 97% of the target), which was 66 personnel fewer than planned.
• The Army's target was 4733 personnel. It reached 4754 personnel, which exceeded the target by 21 personnel.
• The Navy's target was 2103 personnel. It reached 2020 personnel (about 96% of the target), which was 86 personnel fewer than planned.²

4.5
Delays in receiving the new Protector Fleet, and resulting attrition, affected the Navy's performance (see Part 8). The attrition rate also affected the Air Force's performance (see Part 5).

Increasing personnel in critical trades and ranks

The deployment rate and attrition were the main reasons that NZDF gave us for making slow progress in improving the numbers and effectiveness of personnel in critical trades and ranks. Only 10 of the 31 critical trades and ranks improved during the foundations phase.

4.6
Personnel who are assigned to a position matching their training and rank are described as "effective". To become effective, personnel need access to the right equipment to train with. For example, during the foundations phase, the Navy sent bridge watch officers to train with the Royal Navy because of delays with the Protector Fleet (see Part 8). This was expensive, but allowed training to continue.

4.7
Critical trades and – in the Army – critical ranks are important because they are needed to start and complete missions safely and effectively. These trades and ranks are "critical" even when they are fully staffed and personnel are effective. In total, NZDF has identified 31 critical trades and ranks.

4.8
NZDF sought to increase the numbers of effective personnel in the critical trades and ranks. No specific targets were set, but improvements were expected in each critical trade and rank during the foundations phase.

4.9
NZDF made slow progress in this area: there were improvements in only 10 of the 31 critical trades and ranks by the end of the foundations phase. Between 30 November 2004 and 30 November 2008,³ the numbers of effective personnel in the:

• Air Force increased for one trade and decreased for four trades;
• Army increased for two trades, stayed the same for four trades and ranks,⁴ and decreased for 11 trades and ranks; and
• Navy increased for three trades and decreased for six trades.

4.10
Most of the 31 critical trades and ranks experienced improvements at some time during the period we have reported on, but these improvements were not sustained.

4.11
NZDF told us that the deployment rate (see Part 2) and higher-paid job opportunities outside NZDF were the main reasons for declining numbers of effective personnel in the critical trades and ranks. We discuss other reasons for attrition in Part 5.

1: Recruits are usually trained in an operational, technical, or support trade or are trained as officers. Some specialists, such as chaplains, psychologists, or engineers could hold some qualifications before enlisting. Personnel are promoted when opportunities are available, and if they have the right skills and experience.

2: We asked NZDF to update these figures. The results at 30 June 2009 were as follows. The Air Force had 2595 personnel (about 99% of their target), which was 14 fewer personnel than planned. The Army had 5003 personnel (about 99% of their target), which was 52 fewer personnel than planned. The Navy had 2104 personnel (about 96% of their target), which was 91 fewer personnel than planned. NZDF says that financial constraints were the main reasons the Air Force and Army did not met their targets. The Navy experienced high attrition and did not meet recruitment targets.

3: These dates take in the foundations phase, which was from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008.

4: In analysing NZDF's personnel numbers, we considered that the numbers of effective personnel had stayed the same when any change was 2% above or below the 2004 numbers.