# Is A Release A Release?



## RPCLI (1 Sep 2004)

If you are Honourably Discharged from the army does that mean that you are still in.I am asking this because a friend of mine said that he voluntarily released himself and I saw the certificate that said Honourable discharge.He also said that he had to be back Jan 14,I do not believe him and was wondering if any of you could help me.Any info on anything would be helpfull thank you


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## beach_bum (1 Sep 2004)

If you are discharged, it means just that.  You are out.  Maybe your friend has signed back up?


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## hiv (1 Sep 2004)

I know in the American military there's a certain period of time after you're discharged that you can be recalled into active duty but I'm fairly certain we don't have anything like that in Canada.


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## RPCLI (1 Sep 2004)

So they wouldn't just discharge you for awhile and tell you to come back.He said that he VRd(volountarily released himself to see if he could do something better out here.But the army said that he has untill Jan 14th and he has to be back.Is that possible or is he just afraid to tell us that he is out for good.Thank you for the reply any other comments would be appreciated.


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## beach_bum (1 Sep 2004)

No, the army wouldn't be giving him a "grace period" once he's released and then just let him return.  A release is a release.


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## bossdog (3 Sep 2004)

Upon release you are asked if you want to be put on a supplementary reserve list. This is supposed to make it easier if you decide to join up again or join a reserve force.  Theoretically, the sup res list could also be used to call you back for duty but I don't that has ever been executed in Canadian history.

I could be wrong, but I think you have to be out for one year before you can join back up again in the RegF.

He could very well be joining a reserve unit in January.


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## Release Section (11 Oct 2004)

All you ever wanted to know about Release but were scared to ask:
CFAO 15-2 http://www.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/015-02_e.asp, QR&O Chapter 15 http://www.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/qr_o/vol1/tofc15_e.asp, Moving On Handbook http://www.pep.forces.gc.ca/engraph/handbook/handbook_e.asp and Your Pension Plan and Release Pay Benefits http://www.dnd.ca/admfincs/dappp/handbook_e.asp.

Everyone above is correct:  release is release and is final.  Transfer to the Supplementary Reserves is common (makes it easier to transfer to Primary Reserves or back to Reg F later) and some folks transfer directly to the Primary Reserve.  There are three key dates in the release process:  (1) final clearance (self-explanatory), (2) retirement leave commencement (if you have leave in the bank), and (3) release date (end of retirement leave if applicable).  After your release date, we do not call you back to play unless it is to have a beer and maybe present you with a late Certificate of Service or something like that.


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## George Wallace (11 Oct 2004)

Kings Town Jimmy said:
			
		

> I could be wrong, but I think you have to be out for one year before you can join back up again in the RegF.



I think you've got that one backwards.  You have a certain time limit on rejoining.  If you reenlist within one year (perhaps it is one and a half years) you can be accepted back with all your previous rank and qualifications.  You may even be exempt a Medical, as your Release Medical may still be valid.  If you wait too long you will land up having to do Basic all over again.  Release Section can confirm dates and things such as the Medical Requirements that are necessary after certain lengths of time as those are things he deals with and is current on.

GW


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## pbi (11 Oct 2004)

Maybe I am no longer correct on this, but I believe that members of the Regular Force, for a period of one year after realease from the CF, are subject to immediate recall in an emergency. Is that still on the books somewhere? Cheers.


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## Release Section (12 Oct 2004)

CFAO 15-2 Annx C (9):

_Re-Enrolment for an Emergency.  During an emergency the CF may wish to re-enrol former members to assist a rapid expansion of the CF.  To identify suitable former members, the member's CO shall, in accordance with Annex A, indicate whether or not the member being released is suitable for such
re-enrolment._

Your CO will determine your "suitability for emergency re-enrolment" on your release documentation (unless you are medical or being booted for serious disciplinary reasons, in which case, NDHQ will determine this).  You will be suitability:

(A) for employment in MOC without restrictions, 

(b) (B) for employment in MOC with restrictions, or 

(c) (C) not employable. 

I think emergency re-enrolment is highly unlikely in Canada in this day and age.  Conscription has always been a political hot potato.  Warfare is very high tech, efficient and violent these days.  We won't have months and years to "rebuild" what our government has so callously dismantled over the last 10 (40?) years.  Maybe when the big earthquake hits and Edmonton becomes ocean-front property we will need to re-enrol folks for disaster relief?


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## pbi (12 Oct 2004)

Release Section said:
			
		

> CFAO 15-2 Annx C (9):
> 
> _Re-Enrolment for an Emergency. During an emergency the CF may wish to re-enrol former members to assist a rapid expansion of the CF. To identify suitable former members, the member's CO shall, in accordance with Annex A, indicate whether or not the member being released is suitable for such
> re-enrolment._
> ...



Actually, to use the current US experience as an example, here in Afghanistan there are lots of US military; Regular, Reserve and Guard who thought they had been released but find themselves recalled and serving, sometimes much to their surprise and discomfort.  Despite the widely-held impression that modern warfare is "high-tech and efficient' the US are in serious need of Infantry,both here and in Iraq. "Real" modern war-that is to say the sort of wars that are actually being fought today or are likely to be fought in the near future, demand lots of good quality Infantry, as well as other MOCs as well. "High-tech" does not replace boots on the ground, at least not in 2004. Some US Army Air defense and Field Artillery units are in the process of reduction in order to produce positions that can be used for new Infantry units, and here in Afghanistan soldiers from Field artillery and Armour units are being employed in a dismounted ground security role. The situation is much the same in Iraq.
So, I think there's no question that modern war still requires large numbers of people.
The reference you quoted seems to refer to suitability for voluntary re-enrolment-what I was looking for was a provision (that I'm sure I once read somewhere...) that RegF can be recalled to duty for up to a year after release. So, I guess that doesn't exist anymore, or never did? Cheers.


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## AmmoTech90 (12 Oct 2004)

Could it be that he's on terminal leave until Jan 14th?

You are still enrolled until then, could you pull your release up until that date (with CoC concurance)?


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## pbi (12 Oct 2004)

AmmoTech90 said:
			
		

> Could it be that he's on terminal leave until Jan 14th?
> 
> You are still enrolled until then, could you pull your release up until that date (with CoC concurance)?



This sounds more like it-he may have to go in at the end of his TL to complete some clearance admin; hence the "going back". Cheers.


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