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Canada moves to 2% GDP end of FY25/26 - PMMC

You'll also lose alot of money working for the CAF if you have a civilian job that pays pretty average wages.

But money isn't why we do it, is it. Is it? ;)
A few friends/coworkers of of mine are going through this issue right now. They are going on training and authorized leave without pay from their employers. But not authorized for schedule change. They make significantly more then the Military pays, they are having to make some pretty big choices to get their training done going forward. Hopefully the military does not cancel their courses, because that will cause further problems.
 
A reader posted an interesting thesis in another forum, possibly worth considering in this discussion. YMMV.



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Knew a Reservist who had his front teeth knocked out in the field and the CAF refused to pay to replace them. He basically made no money that summer due to how much it cost to have them replaced. A real ‘Thanks for your service’.
 


I saw that article and that is one of the reasons I suggested including group insurance in the incentive package.

That would be nice.

Would the incentive package match this ?

( The last two sentences are important. )

Permanent Modified Work

Employees who are placed in a permanent alternate position, due to an occupational injury/illness (as defined by the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board), will receive the wage rate of the position to which they are assigned. If the pre-injury rate of pay is higher than the relocated position rate, then the pre-injury rate is to be maintained. It is understood that the pre-injury rate is subject to all wage increases negotiated.
 
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CFSATE as instructor would be worse than Cold lake. Probably why they were, likely still are I’d imagine, having issues getting people into Borden.
 
You'll also lose alot of money working for the CAF if you have a civilian job that pays pretty average wages.

But money isn't why we do it, is it. Is it? ;)
No you won’t. CAF wages are now well above average, so if your civvie job is paying ‘pretty average wages’, you’re fine.
 
No you won’t. CAF wages are now well above average, so if your civvie job is paying ‘pretty average wages’, you’re fine.
I had to look up to see how much of a difference it is now. A Cpl gets paid $209.28 a day now, which isn't too bad. Considering in the PRes it is two years to get to that point you can be in college/university with a approximately 76k a year full time job (obviously not working full time). Just about the best part time job you can get.
 
Monthly collective exercises, with arranged transport from the satellites to the site of the training event should be a thing.
See, that's the thing. In my world, a mandatory weekend a month and a two week summer concentration is all that you are required to do once DP1 is completed. So no sweat having a single, fully manned company in some outlying area that can raise a full company. I draw the line at having anything like a platoon hanging out in a storefront of a strip mall.

By all means have individual training done as much as possible remotely, but in general, armies work on the basis of teamwork which means a significant time must be spent together - working as a team. You only get so much value doing section battle drills in a parking lot. Full companies, squadrons and batteries is where the real collective work begins.

🍻
 
See, that's the thing. In my world, a mandatory weekend a month and a two week summer concentration is all that you are required to do once DP1 is completed. So no sweat having a single, fully manned company in some outlying area that can raise a full company. I draw the line at having anything like a platoon hanging out in a storefront of a strip mall.

By all means have individual training done as much as possible remotely, but in general, armies work on the basis of teamwork which means a significant time must be spent together - working as a team. You only get so much value doing section battle drills in a parking lot. Full companies, squadrons and batteries is where the real collective work begins.

🍻
Units need to focus on collective, not individual, training.

If ARes units spend their time on recruiting and DP1 training, they fail.
 
Units need to focus on collective, not individual, training.

If ARes units spend their time on recruiting and DP1 training, they fail.
That's exactly what I believe.

In fact in my mind there should be regional individual training battalions (a tier or two down under CADTC) who administer and conduct individual training under BTLs and ATLs including extension courses. That said, there are always some annual individual training activities - like annual range classifications - that need to be done by units.

But we're 100% in agreement that units should focus on collective training.

🍻
 
Units need to focus on collective, not individual, training.

If ARes units spend their time on recruiting and DP1 training, they fail.

As I recall, most of the KPIs for the CO were individual skills related so, guess what, there was alot of focus on PWT and FORCE tests - and gawd forbid Pte Bloggins did not complete their mandatory online tests - but there was no focus on any mandatory collective training beyond what the unit/ bde managed to dream up.

You know, like the infamous redo of 'Saving Private Ryan' ... ;)
 
I seem to recall an awful lot of 40 minute classes in front of a chalkboard.

I recall fewer days in the field practicing practical skills

I recall a lot fewer days on the ranges.

I recall very few collective training events.
 
