Letter to Commandant: Visit to RMC Kingston

27 May 2024

 

Brigadier-General J.P.P Godbout, CD
Commandant
Royal Military College of Canada
PO Box 17000, Station Forces
Kingston, ON K7K 7B4

 

Dear Brigadier-General Godbout

I would like to thank you, your team, and the NCdts/OCdts for the warm hospitality during my visit to the Royal Military College (RMC) from 29 April to 1 May 2024. My team and I appreciated the opportunity to share information about our office and services, and to hear directly from aspiring young officers, CAF members, faculty, and civilian employees. The occasion to listen to successes and concerns allowed us to better understand the issues faced by those enrolled and employed at RMC.

I am writing to expand upon the discussion we had with you and your team during the out-brief on 1 May 2024, and provide a summary of positive feedback and concerns noted during our interactions with the members of the RMC community. The following are the main points noted during my visit.

Communications

Several queries were posed during our visit that related to a Rations & Quarters (R&Q) benefit where those who were being subsidized under Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) were initially being charged for R&Q during their summer training. This policy was subsequently changed, but its application may not have been equitably done between those attending RMC, RMC Saint-Jean and/or civilian universities. As many complaints received by my office stem from communication issues, I want to say on this particular benefit issue that your continued efforts can prevent dissatisfaction or misinterpretation of policy. I will note that I was impressed with the leadership initiative of the cadet cadre in explaining this benefit initiative during our sessions.

RMC Pillars

We heard some concern about the ability to reach RMCs standard in each of the pillars (academic, military, bilingualism, and fitness). In addition, we heard concern over the different standards for the Physical Performance Test (PPT) across the genders. We were informed that the fitness tests have undergone a GBA Plus review, and the requirement to meet this pillar is clearly defined.

Students are given full access to facilities and services necessary to meet the pillars, such as over 600 hours of second official language training and the presence of Personnel Support Programs (PSP) fitness staff who are assigned to each squadron. The level of supports provided is impressive compared to what is available at a civilian university. I understand the concerns raised by those in fourth year who are having difficulty with a pillar that is not a requirement to commission (such as the PPT or BBB in Bilingualism). In those situations, the described process entails that NCdts/OCdts who are unsuccessful will not be permitted to march in the graduation parade; however, they may be eligible (on a case-by-case basis) for a CDS waiver and commissioned alongside their peers. I do note that all these requirements are clearly communicated to all cadets.

Recruitment

Some NCdts/OCdts expressed concern at having been given false career information when going though the recruitment process. Some of these discrepancies resulted in them being in occupations that they did not prefer. While understanding that this is not directly tied to RMC, I would encourage the Chain of Command to support those NCdts/OCdts impacted in seeking to resolve this matter through a more formal process.

Nutrition

NCdts/OCdts reported that there had been a noticeable improvement in the quality of the food over the past year. This may, in part, be due to the shift to a six-week menu rotation as opposed to the CAF standard four-week rotation. The options looked varied and nutritional. I was encouraged by the leadership of both the military cadre and the cadets in taking the initiative to meet with the kitchen staff to affect positive change. The efforts to make the menu more inclusive, with Halal options, is also seen as a positive change, although some NCdts/OCdts with more distinct needs, such as Vegan or Vegetarian, complained that they might not find enough protein in given circumstances. A group of them also agreed that the biggest single expense on their budget continues to be food supplements or substitutions. I recognize that some of the improvements do meet some challenges due to staffing and qualification issues.

Budgetary Issues and Infrastructure Maintenance

Delays in repairing RMC infrastructure, such as leaky plumbing, faulty lights, and door locks have proven problematic and demotivating for some NCdts/OCdts who wait for weeks or longer for routine maintenance to be completed. Similarly, budgetary cutbacks also impacted TD of both students and some faculty which reduced the quality and breadth of the educational experience of attending RMC. While I understand that such matters may be due to external factors and funding cutbacks, I encourage you to continue to address these concerns within your span of influence. My office remains committed to assist the Defence community and to help in any way possible. I would be remiss not to include some very positive experiences that I experienced during my visit.

Highlights

I would like start by expressing my appreciation for the exceptional support provided by Steeve Gregoire before and during our visit. Similarly, the tour provided to us by Dr. Tanya Grodzinski and a group of five NCdts/OCdts was fascinating. The pride that they showed in your institution was commendable and was echoed by others during our visit.

Part of our tour included a stop at the wellness centre where we were shown some of the tools available to assist the students, such as a writing and math centre, white board tables, and other tutorial options. Even more importantly, there were ample mental health resources available to them, including the occasional friendly dogs being brought in to give students a much-needed temporary break from the tensions of academic life.

The academic facilities are impressive. The wind tunnel facility appeared state-of-the-art, and the student-professor ratio beats any other post-graduate institution.

Overall, my team and I believe that this visit was a resounding success. Having the opportunity to explain how our office supports the Defence community and hearing from the leaders of tomorrow can only be described as a win-win scenario. We hope to be able to repeat such visits in a minimum four-year cycle to allow the same advantage to the next generation of future leaders before they join their first operational ships, units, or Wings.

Once again, thank you and your team for taking time out of your busy schedules to make this outreach successful.

Sincerely,

 

Gregory A. Lick

Ombudsman

 

Cc: Lieutenant-General M.H.L. Bourgon, Acting Chief Military Personnel