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Reconstitution

You seriously underestimate the level of woke/aggrieved/waiting to be offended people in Canada. Sigh.
I suspect that even that has a limit.
If the allegations of Russian interference in both the DFW airport GPS navigation and sub seas internet cables are true - when a few planes crash in Canada and folks can’t stream their favorite shows the Gov will be forced to act.
 
I doubt there will be a correction to the force, until there is an active war and Canadians are dying again.
Which is sad and unnecessary, but...
The CAF faced that 20 years ago - and it seems the lessons learned are lost on today's CAF.
 
I wonder if certain occupations - like the CAF, police and emergency services - overlook the psychological impact of retirement.

If members miss the sense of identity, meaning and purpose that came with the job. Isn't that at least one of the reasons they joined?

I didn't really like some of the guys back then. But, now, at the luncheons, I love every one of them. Especially those no longer with us.

Life can be funny that way.

Perhaps retired CAF members feel the same way?



Fortunately, I was just a plebe. They didn't expect much, and that's what they got. Tones go off. Doors go up. Wheels rolling. Simple as that. :)
I miss the monkeys (well, most of them, there were some I didn't like then and still don't) - but not the circus.

The hardest impact I saw was with folks who either didn't have a personal plan or who had so totally botched their finances and personal life (too many ex-spouses) that retirement scared them. I knew of one member, years ago, who became so despondent with his upcoming retirement that they had to take his weapon and he went on sick leave.

Our Association runs voluntary pre-retirement seminars for both the member and partner and they are quite successful. The one aspect they repeat is the need for a plan. It doesn't matter if it's making lawn whirly-gigs in the shop, but something to get you out of bed in the morning. I suppose like many others, I've seen the gamut. Some retire on Friday and start a new full-time job on Monday (never quite figured that out). Some treat it as a new beginning (including, in some cases, a new spouse) Some grow hair and buy a motorcycle. Some try to parlay a hobby into an income (often unsuccessfully). And on and on. Some maintain ties through attending Vets. luncheons, others seem to be never heard from again.

I get the comradery, but I never felt law enforcement was some kind of special calling. It was an honourable profession that, it you enjoyed and were good at it (or at least some aspect of it), it was rewarding but, if you hated it and only hung around for the money (too lazy to work, too honest to steal) it was a long haul. No doubt, it can wear you down. Like other emergency services, you get to see people at their very worst, but sometimes get to work with folks at their very best. I suppose part of the comradery is talking to (reminiscing with?) others who 'get it'.
 
I wonder if certain occupations - like the CAF, police and emergency services - overlook the psychological impact of retirement.

If members miss the sense of identity, meaning and purpose that came with the job. Isn't that at least one of the reasons they joined?
There are stats that show men age 65 - 70 ish are suiciding at a greater rate. I will look into that
 
Optics.

You can't be discriminatory if the selection process includes someone in a marginalized group, right?

It's like the PAO telling Photo Techs to focus on getting shots that highlight our diversity; mainly by hounding one of the 3 females at an event, or searching for the elusive Sikh or Muslim soldier to plaster all over promotional items.

I would hate to be tasked with sitting on a board soley because I provide some form of credibility to a process deemed biased. You're no longer there on your own merits.

I asked the question about the β€œDefence advisory group member” on selection boards; β€œif there is non identifying info on the mbr other than their name, rank trade and scoring info, what bias is being avoided exactly”.

There was no answer given.

Yea I don't get it. Like I can see the optics of "we're doing something!" angle but shouldn't we have a general somewhere that says "stop, this is stupid".

Does CFTPO have data fields for race and sexuality?

"Can we get a gay Black or Asian-Canadian MWO please. Low-rank = bisexual."
 
I wonder if certain occupations - like the CAF, police and emergency services - overlook the psychological impact of retirement.

If members miss the sense of identity, meaning and purpose that came with the job. Isn't that at least one of the reasons they joined?

I didn't really like some of the guys back then. But, now, at the luncheons, I love every one of them. Especially those no longer with us.

Life can be funny that way.

Perhaps retired CAF members feel the same way?



Fortunately, I was just a plebe. They didn't expect much, and that's what they got. Tones go off. Doors go up. Wheels rolling. Simple as that. :)

The CAF is pretty clear that it doesn’t GAFF about retirees. That’s someone else’s job.

Unless, of course, senior CAF members (who you wouldn’t urinate on if they were aflame) ask you for a job and you can return the favour :)
 
I'm not sure where I read it but I recall seeing something about new selection boards for promotion will have 1x board member who is a member of the LGBTQT2S+ community

How does one join this community? Is there a fee that one pays like mess dues? What are the requirements for proof of membership?
 




The CAF is pretty clear that it doesn’t GAFF about retirees. That’s someone else’s job.

CAF retirees can join the Legion.

The association I belong to is for members who have served a minimum of 25 years on the department.

All service is full-time, as there are no part-timers.

You are presented with your gold watch, and quarter century lapel pin at your first meeting from the chief, or a deputy.
 
0/9... it's OK though, they're only Toons.

Ombuddy fires for effect ;)

Ombudsman slams military's treatment of injured reservists, rangers​



OTTAWA β€” Canadian Armed Forces ombudsman Gregory Lick is criticizing the military's treatment of ill and injured reservists and Canadian Rangers, saying the organization is failing to address long-standing gaps for Canada's part-time soldiers.

