Service versus Self

May 2022

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has been interested in issues relating to the administration of compassionate postings, compassionate status and contingency cost moves for personal reasons since 2013, with the On the Homefront report taking a first look at issues affecting military families. Contingency cost moves for personal reasons, compassionate status, and compassionate postings continue to be an area where the CAF could improve support for Regular Force members and their families and have a positive impact on recruitment and retention.. As such, this investigation was launched in January 2021.

Progress report on the status of recommendations

May 2024

•  3 recommendations made
•  3 recommendations accepted
•  1 recommendation implemented
•  2 recommendations partially implemented

Progress report definitions

Recommendation 1

By May 2024, the Canadian Armed Forces complete a review and update to DAOD 5003-6, and by May 2023, provide clarification through official supplemental documentation available on the internet. This review or provision of information should ensure:

1. Eligibility criteria and limitations, guidelines and service standards are included;
2. A Gender Based Analysis Plus analysis is completed;
3. All reference documents that inform the process for contingency cost moves for personal reasons, compassionate status and compassionate postings, and available resources, are identified and accessible; and
4. That the rationale, the resources for Canadian Armed Forces members and families, and all available recourse mechanisms are included in any decision letter.

Recommendation 1 status:  Partially implemented

• Recommendation 1

  Since we published our report in 2022, the Department has taken steps towards improving the information needs of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families. The Department has completed the review of Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 5003-6, Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons, Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting and they plan an update for fall 2024. In the interim, they are providing supplementary documentation on the Director Military Careers (D Mil C) and Canada.ca website, including a simplified process clarification document and frequently asked questions on contingency cost moves for personal reasons, compassionate status and compassionate postings. The information is accessible on the Defence Network and the internet it contains information on: 

  • Members contacting their career managers, 
  • The definition of personal circumstances, 
  • Frequently asked questions, 
  • The steps to submit a request for a D Mil C decision, and 
  • The steps necessary for all relevant parties to action this request.  

  Additionally, a decision letter template with the decision rationale, resources and recourse mechanisms has been approved by Director General Military Careers in April 2024. The updated templates should be fully implemented by the end of May 2024. 

  This is considerable progress since the publication of the report. This recommendation will be fully implemented after the publication of the updated DAOD 5003-6, Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons, Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting (which will include a Gender Based Analysis Plus analysis). 

  Meanwhile, our office will continue to monitor progress on this recommendation.

Recommendation 2

By May 2024, the Director General Military Careers, in consultation with other stakeholders involved in the process, strengthen oversight of contingency cost moves for personal reasons, compassionate status and compassionate postings and leverage data to improve their administration from start to finish. This includes:

1. A formal tracking system for requests and decision letters which is accessible to stakeholders and contains privacy safeguards; 
2. Enhancing data integrity and quality controls;
3. Establishing a formalized Lessons Learned framework; and
4. Detailing trends in requests regularly and collecting disaggregated data.

Recommendation 2 status:  Partially implemented

• Recommendation 2

  Director General Military Careers has taken some steps to strengthen oversight of contingency cost moves for personal reasons, compassionate status and compassionate postings, such as the review of tracking practices and the enhancement of quality controls for data. This recommendation will be considered implemented after the publication of the updated Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 5003-6, Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons, Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting, slated for fall 2024. We will continue to monitor progress on this recommendation.

Recommendation 3

By May 2023, Director Military Family Services develop baseline resources for families with disabilities to help them access information that is tailored to their needs, regardless of where they are posted.

Recommendation 3 status:  Implemented

• Recommendation 3

  The Director Military Family Services has progressed greatly in helping families with disabilities access information regardless of where they are posted. The following are some of these achievements: 

  • In 2022, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) launched a website (https://cfmws.ca/support-services/families/children-youth/families-with-special-needs) that includes resources for families with disabilities and special needs. This website contains expanded information, referral, and program offerings tailored to the needs of military families.
  • In 2023, the Military Family Services (MFS) developed an Education Team (https://cfmws.ca/support-services/education) to provide military families with knowledge, coaching, and tools on navigating educational transitions, while fostering community awareness and advocacy about the unique CAF reality. The MFS Education Team has also published a comprehensive Education Resources Guide (https://cfmws.ca/support-services/education/education-resources-guide) to assist mobile military families navigate regional supports and services related to education in each province and territory. Each Provincial/Territorial landing page listed in the guide also includes a list of special education resources currently available that military families can access (https://cfmws.ca/support-services/education/education-by-province).
  • In Fall 2023, Support Our Troops launched the Support Our Troops Tutoring Program (https://www.supportourtroops.ca/TutoringProgram). This program provides financial assistance to CAF families in the first year of a posting to a new community for learners requiring tutoring support as recommended by their school. This program supports dependent children in CAF families, from kindergarten to grade 12.
  • Other initiatives implemented by MFS includes the establishment of a dedicated cell to support the special needs education requirements of children and youth by the Virtual Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC).

  As the baseline information for families with special needs is now available to all members and their families across Canada, we consider this recommendation implemented. We are reassured by the significant effort undertaken by MFS to provide continuous support to military families with unique circumstances.