# 2020-095 Releases, Training failure

Training failure

Case Summary

F&R Date: 2021–04–27

The grievor argued that she was not afforded adequate opportunities and support to succeed on the Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ). Specifically, the grievor raised concerns around how the retests and Progress Review Boards (PRB) were conducted. The grievor believed that she should have been afforded an additional chance to complete the BMOQ instead of being released under item 5(d) and pointed to several occasions that she never quit and always put forward her best effort. The grievor later amended her grievance to also request a transfer to a Non-Commissioned Member (NCM) occupation if the request to re-attempt BMOQ was denied. 

The Commander Canadian Defence Academy acting as Initial Authority (IA) denied the grievor redress. The IA described how the grievor was brought before several administrative and formal PRBs for both medical and academic reasons. The IA did not dispute the effort put forward by the grievor, but indicated that the determining factor remained the grievor's inability to meet the training standards on multiple occasions. The IA also noted that following the grievor's final PRB, she was offered a transfer to an NCM occupation however, she had refused this offer. 

After a review of the evidence on file, the Committee could not establish that the grievor would be successful if granted an additional attempt on the BMOQ. The Committee further found that the grievor was provided ample time to prepare for the retests and that these assessments were done in accordance with policies. The Committee also concluded that the grievor was released under the appropriate release item and that it was justified given her inability to meet the training standard after being granted multiple occasions to overcome her difficulties.    

Therefore, the Committee found that the grievor had been treated in accordance with the applicable policies and directives and recommended that the Final Authority (FA) deny the grievor redress.  

FA Decision Summary

The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff (A/CDS), as FA, agreed with the Committee's recommendation that the grievance be denied. The A/CDS concurred that, while the grievor displayed personal qualities, there was no indication that she could successfully overcome the challenges of the basic military qualifications. He found that the decision to cease the grievor's training and release her under item 5(d) - Not advantageously employable was reasonable and policy compliant.   

Page details

Date modified: