NL-Outsidethebox [confederation]

I've never seen the moral of my fellow soldiers serving in Canada's armed forses as high as when they did an exercise in Newfoundland and Labrador! Unfortunately I didn't get to participate, but the stories and exploits were talked about for months following the MAR Ex I believe it was called.

An easy way of addressing moral issues in the military IMHO would be to either have more exercises in NL or increase the military presence of the military in NL by establishing more bases.

Since NL joined Canada after the last big military build up IE WWII no real military presence was ever established in NL because it wasn't apart of Canada at the time when the military for Canada was being established. The presnce that was here was in the form of American bases and they have since left, leaving a giant void where ther used to be a military presence in one of the most strategic locations for all of north america. There is more military presence in the far north with the DEW line than there is in NL.

There are at present four bases in NL which are either all but abandoned or on the road to abandonment with Argentia, Stephenville, Gander, and 5 wing Unhappy Valley Goose Bay.

Since NL supplies 10% of the military's personnel it's understandable why moral would be low with never having the possibility of ever being posted to a base in their native province. At least it has to be one of the factors, another would be the lack of military exercises that take place in NL.

Update:
If we can't get the federal Government to station regular forces in NL.
Why not do an end around and build up our Militia and cadet forces. Expand Northern rangers, Northern Rangers cadets/militia, Navy auxilary, Utilize the militia we already have more. Air cadets in Stephenville and Argentia to utilize the runways.