Intheweeds,
Yes there may be some truth to what you have said but I believe your first day in the door is for YOU testing to tell you what you can or cannot do. I suppose the brain washing may then occur.
As for pilot being a priority job the ADF may well be being proactive (hard to believe). Eventually the commercial side will crank up again and the experience drain will start. Also the people walking into recruiting for an aviation career are low, very low. Hence pilot as a priority.