# 2021-321 Others, Allowances and benefits, Environmental allowances

Case summary

F&R Date: 2023-02-23

The grievor, a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Parachute Team (CAFPT), also known as the SkyHawks, contested that he was not entitled to wear a parachute badge as he indicated that he was a qualified parachutist, was on Temporary Duty at the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre (CAAWC), and had received the Paratrooper Allowance (PARATPA).

The Initial Authority (IA), the Commanding Officer at CAAWC, denied the grievance. The IA found that the grievor was attach posted through a Canadian Forces Task Plans and Operations (CFTPO) tasking to CAAWC for the SkyHawks demonstration season, which entitled him to PARATPA. The IA stated that the grievor was not qualified to wear the white maple leaf badge, as he did not serve in a designated parachute position or had served in one for 365 days. Since the grievor only held a civilian Class A parachute license, the IA found the grievor also did not qualify for the red maple leaf parachute badge, as it was awarded for the successful completion of a CAF parachutist course.

In accordance with the Compensation and Benefits Instructions for the Canadian Forces (CBI) 205.30, a member must occupy a designated parachute position to be entitled the PARATPA. The Committee considered the grievor's CFTPO taskings and found that he did not occupy a designated position and, therefore, did not meet the entitlement conditions for PARATPA. The Committee further found that the Canadian Forces Administrative Order (CFAO) 50-22, CAFPT, did not have the authority to expand entitlement to monthly PARATPA over CBI 205.30.

As a result, the Committee found that the grievor was not authorized to wear the white maple leaf parachute badge in accordance with the CAF Dress Instructions, CFAO 55-10, the Creation and Awarding of Canadian Forces Flying and Specialist Skill Badges and Land Forces Command Order (LFCO) 22-2, Parachuting.

The Committee found the grievor did not qualify for the red maple leaf parachute badge, as he was not a qualified parachutist, in accordance with the CAF Dress Instructions, CFAO 55-10, and LFCO 22-2. However, the Committee determined that the grievor should have been offered the Basic Parachutist Course under CFAO 50-22 as part of the SkyHawks team.

The Committee observed that the number of jumps made by SkyHawks augmentees reasonably exceeds a sporadic level of exposure to environmental conditions to the extent that the CAF should consider requesting appropriate changes to the CBI to entitle the SkyHawks augmentees to PARATPA.

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority afford redress by directing that the grievor be registered into the appropriate CAF course that would grant him the qualification to wear the red maple leaf parachute badge.