# Hardship Allowance and Risk Levels



## BirdDog (9 Sep 2011)

Hey Folks,

Long time lurker... first time poster. I currently have no access to the DWAN due to my current deployment and was hoping someone may be able to provide some insight WRT subject reference.

After an exhaustive search on this forum and the CBI website, I was unable to locate the criteria/direction for establishing HA and each Risk Level. Specifically, what constitutes HA allowance entitlements and each Risk Level assessment. 

Any assistance in locating this information would be greatly appreciated. If the references available are DWAN only... please post content here for the reason mentioned above. Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
BD


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## AmmoTech90 (9 Sep 2011)

There is large survey that is filled out for each location.  Points are allocated and depending on the number of points the level is determined.  The ones I got to complete when I was deployed to a remote location was hard copy.


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## Jarnhamar (12 Sep 2011)

Can anyone tell me why our dozen or so unarmed soldiers in the Congo are getting full hardship and risk allowance in between trips to the local gym/pool and facebooking?


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## frank1515 (12 Sep 2011)

Grimaldus said:
			
		

> Can anyone tell me why our dozen or so unarmed soldiers in the Congo are getting full hardship and risk allowance in between trips to the local gym/pool and facebooking?



They're not...

http://cefcom.mil.ca/sites/page-eng.asp?page=7470 

HA=4 & RA=3


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## Halifax Tar (12 Sep 2011)

Grimaldus said:
			
		

> Can anyone tell me why our dozen or so unarmed soldiers in the Congo are getting full hardship and risk allowance in between trips to the local gym/pool and facebooking?



You might want to suck back and reload that statment there lad.


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## Jammer (12 Sep 2011)

You're welcome to go there and tell them to give it back...


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## CountDC (12 Sep 2011)

could be the risk they face everyday along with the excellent food and accomodations they have.  I have seen pictures from that mission and it is not the fun and games your comment makes out.


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## aesop081 (12 Sep 2011)

Grimaldus said:
			
		

> Can anyone tell me why our dozen or so unarmed soldiers in the Congo are getting full hardship and risk allowance in between trips to the local gym/pool and facebooking?



Have you been there to find out or are you just too good for that ?


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## Pusser (12 Sep 2011)

Grimaldus said:
			
		

> Can anyone tell me why our dozen or so unarmed soldiers in the Congo are getting full hardship and risk allowance in between trips to the local gym/pool and facebooking?



I talked to a guy who was given the choice between a tour in Afghanistan or an UNMO tour in Congo.  He regretted choosing Congo and swore he'd never make that mistake again.

One thing to consider in these sorts of things is the fact that in a place like Afghanistan and other large CF missions, you're there with a few thousand well-armed close friends who dress like you.  There are armoured vehicles, air support, safe supply of food, etc.  In a place like Congo  there are only a few of you, you are vastly outnumbered by a well-armed local population, you have none of the trappings of a powerful military force and you get your food and water from the same sources as the locals.  In short, a number of factors are significantly different and are assessed accordingly.


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## Fishbone Jones (12 Sep 2011)

The point's been made. Stop the dogpile.

Milnet.ca Staff


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## Jarnhamar (12 Sep 2011)

Always late for the dogpile eh CDN Avaiator lol

Looks like I was misinformed by my friend who's currently there, apologies are in order of course.

I recognize my mistake and will be sure to correct it,  I'll sign up for the next tour there and necropost later


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## aesop081 (12 Sep 2011)

Grimaldus said:
			
		

> Always late for the dogpile eh CDN Avaiator lol



Sorry, had work to do.

FYI, i was supposed to go to the Congo a couple of years ago to replace someone being pulled out of theatre. Unfortunately it didnt work out as they wanted me there "12 days ago".


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## BirdDog (13 Sep 2011)

Well alrighty then.... not that I don't enjoy a good hijack (very entertaining BTW), but I ask that we focus on the original spirit in which this thread was started. There has got to be an administrative Guru or SME out there that can address the original query... much appreciated!

Cheers,
BD


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## frank1515 (13 Sep 2011)

There is a committee that sits, and they decide which mission merits what HA and RA. It's all the information I can provide other than when I worked in the J1 shop, we'd send a rep.


