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Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction 03/22 – Special Requirements Commissioning Plan

Table of Contents

  1. Identification
  2. Policy Direction
  3. Process and Selection
  4. Responsibilities
  5. References
  6. Annex

   

Chef of Military Personnel Crest

1. Identification

Date of Issue: 2022-09-06

Date of Modification: 2024-12-01

Application: This Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction (CAFMPI) applies to Chief Petty Officers 1st Class and Chief Warrant Officers of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

Supersession:

Approval Authority: Chief Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Administrative Response Centre (ARC)

2. Policy Direction

Context

2.1 The CAF recognizes that some Chief Petty Officers First Class (CPO1)/Chief Warrant Officers (CWOs) who have reached the pinnacle of their NCM career and have time remaining before Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) may continue to serve as an Officer in the CAF.

2.2 Taking advantage of this allows the CAF to profit from the extensive skill and experience of CPO1s/CWOs while fulfilling the needs of the CAF.

Purpose

2.3 The Special Requirements Commissioning Plan (SRCP) provides a means of commissioning CPO1s/CWOs to meet the needs of under-strength officer occupations or other identified positions for CAF requirements. Through SRCP, selected CPO1s/CWOs are commissioned to fill vacant accountable officer positions that the responsible occupation cannot generate through normal officer production.

2.4 An accountable officer position is one that belongs to a specific career manager.

2.5 The SRCP may only be used if the following requirements are met:

  1. there is a vacant accountable officer position;
  2. there is a requirement to fill that vacant position;
  3. there is no suitable officer to fill the vacancy; and
  4. there is an eligible and suitable CPO1/CWO.

Policy Statement

2.6 This policy details the procedures with respect to the SRCP management of Regular (Reg F) and Reserve (Res F) Force members.

Management

2.7 The SRCP allows eligible CPO1s/CWOs an opportunity to apply as well as being nominated. Director Senior Appointments (DSA) will announce the Reg F program through a CANFORGEN providing direction on the nomination and application process and a list of vacant and available positions that could be filled by SRCP candidates.

2.8 The Commander of a Command will identify vacant positions within the Res F and advertise in their Orders.

2.9 DSA is the managing authority for Reg F CPO1s/CWOs.

2.10 Officers Commanding a Command are the managing authorities for the Res F.

2.11 The rate of pay authorized in CBI 204, Pay of Officers and Non-Commissioned Members must apply.

2.12 Release will be in accordance with QR&O Chapter 15, Release.

Rank and Promotion

2.13 In accordance with current Reg F and Res F officer promotion policies, a CPO1/CWO will be commissioned and, depending on specific CAF requirements, immediately promoted to the substantive rank of:

  1. Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)/Captain (Capt); or
  2. Lieutenant Commander (LCdr)/Major (Maj), if they have filled a CPO1/CWO senior appointment.

2.14 Upon completion of their appointment as the CAF CPO1/CWO, an SRCP candidate may be commissioned and immediately promoted to the substantive rank of Cdr/LCol provided the requirements at Para 2.2 are met.

2.15 Eligibility for promotion to higher ranks occurs in accordance with the applicable CAF promotion policy.

3. Process and Selection

Eligibility Criteria

3.1 The following table identifies the criteria required to be eligible for commissioning under the SRCP:

An applicant/nominee will Amplification
Hold the substantive rank of CPO1/CWO N/A
Have a minimum of three years of seniority in that rank In exceptional circumstances to meet operational effectiveness, this may be waived by Director Personnel Generation Requirements (DPGR)
For commissioning and promotion to the rank of LCdr/Maj, have completed one senior appointment as a CPO1/CWO In accordance with CAFMPI 02/16, CPO1/CWO Strategic Employment, one of which must be a minimum level three appointment
Have a minimum of three years of eligible service remaining In exceptional circumstances to meet operational effectiveness, this may be waived by DPGR
Must meet the current CAF minimum physical fitness standard In accordance with current CAF fitness policy
Meet the designated medical standard for the officer occupation or be Retained Without Restrictions In accordance with CFP 154 − Annex E - Minimum Medical Standards for Officers/NCMs
Be considered suitable based upon their qualification, skills, competencies and military experience and match the requirements of the position to be filled N/A

3.2 Those CPO1s/CWOs who have greater than five years remaining to the end of their Terms of Service (TOS) should be counselled by their Commanding Officer (CO) regarding whether SRCP is the best mechanism or if it may be more appropriate and beneficial to the member and the CAF to be considered for the Commissioning From the Ranks Plan (CFRP) or another commissioning plan.

