"New CAF Policy Removes Promotion Barriers for Ill and Injured Members"

[The Bread Guy]

From the Info-machine:

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who have medical conditions and are up for potential promotion, no longer have to feel that they need to choose between the two. Ill and injured members can now be promoted while undergoing medical care.

In the past, ill and injured members may not have sought the care they needed, to avoid an impact on their career. With this positive shift, if a CAF member has a condition that is preventing them from achieving fitness or training promotion prerequisites, they can be promoted in an acting capacity with no time pressure for meeting these conditions. Once their medical treatment has been completed, a member can be fully promoted to their new position.

In recognition of the talents and dedication of ill and injured CAF members, as well as their expected future contributions, a CAF member’s posting and appointment to the next rank will take into account his or her employment and deployment limitations. The CAF encourages those in need of medical care to take advantage of resources available, without stigma or worry of possible impacts on career advancement.

The removal of medical health from promotion criteria, demonstrates one of the ways the CAF is working to improve how administration and support is provided to our members and their families.

Quote

    “When you’ve earned your promotion, it shouldn’t be denied to you just because you’re treating a medical condition. For too long, people have avoided seeking help for fear of professional implications. We need people who can reach their full potential now and in the future. Get the help you need: your promotion will not suffer.”

    General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff

    “This is a significant change for the CAF. Our hope is that it will encourage members to get the support they need right away, allowing them to focus on both their health and career.”

    Colonel Rakesh Jetly, Mental Health Advisor, Canadian Forces Health Services.

- 30 -​

From CANFORGEN 012/17 CMP 009/17 De-linking of Medical Condition from Promotion Criteria (also attached in case link doesn't work):

CANFORGEN 012/17 CMP 009/17 181340Z JAN 17

DE-LINKING OF MEDICAL CONDITION FROM PROMOTION CRITERIA

UNCLASSIFIED

REFS: A. AFCX 13 JAN 17
B. QR AND O11.02, CONDITIONS GOVERNING PROMOTIONS
C. CFAO 11-6, COMMISSIONING AND PROMOTION POLICY - OFFICERS - REGULAR FORCE
D. CFAO 49-4, CAREER POLICY - NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBERS - REGULAR FORCE
E. CFAO 49-5, CAREER POLICY - NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBER - PRIMARY RESERVE
F. CFAO 49-12, PROMOTION POLICY - OFFICERS - PRIMARY RESERVE
G. DAOD 5023-1, MINIMUM OPERATIONAL STANDARDS RELATED TO UNIVERSALITY OF SERVICE
H. CANFORGEN 087/06, NEW DAODS ON UNIVERSALITY OF SERVICE, MINIMUM OPERATIONAL STANDARDS RELATED TO UNIVERSALITY OF SERVICE, AND CF PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM

    THE PURPOSE OF THIS CANFORGEN IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT CAF MEMBER ASSIGNED A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT MEDICAL CATEGORY, THAT IS LOWER THAN APPLICABLE MINIMUM REQUIRED, WILL REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTION, SUBJECT TO THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE

    A FULL-DAY ARMED FORCES COUNCIL EXECUTIVE (AFCX) MEETING FOCUSING ON CAF PERSONNEL SUPPORT WAS HELD AT REF A. THE CDS AND L1S EXPRESSED THEIR STRONG COMMITMENT TO FUNDAMENTALLY REVAMP THE WAY ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO CAF MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MORE DETAILS ON A NUMBER OF RELATED INITIATIVES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE COMING MONTHS

    CAF SENIOR LEADERSHIP IS CONCERNED WITH THE HEALTH OF ITS MEMBERS AND WISHES TO INSTILL AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MEMBERS WILL SEEK MEDICAL SUPPORT WITHOUT STIGMA OR APPREHENSION OF IMPACTS ON PROMOTION. AS WELL, THEIR PURPOSE IS TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS� MERIT AND THEIR FUTURE CONTRIBUTION WHILE THEY REMAIN IN THE CAF. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, CAF MEMBERS, WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE PROMOTABLE, WILL BE PROMOTED AS MERITED NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT MEDICAL CATEGORY, SUBJECT TO THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE. MEMBERS MUST STILL MEET ALL OTHER PROMOTION CRITERIA TO RECEIVE A SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION. IF A MEMBER LACKS ONE OR MORE OTHER PROMOTION PREREQUISITES THE MEMBER MAY BE PROMOTED IN AN ACTING CAPACITY AS PER CURRENT POLICY (REFS B TO F). MEMBER WILL HOWEVER BE REQUIRED TO BE SUBSTANTIVE BEFORE BEING PROMOTED TO THE NEXT RANK

    THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE A MEDICAL CONDITION WILL ALSO PREVENT A MEMBER FROM ACHIEVING OTHER PROMOTION PREREQUISITES, SUCH AS ATTENDING A MANDATED CAREER COURSE, OR COMPLETING THE FORCE EVALUATION. IN SUCH INSTANCES, SET PERIODS TO MEET CRITERIA WILL NO LONGER BE IMPOSED ON MEMBER. HE/SHE WILL THEREFORE REMAIN PROMOTED IN AN ACTING CAPACITY UNTIL ALL PREREQUISITES CAN BE MET. NOT ATTENDING OR COMPLETING A MANDATED CAREER COURSE OR THE FORCE EVALUATION DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION WILL NO LONGER RESULT IN A REVERSION FROM ACTING RANK TO PREVIOUS SUBSTANTIVE RANK. FURTHERMORE, MEMBERS PROMOTED TO AN ACTING RANK WHO ARE RETAINED WILL NOW BE EMPLOYED AT THEIR ACTING RANK

    THAT SAID, THE FORCE EVALUATION IS STILL A PREREQUISITE FOR SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION. NOTWITHSTANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR PROMOTION, MEMBERS WHO ARE PERMANENTLY UNABLE TO MEET ONE OR MORE OF THE MINIMUM OPERATIONAL STANDARDS RELATED TO THE UNIVERSALITY OF SERVICE PRINCIPLE WILL BE RELEASED FROM THE CAF UNDER REF G.

