The loss of qualified paratroopers was only one of 1 Cdn Para Bn's growing pains, and a more ominous problem soon faced LtCol Bradbrooke. In the fall of 1942 morale plummeted when the senior military leadership decided that conscripts drafted into the Army under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) were entitled to join the parachute battalion. This infuriated the paratroopers: the inclusion of these soldiers implied that the battalion would never see active duly overseas, because NRMA personnel were designated for Home Defence service only. Fortunately, the crisis was quickly averted. Senior staff in Ottawa, as well as the officers charged with the discipline and training of 1 Cdn Para Bn, immediately advised the Chief of the General Staff (COS) that the inclusion of NRMA personnel was sending the wrong message and causing serious recruiting and retention problems. The problem was quickly rectified by an announcement from the CGS that 'all parachute volunteers for the 1 Cdn Para Bn must be active personnel'.
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