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## BirdDog (14 Sep 2011)

I know all about the committee, thanks. I understand that they sit twice a year... In fact, I believe one is sitting any time now.

However, that was not the original query which was: 

What criteria/ direction is used to determine each level of RA & HA and where can that information be found? (references please) 

Cheers,
BD


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## Pusser (14 Sep 2011)

The J1 Staff at CEFCOM should be able to provide a copy of the questionnaire.


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## Sigs Pig (14 Sep 2011)

10. Who determines what the Hardship and Risk levels are at a CDS Designated International Operation?
ANSWER. The Hardship and Risk forms are completed on behalf of the Canadian Task Force Commander and submitted to the Departmental Hardship and Risk Committee (DHRC) for assessment. The DHRC consists of the Chairperson, COS OPS CEFCOM; Deputy Chair – COS SP CEFCOM; Secretary J1 CEFCOM. The members are SJS, J3 CEFCOM, CANSOFCOM, CANADA DOM, CANOSCOM, DCBA, TBS and an RCMP rep. Upon review of the forms the DHRC makes a recommendation to the CDS. The CDS is the signing authority for the Hardship and Risk levels.

11. When are new Hardship and Risk levels effective?
ANSWER.  The rates are effective the first day of the month following the DHRC meeting.

12. What counts toward my HA Bonus? Is it the same as my OPS FSP point count?
ANSWER. IAW CBI 10.3 (MFSI) HA Bonus may be paid for anytime from 01 Nov 74 to present that the member was Posted, Attached Posted or on (Attached Posted (Temporary) this form of manning status was not effective until 01 Oct 98) to a DCDS International Operation or now a CDS Designated International Operation. However, the member must have been paid some form of hardship allowance. 


You must have been paid one of the following while serving at a CF international operation:

Between 01 Nov 74 – 30 Nov 95:

Foreign Duty Allowance (FDA) for personnel Attached Posted into the operation; or 
Post Differential Allowance (PDA) for personnel Posted into the operation - very few members would be Posted into an operation, these were usually United Nations Military Observers (UNMO's).  
Between 01 Dec 95 - 31 Mar 00:

Post Differential Allowance (PDA)  for Attached Posted, Attached Posted (Temporary) or Posted into the operation. 
Effective 01 Apr 00 :

Hardship Allowance (HA) for personnel Posted, Attached Posted or Attached Posted (Temporary) into the operation.  
Clerks will have to confirm by a pay history that the member was paid some form of hardship allowance.  DND has had DCDS/CDS International Operations that were not granted any form of hardship at all for example, OP ECHO in Italy didn't qualify for PDA but when it was closing down later qualified for HA effective 21 Sep 01, OP FOUNDATION in Florida does not have any form of hardship. 

Personnel who are/were posted outside CA to "permanent peacetime" or now called "assignment" hardship locations such as Moscow would have been in receipt of PDA, so you will have to ensure the member was on a DCDS/CDS International Operation and not posted into a permanent assignment position.

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dgcb-dgras/pd/fs-se/faq/oa-io-eng.asp

ME


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## frank1515 (14 Sep 2011)

Note: COS Ops and COS Sp CEFCOM no longer exist. They have been replaced by a "COS" and several "ACOS"s, most notably ACOS SWA, ACOS INTL and ACOS SP.


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## BirdDog (16 Sep 2011)

Sigs Pig, thanks... I found that info in my search as well;however, it does not address the information I am actually trying to track down.

It appears that either no one that has read this thread thus far either knows or the info is not privvy to those not directly invovled with the assessments.

Again, to be clear, the information I am interested in learning is:

What specific criteria is used to deternmine RA1, RA2,etc...
What specific criteria is used to deternmine HA1, HA2,etc...

Any insight (with references), again, is much appreciated.

Cheers,
BD


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## ModlrMike (16 Sep 2011)

The levels are set by the Departmental Hardship and Risk Committee. They determine the criteria for each post and the subsequent HA/RA. You might need an ATI request to get the specific details, but the basics are covered in the CBI, Chapter 10: Military Foreign Service Instructions. Specifics might also be acquired by contacting DGCB.


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