Download or read book Building the Army’s Backbone written by Andrew L. Brown and published by UBC Press. This book was released on 2021-12-15 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In September 1939, Canada’s tiny army began its remarkable expansion into a wartime force of almost half a million soldiers. Building the Army’s Backbone tells the story of how senior leadership created a corps of non-commissioned officers (NCOs) that helped the burgeoning force train, fight, and win. This innovative book uncovers the army’s two-track NCO production system: locally organized training programs were run by units and formations, while centralized training and talent-distribution programs were overseen by the army. Ultimately, this two-pronged system produced a corps of NCOs that collectively possessed the necessary skills in leadership, tactics, and instruction to help the army succeed in battle.