Retention

The CAF excels at recruiting new reservists. The greater challenge lies in retention — keeping members engaged and motivated over the 5 to 6 years it typically takes to progress from Private (Pvt) to Master Corporal (MCpl), or from Second Lieutenant (2Lt) to Major (Maj).

While recruitment and retention are not officially part of the Honorary’s mandate, there are meaningful ways you can contribute to reducing turnover and strengthening unit cohesion. Your presence, support, and advocacy can make a real difference in creating an environment where reservists feel valued and inspired to stay.

Websites

Most units maintain a website. While it’s debatable whether anyone under 25 still uses websites for information (as opposed to TikTok or Instagram), it’s still worth ensuring your unit’s site is current, well-designed, and functional. If it’s out of date or unattractive, find out who’s responsible and help fix it. A professional website is an effective communication tool — especially for bridging the gap between reservists and their employers. And good employer relations are critical to reservist retention.

Coins

Military culture has a fondness for collectibles — especially coins. Step into any CO’s office, and you’ll see shelves lined with boldly designed challenge coins, each marking an encounter or shared experience:

“Here’s the coin General So-and-So gave me.”

“I forget who gave me this one, but I think it looks cool.”

Fortunately, custom coins are inexpensive and easy to source. Here’s a useful supplier:

https://www.brandedmatter.ca/custom-coins-canada.html

As an Honorary, you’re encouraged to design and distribute your own custom coin. Hand them out to members who participate in field exercises — they’ll appreciate the recognition. If you have the financial means, consider producing a special edition coin for the Command Team, to be awarded for exceptional contributions or milestones.

Support Unit Events

Events like Soldiers’ Dinners, Mess Dinners, and Stand-Down BBQs are important for morale and cohesion — but they often operate on tight budgets. If you’re able, consider making a donation to your unit foundation to help subsidize these events. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the unit mess, helping to enhance the overall mess experience — another key factor in retaining engaged reservists.

Leverage Your Network for Professional Development

Think about the interesting and knowledgeable people you know, and how they might contribute to the professional development of your unit. For example, if you’re the Honorary of a medical unit involved in Arctic operations, invite a colleague with clinical experience in the North to give a one-hour talk on the health and social challenges facing Inuit communities. Professional development that aligns with the unit’s operational context is invaluable — and your network may be the key to unlocking it.