Operation Transition - 30 day admin entitlement upon release

[ATIS-BOY]

REFS:


http://cda-acd.mil.ca/cds/doc/cocdseng.pdf

Effective 1 April 19, an Initial Transition Process will apply to all Regular Force and Primary Reserve members and their families who are considering leaving the CAF. As the initial authority, you are responsible to ensure the member is informed of these changes, has access to transition resources and completes the following steps outlined in Op TRANSITION and supported by Annex C of the My Transition Guide – Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life):

(KEY POINT) Grant the mandatory 30 calendar day protected window prior to the release date, from tasking or employment to allow members to concentrate solely on their transition.


https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/reports-publications/transition-guide/annex-c-appendix-1.html


In accordance with Operation TRANSITION direction, all members shall be granted 30 calendar days prior to the date of release to concentrate solely on transition activities and release administration during which they are unavailable for tasking or employment within unit. The focus must be on enabling them to complete ALL ADMINSTRATIVE ASPECTS PRIOR TO THEIR RELEASE.


https://ml-fd.caf-fac.ca/en/2019/02/24800


Rethinking transition
An initial transition process involving a number of elements will be implemented as of April 1, 2019. As part of this transition protocol, an aide-memoire will be distributed to the commanding officers of each unit, and there will also be a new transition guide that lays out the steps to follow for a successful departure from the CAF.
Enhanced online transition training will also be provided to all transitioning members through the Defence Learning Network (DLN).
A mandatory 30-day window during which members can concentrate solely on their transition will also be assigned by the various chains of command. During these 30 days, transitioning members will be not be available for home unit employment or taskings.
The CAF TG web page groups together information from key sources like Veterans Affairs Canada, the CAF and their partners.
The new My Transition app, a real Swiss Army knife of the transition process, is now available. This application contains a wealth of information for military members who want to prepare for their futures after their service in the CAF.
In addition to this new range of tools, a transition process pilot project is also underway at Borden. It should result in a new transition model that, once tested and validated, will be implemented throughout the CAF.
“The end goal is to inform, prepare and empower our members for life after service,” concluded BGen Misener.

 

[Milhouser911]

I just submitted a memo to be granted this period (which I learned of on my own, not because my CoC informed me of it) and am being told that "it doesn't mean 30 days without work.  Send us a list of your appointments and we'll make sure you can get to them".

Can anyone check the wording and confirm that I'm not totally out to lunch?

 

[Sub_Guy]

It does mean 30 days protected from employment at the home unit.

So your schedule should be wide open.  Seems black and white to me.  Not much room for interpretation.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I just submitted a memo to be granted this period (which I learned of on my own, not because my CoC informed me of it) and am being told that "it doesn't mean 30 days without work.  Send us a list of your appointments and we'll make sure you can get to them".

Can anyone check the wording and confirm that I'm not totally out to lunch?

Sound like your unit is making up their own rules.
Your unit isn't the only one doing this, some are "allowing" members a week or two. Others like yours it seems want an itimized list of appointments so they can employ you around them contrary to this order.

 

[kratz]

Ask for help from your Transition Centre (previously JPSU). They will provide your CoC with the written references regarding your 30 days transition to civilian life.

At the SCAN seminar last May, the staff presenting this information emphasised: no taskings, duties, watches ect...in fact, as you complete your checklist, you'll have no uniforms. The TC's Aide Memoir to COs regarding their responsibility to encourage all opportunities for you to transition to civilian life during this period.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I just submitted a memo to be granted this period (which I learned of on my own, not because my CoC informed me of it) and am being told that "it doesn't mean 30 days without work.  Send us a list of your appointments and we'll make sure you can get to them".

Can anyone check the wording and confirm that I'm not totally out to lunch?

Did you include Annex C Appendix 1 as a ref on your memo?  And include the specific passage:

In accordance with Operation TRANSITION direction, all members shall be granted 30 calendar days prior to the date of release to concentrate solely on transition activities and release administration during which they are unavailable for tasking or employment within unit. The focus must be on enabling them to complete ALL ADMINSTRATIVE ASPECTS PRIOR TO THEIR RELEASE.

If not...whoever told you 'that's not how it works' might just need to see Annex C Appendix 1 for their SA.

If I was releasing, I wouldn't be asking for permission from at the unit level to take the 30 days "no duties" period...it isn't up to the unit to grant/deny permission.

 

[Milhouser911]

Yeah, that's what I've seen as well.

How does a corporal go about 'not asking for permission' without getting himself charged with awol? I'm completely done with this Coc, who openly 'interpret' policy in whatever way allows them to say 'no', regardless of what is asked, what the policy says, or if saying no is beneficial to the unit or the member.

