You may wish to take note of this recent CANFORGEN:
CANFORGEN 168/14 CMP 075/14 301730Z SEP 14
RELEASE FROM THE CAF
UNCLASSIFIED
REFS: A. QR AND O CHAPTER 15 - RELEASE
B. CFAO 15-2
C. CDS DELEGATED RELEASE AUTHORITIES TABLE DATED 26 APR 04
D. DAOD 5049-1
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RECENT CASES OF CAF PERSONNEL INCURRING FINANCIAL COSTS (SUCH AS SELLING HOMES OR MOVING FAMILIES), AGREEING TO EMPLOYMENT OFFERS FROM EXTERNAL AGENCIES, OR COMMITTING TO OTHER SUCH OBLIGATIONS PRIOR TO THE APPROVAL OF THEIR RELEASE FROM THE CAF. THIS PRACTICE IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME IN THESE SPECIFIC CASES:
PERSONNEL WHO HAVE LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF SERVICE,
PERSONNEL WHO ARE ASKING FOR A WAIVER OF THE USUAL SIX MONTH NOTICE WHERE THIS IS APPLICABLE, AND
PERSONNEL WHO HAVE INCURRED OBLIGATORY SERVICE COMMITMENTS
THIS CANFORGEN PROVIDES A GENERAL RECAP OF THE EXISTING POLICIES AS DELINEATED IN THE REFS WHILE PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO PERSONNEL CONSIDERING RELEASE FROM THE CAF IN ANY OF THE ABOVE THREE CIRCUMSTANCES
FOR PERSONNEL WHO HAVE LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF SERVICE BUT WHO HAVE COMPLETED RECRUIT TRAINING, PARTICULAR ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO PARA 39 OF CFAO 15-2 WHICH STATES QUOTE A MEMBER . . . WHO . . . REQUESTS VOLUNTARY RELEASE WILL NOT NORMALLY HAVE THAT REQUEST APPROVED . . . FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS COMMENCING FROM THE DATE OF ENROLMENT UNLESS COMPASSIONATE CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST UNQUOTE. THUS, UPON RECEIPT OF ANY REQUEST FOR RELEASE FROM A MEMBER WITH LESS THAN THREE YEARS SERVICE, THE AUTHORITY SHOULD CONSIDER PRIMARILY WHETHER OR NOT A COMPASSIONATE SITUATION EXISTS. ANY MEMBER UNDER THIS SITUATION WHO REQUESTS AN EARLY RELEASE WITHOUT A COMPASSIONATE CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD NOT EXPECT THEIR REQUEST WILL BE APPROVED
FOR PERSONNEL WHO ARE ASKING FOR A WAIVER OF THE USUAL SIX MONTH NOTICE (AND WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE THIRTY DAY NOTICE AS DELINEATED IN PARA 40 OF REF B), THE AUTHORITY TO RELEASE WITH LESS THAN SIX MONTHS' NOTICE RESIDES WITH D MIL C IAW REF C. IN THIS REGARD, D MIL C PAYS PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE STATE OF THE OCCUPATION IAW THE MOST CURRENT PREFERRED MANNING LIST FIGURES. IN CASES WHERE THE OCCUPATION IS CONSIDERED HEALTHY (GREEN), THESE WAIVERS WILL GENERALLY BE ENTERTAINED BY D MIL C IF THE MEMBERS CHAIN OF COMMAND (AS THE RELEASE AUTHORITY) SUPPORTS. HOWEVER, WHEN AN OCCUPATION IS CONSIDERED UNDER CAUTION (AMBER) OR DISTRESSED (RED), ONLY IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHERE MILITARY AND PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE, WILL D MIL C ALLOW A WAIVER OF THE SIX-MONTH NOTICE. NOTE THAT APPROVALS FROM D MIL C WITH REGARDS TO THE RELEASE WAIVER WILL REMIND THE UNIT THAT THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO RELEASE FOR PTE TO CWO RESIDES WITH THE BCOMD OR CO
FOR PERSONNEL WHO HAVE INCURRED OBLIGATORY SERVICE COMMITMENTS DUE TO SUBSIDIZED EDUCATION OR A RECRUITING ALLOWANCE, THEIR RIGHT TO VOLUNTARY RELEASE IS RESTRICTED. THE FACT THAT THE MEMBER IS WILLING TO REIMBURSE THE CROWN DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ENSURE THAT THE RELEASE WILL BE AUTHORIZED BY DGMC, EVEN IF THE MEMBERS CHAIN OF COMMAND IS SUPPORTIVE. IN FACT, MEMBERS SERVING PERIODS OF OBLIGATORY SERVICE WILL NOT NORMALLY BE RELEASED ON VOLUNTARY REQUEST. REF D FURTHER STATES THAT VOLUNTARY RELEASE QUOTE MAY BE APPROVED BY DGMC WHEN THERE ARE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES AND IF THE EXIGENCIES OF THE SERVICE PERMIT UNQUOTE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE FURTHER DEFINED TO BE COMPELLING IN NATURE AND UNIQUE TO THE MEMBER. IN MOST INSTANCES, ONE OR THE OTHER OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IS NOT IN EVIDENCE AND THERE IS NO IMPETUS FOR DGMC TO APPROVE A VOLUNTARY RELEASE
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF AT ALL LEVELS OF THE CAF TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PERSONNEL WHO ARE CONSIDERING A VOLUNTARY RELEASE THAT REQUIRES HIGHER LEVEL APPROVAL DO NOT MAKE ANY FINANCIAL OR OTHER COMMITMENTS PRIOR TO ENSURING THAT THEIR RELEASE IS APPROVED. WITHOUT THIS FIRM DIRECTION, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A MEMBER TO BE PLACED UNDER A HARDSHIP CONDITION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SIMILARLY, ALL OF THE ABOVE REQUESTS MUST BE MADE WITH AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE AND WITH THE NECESSARY SUBSTANTIATION (DESCRIBED ABOVE) TO RENDER A DECISION THAT IS FAIR AND CONSISTENT. REQUESTS OF THIS NATURE ARE TREATED AS A HIGH PRIORITY BY ALL D MIL C STAFF, WITH DELAYS STEMMING ONLY FROM THE NEED TO ENGAGE PERSONNEL OR THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