Process

3.3 The following table outlines the selection process:

Stage Responsible Action
1 Director Military Careers (D Mil C) for the Reg F
  • Identifies vacant accountable positions.
COs of the Primary Reserve (PRes) unit or the position
2 Candidate
  • Applies or is nominated by their CO for the program.
  • In Other Considerations and Rational section in the Member Aspiration Profile (PaCE), the candidate will indicate their interest in applying or be nominated for SRCP.
3 CO of the applicant
  • Reviews all applications and nominations and confirms if the applicant is eligible and forwards all nominations and applications, with recommendations, to the appropriate authority.
4 DSA for the Reg F
  • Reviews all recommendations and applications or nominations prior to conducting the SRCP selection board.
Officer commanding a command for PRes
5 DSA for the Reg F
  • Selects the appropriate candidate for a particular vacant officer position.
  • Sends an SRCP offer, in writing, for commissioning and promotion to the successful candidate’s CO along with the Statement of Understanding (SOU).
Officer commanding a command for the PRes
6 CO
  • Informs the candidate of their selection.
  • Counsels the member on the implications of commissioning and promotion under the SRCP using the SOU.
  • Returns the signed SOU to the appropriate authority.
7 Successful candidate
  • Accepts or refuses the offer.
Note – If candidate refuses the offer their file will be closed without repercussions.
8 DSA for Reg F
  • Sends commissioning, promotion and posting message.
  • Orders the commissioning script.
Officer commanding a command for the PRes

Component or Sub-Component Transfer after Commissioning

3.4 An officer who has been commissioned and promoted under SRCP may subsequently apply for component or sub-component transfer in accordance with CAFMPI 03/08, Canadian Armed Forces Component Transfer and Component Transfer Career Programs. Entitlements to rank, time credit for promotion and seniority are determined based on qualifying service as well as military and civilian competencies, in accordance with DAOD 5002-3, Component and Sub-Component Transfer. Entitlements to pay level and pay increment are based on qualifying service and are determined in accordance with CBI 204.015, Pay Increments.

Restrictions

3.5 Reg F and Res F CPO1s/CWOs commissioned and promoted under the SRCP will be assigned to a vacant position in an officer military occupational structure identification (MOSID) that is closest to their NCM MOSID. This position will then be allocated to a generic SRCP occupation group.

3.6 SRCP officers in the Reg F will remain on their current TOS. In accordance with CAFMPI 05/05, Terms of Service, an SRCP officer may elect CRA 60.

3.7 SRCP officers in the PRes will remain on an Indefinite Period of Service (IPS).

3.8 SRCP officers serve in substantive rank and will be released at their substantive rank.

3.9 The previous qualifications, skills and military experience of CPO1s/CWOs reduce the requirement for training. Should training be required and it is reasonable to do so, the following may be provided once a SRCP officer is in the permanent accountable position:

  1. unit – level training required for position; and
  2. non-military occupation training specific to the requirements of the position.

4. Responsibilities

Responsibilities Table 

4.1 The following table identifies the responsibilities associated with the instruction:

The... has or have the authority to...
CDS
  • Approve Cdr/LCol promotions.
CMP
  • Approve the SRCP Policy.
DSA/EC or equivalent command
  • Manage all activities related to SRCP.
D Mil C/Cos
  • Identify and provide a list of vacant positions available to be fill under SRCP; and
  • Transfer the administration of the position to DSA for Reg F personnel or appropriate authority for the Reserve F personnel once an offer has been accepted.
DPGR
  • Develop and maintain the SRCP policy;
  • Approve waivers; and
  • Respond to queries concerning the interpretation of the policy. 
CO
  • Submit nominations/applications for SRCP through the Chain of Command to DSA or the responsible Commander of the Command, as deemed appropriate;
  • Counsel the nominee on status of the file; and
  • Counsel the candidate on career implications of accepting the offer.
Candidate
  • Accept/refuse the offer; and
  • Sign the SOU.

5. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Associated DAOD

Related References

6. Annex

  1. Annex A – Statement of Understanding (SOU)

Page details

2025-05-27