# 2025-130 Careers, Promotion

Case summary

F&R Date: 2026-01-06

The grievor contended that their promotion message was deliberately withheld to prevent their promotion to the next rank unless they declined the University Training Plan for Non-Commissioned Member (UTPNCM) selection offer.

Defence Administrative Order and Directive (DAOD) 5002-9, UTPNCM paragraph 4.1 states that an applicant who has accepted a UTPNCM offer is normally not eligible for further promotion in their Non-Commissioned Member (NCM) military occupation.

The Committee noted that pursuant to Queen's Regulations and Orders 11.02 and Canadian Forces Administrative Order 49-4, the grievor's promotion to the next rank would have been conditional on service requirements. The grievor was not occupying a position at the next rank prior to receiving the UTPNCM offer and there was no vacancy in their current unit. The policy was clear that acceptance to UTPNCM “normally” meant that no further promotion in their current occupation would occur. Therefore, the Committee found that there was no service requirement to promote the grievor to the next rank prior to commencing UTPNCM.

The Committee commented that an offer to enter the UTPNCM can be accepted or refused. Essentially, the grievor was presented with two possible paths for promotion: to continue in their NCM career at the next rank, or to accept the UTPNCM and progress their career as an officer, starting at the rank of Officer Cadet. Based on the policy provisions in DAOD 5002-9, the grievor should have been aware when applying to the UTPNCM that if they were accepted, they would be required to choose one path or the other. In other words, the grievor had a choice and could have refused the offer and been promoted to the next rank later that summer to fulfil a service requirement.