The gaps were first identified by the ombudsman's office during four separate investigations between 2015 and 2017, at which time the military promised to take action by implementing nine watchdog recommendations.

But in a new report released late Monday, the ombudsman’s office found that none of the nine recommendations have been fully implemented over the past five-plus years.

"Certainly, I'm disappointed that they haven't been able to action or make progress on all the recommendations," Lick said in an interview.

"There are nine recommendations out of the four reports, and none have been fully implemented."

The report comes as the military is struggling with a personnel crisis, with about 10,000 vacancies across the Armed Forces β€” which represents about one position in 10. The shortage is particularly acute in the middle ranks.

The situation has become so dire that the chief of the defence staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre, issued a sweeping reconstitution order earlier this month making the recruitment and retention of personnel the military’s top priority.

Addressing the problems identified by his office would assist with those efforts, Lick said, particularly in the retention of experienced reservists and rangers who may otherwise hang up their uniforms because of untreated illnesses and injuries.

"If they wish to make movement and make great progress β€” which they need to β€” on reconstituting the Forces, the reserve force being a large elements of that, they have to get the foundation correct," Lick said.

"Making progress on our recommendations, that will make a greater, better foundation for moving ahead on reconstitution."

The ombudsman's previous studies identified gaps in reporting, treating and compensating illnesses and injuries suffered by reservists and rangers, who operate primarily in the North on a part-time basis, as a result of their military duties.

Those include a lack of followup after reservists are deployed on military tasks, excessive red tape in asking for assistance and compensation and issues with the military not communicating what help is available.

The update comes as many reservists are being asked to step up on missions both at home and abroad. That includes the recent deployment of about 700 part-time military personnel to Atlantic Canada after Hurricane Fiona.

Senior commanders spoke to the House of Commons defence committee last week about the impact the current shortage of full-time and part-time Armed Forces members is having on the military writ large.

"We're making difficult choices about what we can do for operations," said Royal Canadian Air Force commander Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny.

"We are consciously looking at what capabilities we’re privileging over others to make sure that we are not overstretching our members."

 
I just came back from promotion boards and even without a non-affiliated member the scoring of the files was pretty comparable across the board.

With the PARs in PACE, there is just a wall of scoring criteria and a tweet at the end to summarize the year's performance. There was no SCRIT for the trades doing the pilot, but think it will be really hard to have guidelines on how to score things based on the narrative. Things like second language, range of experience, deployements and instructor/leadership positions will really take the front seat in differentiating files.

edit to clarify: there was no scrit available ahead of time for people writing PARs; no idea what they did for the promotion boards that had PERs/PAR for this recent year.

My trade has been on the pilot and has a SCRIT. πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ
 
I miss the monkeys (well, most of them, there were some I didn't like then and still don't) - but not the circus.

This - this is where I am at and I’m not even retired yet.

Since 2015 (when I was on impact and the fighters were pulled out, and a few other events happened) my GAFF has plummeted.

I’ll miss the people but when I hand in my helmet bag for good, I won’t wake up my first day of freedom crying.

I’m also picking up hobbies and stuff now so I have stuff to do in addition to driving Mrs EITS bonkers. If postings are β€œwhat you make of it”, so is retirement.

Don’t let the position you are in the CAF or wherever you earn your pay be your identity. They don’t care about you nearly as much as you should care about yourself.
 
This - this is where I am at and I’m not even retired yet.

Since 2015 (when I was on impact and the fighters were pulled out, and a few other events happened) my GAFF has plummeted.

I’ll miss the people but when I hand in my helmet bag for good, I won’t wake up my first day of freedom crying.

I’m also picking up hobbies and stuff now so I have stuff to do in addition to driving Mrs EITS bonkers. If postings are β€œwhat you make of it”, so is retirement.

Don’t let the position you are in the CAF or wherever you earn your pay be your identity. They don’t care about you nearly as much as you should care about yourself.
Good ideas EITS. I am really struggling with retirement. With the move to a foreign country, the things I enjoyed in Canada are no longer available, so that puts a barrier up.

Certain things, that the Belgian people accept, drive me crazy. My wife says I need to calm down, I am not in that place yet.
 
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Good ideas EITS. I am really struggling with retirement. With the move to a foreign country, the things I enjoyed in Canada are no longer available, so that puts a barrier up.

Certain things, that the Belgian people accept, drive me crazy. My wife says I need to calm down, I am not in that place yet.

You should write about that.

Bill Bryson needs some competition ;)
 
Good ideas EITS. I am really struggling with retirement. With the move to a foreign country, the things I enjoyed in Canada are no longer available, so that puts a barrier up.

Certain things, that the Belgian people accept, drive me crazy. My wife says I need to calm down, I am not in that place yet.
Trailer Park Boys Drink GIF


I hear the Belgians make good beer 😁
 
My trade has been on the pilot and has a SCRIT. πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ
Sure, but there wasn't one available for the writing period. My big takeaway from doing the promotion board was you need to look at the scrit. Justifying leadership, communication were absolutely critical but frequently not done to the detriment of the member.

If there is going to be something critical for the PARs that needs to be in the 2 lines of text for people to get scored really needs to be well understood.

Assuming they are playing it by ear for the pilot, and there will be some kind of useful feedback for the CAF, but my takeaway is to get the SCRITs and make sure you tick the boxes, vice going off someone's imperfect understanding who may have never been on a selection board.
 
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