    A MEMBER�S POSTING AND APPOINTMENT AT THE NEXT RANK WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HIS OR HER EMPLOYMENT AND DEPLOYMENT LIMITATIONS, AS DICTATED BY THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE

    THIS CHANGE IN POLICY TAKES EFFECT IMMEDIATELY, AND IS NOT RETROACTIVE. TO RE-EMPHASIZE, THE OVERALL INTENT IS THAT A POTENTIAL DENIAL OF PROMOTION SHOULD NO LONGER BE A BARRIER TO CARE. OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, MPC, THROUGH DGMC, WILL MONITOR THE EXECUTION OF THIS INITIATIVE TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND ADJUSTMENTS THAT COULD BE REQUIRED, AND WILL AMEND ACCORDINGLY AS NECESSARY. CAF PERTAINING POLICIES, INCLUDING CANFORGEN AT REF H, WILL ALSO BE FORMALLY AMENDED IN DUE COURSE. THIS ORDER SUPERSEDES OTHER ORDERS OR DIRECTIVES TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY CONFLICT WITH DIRECTION IN THIS CANFORGEN

 

[Eagle_Eye_View]

Boy that's about time, just 15 years too late.

 

[Quirky]

Boy that's about time, just 15 years too late.

So as I understand it you can now be promoted on TCAT? Just wondering why this is a good thing.

 

[brihard]

So as I understand it you can now be promoted on TCAT? Just wondering why this is a good thing.

Fair question that I can definitely field.

We have many soldiers who are dealing with the daily impact of undiagnosed mental health conditions- whether operational stres injuries, or other stuff that unpredictably hits people are pretty normal rates across society. Good members who are still able to do fine at work, but whose lives are slowly collapsing from the inside because they aren't getting treatment. Fear of career stagnation is a massive barrier to care in mental health matters.

Most mental health issues (Anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc) are very manageable with the right intervention and followup. You can function professionally with some of these mental health disorders, BUT you are unlikely to do so for long without accessing the proper care.

You take a solid Cpl who's back from his second tour and merit listed for his PLQ and appointment to MCpl. Then you tell him that if he comes forward to have his PTSD diagnosed, he'll go on TCat and won't be able to be promoted. Probably won't even go on PLQ. He's having a lot of rough days, but he's still getting by... For now. You think he's gonna come forward for treatment Not only face the stigma of being 'that guy' with a mental health disorder that most don't understand, BUT also losing the bump to jack and the quite predictable bump to Sgt some years farther? Hell no. So instead of accessing proper care that doesn't really impact his availability for work at all, instead he's gonna try to self-manage, and it will spiral downwards.

The new rules mean that as long as you can still do your job, your career can still continue to advance so long as you meet universality of service. There's no reason we as an institution cannot accommodate those who have modest MELs while on TCAT. A career is a marathon, not a sprint. If a guy needs to slow down for a year or two while being treated for depression, that doesn't need to be a career stopper. This will reduce instances of people who are CAPABLE of career advancement, but were arbitrarily not allowed to.

If I haven't explained any of this properly, let me know so I can help it to make more sense.

 

[RedcapCrusader]

So as I understand it you can now be promoted on TCAT? Just wondering why this is a good thing.

It'll be assessed on a case by case basis.

Some T/PCATs are for minor shit like a persistent skin condition that doesn't necessarily mean universality of service isn't met. One I heard was simply "Member shall take medication as prescribed by Physician." Why should something such as that, which has no barrier on a member to complete a career course or be promoted?

I agree with this change in policy, and I'm sure that those "milking" their CATs will be identified and prevented from progressing. However, regardless of how the promotion system works there will always be poor and toxic leaders.

Do I think that this change will increase the influx of poor and toxic leadership? No.

If anything, this is going to encourage more members to seek medical care, because I'm sure we all know at least one person that has refused to seek care in order to not be held back for career courses and promotions. How is that encouraging members that we care for them and want them to seek care?

It's interesting that this policy change has come after that the article about a soldier's appeal about a rank reduction upon Med Release despite being in an A/L for 4 years came out.

 

[Eagle_Eye_View]

Thank you Brihard, very good explanation.

 

[Haggis]

Many of my generation are the ones who were told, or decided to "suck it up", or "walk it off" or "ice it and soldier on".  We survived on Cepacol and Motrin (AKA Infantry Smarties), lathered on the A-535, wrapped ourselves in Tensor bandages and went back to the field.  All for fear of the "career-limiting" TCat which almost always resulted in missed tours, missed training, missed promotions and the stigma of being a "slacker".

Now, we're all busted up and many are not up to enduring retirement.  Had we been able to slow down a bit, with the system's blessing, and heal properly the CAF might've gotten more useful years out of us.

This is a great policy change, just 20 years too late.