From military missions to mobile innovations: A Naval Officer story

May 20, 2025 - Defence Stories

Robert Dupras, a retired Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member with over 30 years of service, has transitioned his expertise into financial policy innovation within the Department of National Defence (DND). His diverse military career, spanning air, land, and sea, has provided him with invaluable insights into the operational realities of accessing critical information.

In his military career, Robert’s assignments took him to remote army training areas, ships in the middle of the Pacific, and even tours in the Middle East. These experiences gave him firsthand insights into the difficulties faced by military personnel in accessing vital information during missions. Now, in his financial policy role with the Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance), he applies these insights to make work easier for his colleagues on the Defence Team.

The idea for the ‘Financial Administration Mobile Tool’ was born out of the Director Financial Policy, Controls and Community Development’s desire to increase operational efficiency and the accessibility of critical financial information that was not always available to CAF members such as during deployments. Robert recalls, “One day, my director and I were brainstorming about making financial policies more readily available to members of the CAF involved in financial administration and he raised the idea of using a smart phone app. Having spent time in remote army training areas like Shilo and on frigates in the middle of the Pacific with connectivity issues, I know having key information available can make a big difference to operations.”

Robert then turned his director’s idea into reality with a digital-first tool that would provide CAF members with unparalleled access to financial policy information, anytime and anywhere. He collaborated with the Applications Development Team in Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources – Civilian) HR GO application.

The initial launch of the mobile tool focused on providing access to critical chapters of the Financial Administration Manual on a mobile device and Canada.ca, a crucial feature for personnel operating in remote or connectivity-challenged environments. This mobile solution reflects Robert’s understanding of the operational environment and the need for readily available information to enhance efficiency and decision-making.

The Financial Administration Mobile Tool is continuously expanding and can be also accessed through the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and CAF mobile applications. “Our goal is to create a platform that’s adaptable over the long term and becomes a useful reference tool for many financial topics,” says Robert.

This initiative, driven by Robert’s deep understanding of CAF needs, exemplifies how experience and innovation can drive significant improvements in financial administration across Defence.

For more information or to share your thoughts, contact the Finance Centre of Enablement (CoE) for Automation: FinanceCoEforAutomation-Cdhfinancierdelautomatisation@forces.gc.ca.