There's no time for a grievance, and I have no other channels that I'm aware of, so how do I take advantage of this mandatory period of time without getting myself charged?

I'm being 3b released after 14 years, and will be attending school in a different city. I have to list my house, set up accommodations down there, prepare for school, complete my release, and handle all of the admin that entails - this 30 day period would be incredibly beneficial to me, and it seems like I have no way to avail myself of it.  I've already bumped my release date 4 months to the left because my jpsu application was mishandled (submitted 17 Jan, still no word) and I'm coming to my wits end on how I'm going to get everything done by begging for the occasional half day off.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[gcclarke]

Yeah, that's what I've seen as well.

How does a corporal go about 'not asking for permission' without getting himself charged with awol? I'm completely done with this Coc, who openly 'interpret' policy in whatever way allows them to say 'no', regardless of what is asked, what the policy says, or if saying no is beneficial to the unit or the member.

There's no time for a grievance, and I have no other channels that I'm aware of, so how do I take advantage of this mandatory period of time without getting myself charged?

I'm being 3b released after 14 years, and will be attending school in a different city. I have to list my house, set up accommodations down there, prepare for school, complete my release, and handle all of the admin that entails - this 30 day period would be incredibly beneficial to me, and it seems like I have no way to avail myself of it.  I've already bumped my release date 4 months to the left because my jpsu application was mishandled (submitted 17 Jan, still no word) and I'm coming to my wits end on how I'm going to get everything done by begging for the occasional half day off.

Any advice is appreciated.

Honestly, if informing your CoC of the regulation in question doesn't work, and they continue to assign you duties as they see fit, I that that ultimately your only real course of action would be to just go about focusing on your release administration, and see what they do.

Maybe try talking to someone else who might be able to talk sense into your CoC, the release section, the Padres or even perhaps the JAG office? It's not like they can charge you without getting said charged vetted by the JAG folks anyways, so at the very least it might be worth it to give them a heads up about what the situation actually is before your CoC tries to misrepresent the situation to them if they try to get your charged with AWOL, such as perhaps neglecting to mention to the nice JAG folks that you were less than 30 days away from release at the time that you were supposedly away from your "duties".

Hell, perhaps tattle-tale while you're at it. Contact whoever is the supervisor for whatever idiot is making these stupid decisions. Everyone's got a boss; if your CO is ignoring regulations, then tell his boss on him.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Milhouser911 are you a reservist on a class b or c contract? Or Reg force?

If you're being 3b released then you would have got a release date from Ottawa.  If you didn't submit representation and just wanted out what did you use for justification to speed your release up by 4 months?

 

[Milhouser911]

Milhouser911 are you a reservist on a class b or c contract? Or Reg force?

If you're being 3b released then you would have got a release date from Ottawa.  If you didn't submit representation and just wanted out what did you use for justification to speed your release up by 4 months?

Jarnhammer:
I'm reg force, and was on a period of retention. My original release date was 9 Dec, 2019, so I had originally intended to use vrpsm to begin school in September. With all the administrative *ahem* difficulties, I decided that moving my release day to the end of August meant I would be done with all this bs and able to concentrate solely on school.

 

[Jarnhamar]

That makes more sense thanks.

The transition centers (jpsu) have a big spotlight on them right now with a lot of horse power.
You're being 3B released, your memo to be posted to a transition center was (apparently*) mishandled AND you're being denied your 30 days in accordance with op transition.

Your chain of command could (should) take some heat over this stuff if everything you've stated is accurate.

You could contact your designated transition center and bring your concerns up with them. They can likely engage your chain of command and help them understand the policy.



* unit CO's don't have to grant members postings to TCs but the chain of command is required to inform members of the status of their memo.

 

[Navy_Pete]

Don't recommend just not showing up; they can make your life really miserable, and even if it results in no charges it will waste a whack of time when you have better things to do.

Out of curiosity, is it the CO denying it or someone lower down the food chain?  A quick chat with the unit chief or CO may get it sorted (assuming they aren't part of the problem).

This isn't some policy weenie's suggestion either, the whole package is an order from the CDS to COs, with zero exceptions allowed. Would be surprised if this isn't being tracked by some kind of analytics and reported all the up to a two star in NDHQ so the transition centres have a lot of pull to shut down stupidity.

 

[PMedMoe]

Honestly, if informing your CoC of the regulation in question doesn't work, and they continue to assign you duties as they see fit, I that that ultimately your only real course of action would be to just go about focusing on your release administration, and see what they do.