As I recall, most of the KPIs for the CO were individual skills related so, guess what, there was alot of focus on PWT and FORCE tests - and gawd forbid Pte Bloggins did not complete their mandatory online tests - but there was no focus on any mandatory collective training beyond what the unit/ bde managed to dream up.

You know, like the infamous redo of 'Saving Private Ryan' ... ;)
Para 23 of chapter 2 of B-GL-300-008 - Training Canada's Army (1992 version) - indicates that Level 4 Training (sub-unit) "is the upper level of competency for collective training in the Reserves, beyond which resource constraints are normally prohibitive."

For ARes gunners Level 4 was easy - a BC, a FOO, a CP, 2 guns and a BSM - basically 28 people - were good enough to train all aspects of a battery's functions. They did that three to four times a year before they even got to the summer concentration. For the infantry and armoured corps that basically platoon or troop was the best before summer.

In the summer. With a bit of work you could get in Level 5 (working with a combat team) and Level 6 as to regimental fire and movement. Maybe even a bit of Level 6 combined arms if the supported arms were up for it.

🍻
 
I seem to recall an awful lot of 40 minute classes in front of a chalkboard.

I recall fewer days in the field practicing practical skills

I recall a lot fewer days on the ranges.

I recall very few collective training events.
I think and I hope that the dark days reflected in your comments will soon be only seen in the rear view mirror although there is nothing wrong with using a chalkboard as a teaching aid: just not by itself. From what I understand the budget for days in the field and days on the ranges and collective training was one of the first things that got axed in the Trudeau/Cretien days. Hopefully it will be one of the first things brought back as it doesn't require any collective agreements, contracts or order papers: just common sense
 
Units need to focus on collective, not individual, training.

If ARes units spend their time on recruiting and DP1 training, they fail.
Unfortunately we have been failing because of this for a long time. Not enough instructors at the schools, changes to courses that download IT to unit responsibility, etc.... I always hear the crawl, walk, run, speech about train. Well, units shouldn't be crawling on CT, thats what training course are for. We should be walking and running by the end. To many crawl and check the box for BTS, when in reality, the troops gained nothing.
 
I think and I hope that the dark days reflected in your comments will soon be only seen in the rear view mirror although there is nothing wrong with using a chalkboard as a teaching aid: just not by itself. From what I understand the budget for days in the field and days on the ranges and collective training was one of the first things that got axed in the Trudeau/Cretien days. Hopefully it will be one of the first things brought back as it doesn't require any collective agreements, contracts or order papers: just common sense

In fairness I would have appreciated more field days, a lot more range days and at least some collective training events.
On the other hand those chalkboard classes would have been required in any event. And they have stuck with me over the decades.

Those are lessons that I believe could be delivered on-line and that could be monitored locally. An assigned tutor or mentor to administer TOETs.
 
In my world, a mandatory weekend a month and a two week summer concentration is all that you are required to do once DP1 is completed.

It worked.

On SSEP, we were all 16 - 17 years old. So, you could get your "wheel and propeller" trade badge while in high school.

After high school, my employer kept reservists on full salary and benefits for the two week summer concentration.

Which cost city taxpayers your 80 hours, plus another 80 hours at OT rate to cover your shifts.

So, that two weeks actually cost them five weeks in salary.

No need to use vacation. Which was a good thing, as I did not have enough seniority for summer vacation anyway.

As MSE Ops, if you had your Troop Carrying Endorsement ( TCE ) you could work every weekend, if you wanted, in support of the District.

Im not longer in the place in my life where I am regularly applying for jobs, but there would be times I would be tempted to just not mention the fact that I'm reservist, as it is not a protected ground (which it probably should be).

I mentioned the fact that I was a Reservist during my FTE Interview.

They said that was OK, as Military Service was covered in the Collective Agreement.




 
Which cost city taxpayers your 80 hours, plus another 80 hours at OT rate to cover your shifts.

So, that two weeks actually cost them five weeks in salary.

I think something we need to consider is some kind of reimbursement to employers for employees missing time. This might help reduce employment discrimination against reservists.
 
I think something we need to consider is some kind of reimbursement to employers for employees missing time. This might help reduce employment discrimination against reservists.

That can get you part of the way there but some employees take with them entire sets of skills which the employer may not be able to duplicate.
 
That can get you part of the way there but some employees take with them entire sets of skills which the employer may not be able to duplicate.

No situation is perfect. But I think some compensation will go along way towards improving good will and making reserve service something employers can more easily support.
 
You mean something like a "Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program"?

I wonder what might show up if you google that phrase?
 
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