Readiness, Resilience, Growth

Our One Team concept, which pools skillsets and capabilities from members of the Regular Force, Reserve Force, Canadian Rangers and Civilian employees, is the reason 3rd Canadian Division (3 Cdn Div) is able to do its part to protect Canadians both at home and abroad. It is only together that we can truly be Mission:Ready.

The 3 Cdn Div Readiness, Resilience, Growth campaign recognizes that Canadian Army (CA) members and their families are critical to our ability to achieve operational excellence, and as such, aims to ensure they are well supported physically, psycho-socially and spiritually. It is an integral part of:

• reinforcing the warrior spirit;
• improving the wellness of soldiers and their families; and
• increasing operational, unit and individual readiness.

Understanding that the military lifestyle has unique challenges for both the soldier and their loved ones, 3 Cdn Div is committed to providing training, resources and a culture that supports the whole person: body, mind and spirit.

The daily challenges in generating and sustaining combat-ready combined arms forces for operations at home and abroad require that all members of the One Team have strong physical, emotional, social, family, spiritual and intellectual fitness. These six domains combine to form the concept of Mission:Ready’s Total Fitness, which empowers individuals to be ready and resilient in order to perform and meet the demands of army life.

“One Team, One Mission”

Readiness - We seek to improve the Total Fitness of our members across the six domains in order to remain Mission:Ready, improving physical and cognitive performance, and setting conditions for healthy, balanced living.

Resilience – We train our collective capacity to adapt and thrive in the face of stress, where challenges can be seen as opportunities for empowering the One Team and their loved ones with control and commitment.

Growth - Our character is built in between physical and emotional extremes. We are stronger for individual and shared experiences that focus on getting better every day as a person and as a professional.

Canadian Army Total Fitness Domains

Physical Domain

Research indicates that, to perform at your best, you need to be trained and fit, properly fueled, well-rested and free from injury. The BALANCE Strategy has been developed to enhance our culture of fitness, and improve operational effectiveness through Injury Prevention, Sleep/Rest, Physical Activity and Performance Nutrition behaviours.

BALANCE

Over the next few years, you will notice a more supportive environment to maintaining a fit, healthy lifestyle. There may be new food options, improved fitness facilities or policies that take into account your general wellness.

Informed by previous efforts, and based on best practices in behavioural sciences, this strategy contains many elements that set us up for success, including:

• Involvement at all levels in all stages of development and implementation.
• Base and wing-level steering committees armed with best practices to lead initiatives at the local level.
• A mix of individual responsibility and CAF accountability to the performance behaviours.
• A plan that considers your environment and the influence of those around you in supporting your efforts toward a more active lifestyle.
• National and local level activities with a detailed evaluation plan.

Read more about the BALANCE Strategy

Emotional Domain

The emotional domain includes ways to express one’s emotions effectively and in the right environment. It encompasses peer-supported strategies like the SENTINEL program, personal conflict resolution and the Road 2 Mental Health Readiness (R2MR). When needed, we cannot be ashamed to seek professional advice for our long-term emotional health.

Social Domain

Social stability is vital to energizing and enhancing the quality of life in the CA. Social support networks, whether at work or at home, contribute to an overall work-life balance. We welcome, look after and look out for each other.

Family Domain

CA members and their loved ones constantly face the unique demands and conditions of the military lifestyle. Military Family Services (MFS) empowers and encourages strong, independent members and families while advocating throughout the country for an effective and sustainable military. MFS is responsible for oversight of Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) as well as direct services to families (like the Family Information Line at 1-800-866-4546).

Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC)

MFRCs are essentially the heart of their military communities. Dedicated staff are frontline service providers, responsible for connecting military families to a wide range of programs and services. Their goal is to build strong, resilient individuals, families and communities.

The following MFRCs in 3 Cdn Div support the military and their families, transitioning veterans and their families, and families of the fallen:

British Columbia

• Comox MFRC
• Esquimalt MFRC
• Mainland BC MFRC

Alberta

• Calgary MFRC
• Cold Lake MFRC
• Edmonton MFRC
• Suffield MFRC
• Wainwright MFRC

Saskatchewan

• Central Saskatchewan/Dundurn MFRC
• Moose Jaw MFRC

Manitoba

• Shilo MFRC
• Winnipeg MFRC

Military Spouse Employment Initiative (MSEI)

As part of the MSEI, the federal Casual Inventory aims to support spouses and common-law partners seeking to maintain their skills and pursue or continue their careers. Covering a broad range of work streams, this Inventory bridges the link between skilled and experienced military spouses and hiring managers, offering flexible and meaningful casual employment opportunities to spouses across Canada.

GC Jobs Casual Inventory: # 19-DND-EA-NSP-456822

A Military Spouse is defined as:

• A spouse or common-law partner who is normally residing with a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) serving member at the member’s place of duty or who, if living separately, is doing so for military reasons; and
• The serving CAF member is a member of the Regular Force or the Reserve Force on Class C service or Class B reserve service of more than 180 consecutive days.

Spiritual Domain

Diversity amongst One Team members better enables us to address complex issues, and therefore must be nurtured and protected. Dignity for individuals and mutual respect for an inclusive environment enables all CA soldiers to achieve the transcendent purpose of their service.

Intellectual Domain

Military members are encouraged to upgrade their education to keep up with the latest technologies and enhance their critical thinking skills. The fundamentals of soldiering are changing, and there is no longer one traditional path for all. The gathering of professional knowledge is encouraged at all levels; we must never stop learning together.