Single Quarters & Rations (R&Q) [MERGED]

[Eye In The Sky]

Yup, its the new way, unless you are TD to the Trg Establishment.

I'm guessing you are a new CT to the Reg's;  things are different from the PRES and this is one of them now.

 

[George Wallace]

Yup, its the new way, unless you are TD to the Trg Establishment.

I'm guessing you are a new CT to the Reg's;  things are different from the PRES and this is one of them now.

Yup!  You are now in a full time job.  Like every other working stiff in the country, you will have to pay for your food and accommodations. 

Oh!  Don't forget.....You also have to pay Taxes, CPP, EI, PS Dental and Health Plans, SISIP if you got it, etc.

 

[DAA]

I've been on a lot of military courses - this is the first time I've heard of a course where they make you pay for rations and quarters.  What's the reasoning behind this?

My guess would be that you're "Posted BTL" to the training establishment for initial occupation training.  Nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Madjai]

Ahhh ok... How's it work if you have a house and spouse in another city then?  Sorry, a bit new to this.

 

[DAA]

Ahhh ok... How's it work if you have a house and spouse in another city then?  Sorry, a bit new to this.

Seeing as they have done away with Separation Expense, the only thing that you will get is "Free Quarters" but you will still have to pay for Rations.

 

[IrelandMama]

Hello, I am the spouse of a CF member who is currently completing DP1 training. I searched the threads containing information about exemptions for rations and/or barracks/housing during training, much of which was last posted in 2010. I understand there has been significant overhaul and cost-cutting measures since, and am seeking current numbers of allowances. Some background: during my spouse's BMQ training, we owned a home and furnished the CF with copies of our mortgage agreement from our lender, but were always deducted rations and quarters irrespective of those mortgage commitments. I assume then, that the CF no longer provides any break for those already paying a mortgage? Further, we weren't given any separation allowance, therefore; I assume separation is something only regular force (after BMQ/training is complete) members are entitled to? Or have they eradicated that benefit entirely? Needless to say, we were forced to sell the home promptly. Since then, my spouse was awaiting training (PAT) for 7 months, and was relocated two provinces over to complete DP1 training. We relocated our family to modest apartment nearby at our own cost. Currently, the CF continues to deduct rations and quarters, and requires (understandably) that my spouse remain in barracks for the duration of his 8 month training. Is this correct? Or are we missing out on exemptions we ought to be claiming? Finances are, understandably, very tight and any break we may be entitled to receive would be welcome. We remain committed to our choice of joint the CF family, and understood the financial and relocation challenges, most especially during the initial first year or two of training --- just want to be certain we are getting what we should be. Any assistance would be much appreciated.

 

[DAA]

Rations are a must and have to be paid for while undergoing training.  Quarters, however, should be free of charge provided one of you continue to maintain a "principle" residence somewhere.

 

[PMedMoe]

Quarters, however, should be free of charge provided one of you continue to maintain a "principle" residence somewhere.

Now that they've sold their house and moved at their own expense, there may not be a provision for this.  I do agree that the member should not have been paying for quarters as long as they owned the house.  I would advise the member to seek help/info from their clerks.

 

[IrelandMama]

Thank you for your reply. I'm still trying to make sense of all the deductions, but does $500 per month for rations alone sound correct? Just seems very steep for feeding a single person for a month. (Although I can appreciate if this figure is indicative to the staff they employ to prepare meals.)

 

[IrelandMama]

We sold the home quickly, thankfully --- but we were paying for both rations and quarters during BMQ as well as our mortgage payments. He was unsure if bringing it to the clerk's attention now had any merit; I suppose we would be reimbursed retroactively perhaps? Thank you for your guidance Much appreciated.

 

[PMedMoe]

but we were paying for both rations and quarters during BMQ as well as our mortgage payments. He was unsure if bringing it to the clerk's attention now had any merit; I suppose we would be reimbursed retroactively perhaps?

Yes.  He should go and get this sorted out.

but does $500 per month for rations alone sound correct?

Unfortunately, yes...

 

[DAA]

Now that they've sold their house and moved at their own expense, there may not be a provision for this.  I do agree that the member should not have been paying for quarters as long as they owned the house.  I would advise the member to seek help/info from their clerks.

Entirely possible, given that there was a relocation which took place after enrolment.  This sounds like a rather "complex" issue and as PMedMoe has indicated, best handled by your local orderly room.