Are they assigning "duties", or did they just say that it's not 30 days off work (which I could see being seriously abused)??

I just submitted a memo to be granted this period (which I learned of on my own, not because my CoC informed me of it) and am being told that "it doesn't mean 30 days without work.  Send us a list of your appointments and we'll make sure you can get to them".

Do you have an appointment every day of those 30 days?  If not, I guess you show up to work  :dunno:

When I released I was told by my supervisor not to start any new projects at work and to finish off those I could (and pass on info to my replecement).  Other than that, I was merely to answer questions that came in and go to meetings as required but mainly to concentrate on my release.

 

[gcclarke]

Are they assigning "duties", or did they just say that it's not 30 days off work (which I could see being seriously abused)??

Do you have an appointment every day of those 30 days?  If not, I guess you show up to work  :dunno:

I'm not sure what sort of distinction you're trying to draw between duties and work is? When one is told to do work, you're either "on duty" and thus required to do said work, or not on duty and thus not required to do said work.

I fail to see how the phrase "to concentrate solely on transition activities and release administration during which they are unavailable for tasking or employment within unit" can possibly be interpreted to mean that the unit is allowed to use the member for any "work", as said work would clearly be a tasking or employment within unit.

The notion that some people seem to have that it's only "appointments" that justify letting the member be away from "work" (which of course they're not supposed to be having during this time frame) is asinine. The person has a shit load of stuff to do, and only a small portion of it is stuff for which you'll make a scheduled appointment.

 

[Milhouser911]

Are they assigning "duties", or did they just say that it's not 30 days off work (which I could see being seriously abused)??

Do you have an appointment every day of those 30 days?  If not, I guess you show up to work  :dunno:

When I released I was told by my supervisor not to start any new projects at work and to finish off those I could (and pass on info to my replecement).  Other than that, I was merely to answer questions that came in and go to meetings as required but mainly to concentrate on my release.

Moe:  I suspect you were released prior to 30 Apr 2019, which is when this policy came into force.  While I understand that I should be reasonable and conduct a handover, answer questions, and make sure I'm not leaving a disaster for my replacement/the unit, this policy states quite clearly "All members will be provided with a mandated 30 calendar day period by their chain of command, to concentrate solely on their transition and during which members are unavailable for tasking or employment by their parent unit"  I will have everything cleaned up prior to the 30 days beginning, and then IF it fits with my admin and release plan, I can come in and do a bit extra of my own volition.

They're playing word games with the definition of "employment".

Have you ever seen a mental health chit that said "Member not to be employed in a military setting"?  Does that mean the CO can say "Well you can't work, but you have to ATTEND this military setting every day"?  Of course not.  The definition of "employment" is pretty obvious.

You say if I don't have an appointment every one of those days, then I guess I have to show up to work.  Why?  I can't be employed, so I'm basically being ordered confined to barracks during workdays?

 

[PMedMoe]

Well, I guess I waded in with the wrong argument.

Yes, I released prior to this policy.

Sorry, but I can still see this being abused without some kind of monitoring.  Just MHO.

And someone can still be considered "on duty" without being at their workplace.

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=Milhouser911]

Have you ever seen a mental health chit that said "Member not to be employed in a military setting"?  Does that mean the CO can say "Well you can't work, but you have to ATTEND this military setting every day"?  Of course not.  The definition of "employment" is pretty obvious.[/QUOTE]

Side bar

Not employed in a military setting doesn't mean not employed. Members are still being paid and can be directed to work off base at civilian places of work, or, on military bases in areas that have been deemed not to be a military setting (for purposes of MEL's) such as hospitals, dental annexes.

 

[Milhouser911]

Jarnhammer:

Of course, it means they can be employed elsewhere, I totally follow.  My example is simply that if they can't be "employed" in a military setting, then they won't be told to report to and hang out in a military setting.  I'm just trying to strengthen support for my definition of "employed".

 

[mariomike]

At the SCAN seminar last May, the staff presenting this information emphasised: no taskings, duties, watches ect...in fact, as you complete your checklist, you'll have no uniforms.

Although busy during that 30-day period with appointments etc., it also sounds like an opportunity to say goodbye to people in your organization.

It would likely be pretty hard, or hardly worth it,  to discipline someone who will soon be back on civvy street anyway.

 

[Navy_Pete]

It's too bad they didn't just create a mandatory 30 day 'release leave' for the admin (similar to the relocation leave that gives you time not in the workplace to sort out the related logistics and admin, while still being on duty). Not unreasonable for the unit to be aware of your general movements and to have contact info, but surely in this day and age that could be a cell # and a list of critical appointments.