The current published rate for "Full" Rations is $538.72 per month.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Entirely possible, given that there was a relocation which took place after enrolment.  This sounds like a rather "complex" issue and as PMedMoe has indicated, best handled by your local orderly room.

The current published rate for "Full" Rations is $538.72 per month.

That's a crazy amount, if I spent that a month on groceries, me and the dogs would be eating pretty well. 

 

[PuckChaser]

I feed a family of 4 with good quality food for less than $400 a month. We're scamming our new soldiers...

 

[Loachman]

Now factor in the percentage of your mortgage that pays for your kitchen and diningroom, the cost of the appliances to store, prepare, and cook the food, diningroom furniture, cooking vessels, and dinnerware, the percentage purchase, insurance, maintenance, and operating costs of the car with which you go shopping for food, percentage of your mortgage that pays for the driveway and garage for that car, percentage cost of utilities used for food storage, preparation, and waste disposal, percent cost of property taxes that cover the kitchen and diningroom of your house, and the salary of those who prepare your food, and your household PMed Tech who makes sure that nobody gets food poisoning, and......

Businesses have to account for all associated costs. Non-profit organizations do, too. The CF has to pay for more than just the food itself.

 

[KerryBlue]

I feed a family of 4 with good quality food for less than $400 a month. We're scamming our new soldiers...

I don't see it that way. Coming from university the CF charges less for Rations and Quarters then universities do for room and board..
From CFLRS website

For Non-Commissioned Members: If you are single, you must pay rations and quarters throughout your stay at the School at a cost of $663* per month.

The cheapest room and board you can get here at Carleton university is 9,901. http://housing.carleton.ca/fees-and-food/ Meal Plan D, and that only provides you with 5 meals per week. That works out to 1237.63$ a month and you still need to purchase food for 10-15 more meals assuming your eating three square meals a day. Meal plan F which is unlimited meals per week is 11,138$ or 1392.25$ monthly.

 

[OldSolduer]

I feed a family of 4 with good quality food for less than $400 a month. We're scamming our new soldiers...

It goes to pay for the civilian kitchen workers I'm sure......and other things.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I don't see it that way. Coming from university the CF charges less for Rations and Quarters then universities do for room and board..
From CFLRS website


The cheapest room and board you can get here at Carleton university is 9,901. http://housing.carleton.ca/fees-and-food/ Meal Plan D, and that only provides you with 5 meals per week. That works out to 1237.63$ a month and you still need to purchase food for 10-15 more meals assuming your eating three square meals a day. Meal plan F which is unlimited meals per week is 11,138$ or 1392.25$ monthly.

It's nice you don't see it that way.  I'm being sarcastic.  I actually think you are out of your lane and should STFU.  Just being honest.  University has nothing to do with this and isn't used as a basis of 'anything' in the equation.

What IS part of the equation is, for example, taking a 30 year old male, with a wife and 3 kids and a mortgage into the CF, paying him at the lowest pay scale in the CF (Pte recruit), taking him away from his family and home for an extended period, and making him pay $500+ a month for mess hall food and it is entirely likely more than is being spent to feed remainder of his family.  Moreover, it is the reasoning behind it and the change from 'the way it was before' for an extremely long time that leaves some of us frowning at this kind of 'policy change'.

Before you start criticizing CF policy too much, maybe think about waiting until you're at least thru the recruiting process.  :

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Mess halls are, essentially, a restaurant, albeit with a limited menu.

What do you think you'd spend a month if you ate 3 X day, 7 days a week in a restaurant?

 

[TCM621]

Mess halls are, essentially, a restaurant, albeit with a limited menu.

What do you think you'd spend a month if you ate 3 X day, 7 days a week in a restaurant?

If I have a problem with the food at s restaurant, I complain and it gets fixed.  If I complain in a mess hall, I get yelled at by a sgt. They are not the same. It is more akin to prison food (in process if not quality). Prisoners eat for free. Just saying. [emoji6]

I would pay 600 dollars a month to eat at a CF restaurant every day where I ordered off a menu and had my food cooked to order.  Instead, I'll walk into a mess hall see 3 choices I don't like and have to decide if I want to eat food I don't like or order pizza paying twice for the same meal.

I would prefer a debit system.  if you swipe your card you are charged what ever that meal works out to. If you don't want to eat there you aren't charged.