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Approximate wait times for pension, release f*ckery, and who to complain to

Milhouser911

Jr. Member
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Good evening gentlemen.

I released 25 August.  Here's a list of things that have gone wrong:

Release issues (so far):
-My release wasn't processed correctly.  I received my full end-month pay for August, as well as my mid-month pay for September.  At the end of Sept, I received a pay stub saying I would be receiving -$2600.  I'm not sure how to get this cash back to the CF, but I'm sure it's gonna screw things up while they correct things.
-My release date was entered incorrectly in the system, somehow.  I'm not sure of the full details, but my release appointment was Friday, 23 Aug, my final day in the CF was Sunday, 25 Aug.  Somehow, my release date was entered as the 24th in some places, the 23rd in others, the 25th in others.  I've been informed by letter that my release date has been officially amended to 23 August, which makes exactly 0 sense to me.
-The pension office still has me listed as serving, so 0 progress has been made on getting me my pension cheques.
-VAC still has me listed as serving, so my ELB/whatever they call it now is still at stage 1, hasn't even been looked at.  They tell me that it's because Guardian still has me listed as serving.
-My leave cashout, which I was told would take 5 business days, hasn't been processed, and I have no idea when it will come through.
-My severance pay, which I was told would take 30 days, obviously hasn't come in.

Pre-release issues:
-I opted for a posting to JPSU in February so that I could take advantage of VRPSM and begin taking the electives for my chosen program over the summer.  Paperwork was lost, I was lied to, paperwork was submitted incomplete, and I was forced to re-submit the entire package in May.  I never did hear back about that, and as a result changed my (3B) release date from 19 Dec to 25 August IOT attend school without the military fucking it up.
-My 30-day Op Transition period was a nightmare of fighting with a fucked up chain of command who decided I had to be at work from 9-4 every day, in uniform, but didn't actually have to do any work.  There's a thread on it, I'm sure most have seen it.
-Obviously my DWD was a mess, organized by a Cpl with no help or involvement from the CoC.  I'm positive the unit CO wasn't even aware of it.  He certainly wasn't present.
-I first started trying to elect my IPR on 2 July, so that I could get the wheels turning before release and school, etc.  I was finally granted access to the BGRS portal on 16 August.

Brookfield issues: 
-Brookfield is using an old interpretation for the Dual Residency Allowance that requires your home to be listed BELOW market value. (link: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/policies-standards/relocation-directive/clarification-bulletin/2010-4-principal-residence-marketed.html)  This was grieved in 2011, and it was found that the policy did not have treasury board approval, and the clarification bulletin was ordered removed from circulation, and all members denied TDRA benefits over this interpretation be tracked down and paid their entitlements.  (link https://www.canada.ca/en/military-grievances-external-review/services/case-summaries/case-2011-131.html)
Brookfield is still using this interpretation.  I pointed it out to them during my 2017 posting and was ignored.  Now I'm trying to claim TDRA, and of course I'm being told that my house must be listed below appraised value.  These points were given to my chief clerk on 20 August and forwarded to the BSHRM for clarification.  To date, I've not heard anything back and am still being denied TDRA benefits.

Throughout the process, I've seen repeatedly that pension cheques should be cut within 45 days of release.  Well, today is day 44, and I don't think I'm going to see it tomorrow.  The only bright spot in this entire process have been SISIP, who took my pension estimate as a working number and immediately starting paying me the 75% top-up, and my VAC case manager, who has pushed through in getting me access to VAC medical benefits despite the system still listing me as serving.  Shocking that the only useful people I've dealt with so far have been non-mil.

Now that I'm a civvie, how do I grieve this?  This is an astronomical amount of bullshit from a system that claims to be supporting its members.  I feel like this dogs breakfast needs some eyeballs, because obviously it can happen very easily.

Does anyone have any sort of direction here?  I'm tearing my hair out.  I was supposed to be released, concentrating on school, and enjoying the benefits of my time in uniform.  My plan was solid, between JPSU/VRPSM and the benefits to which I am entitled, I could have been well ahead on school by now, financially stable, and truly transitioning away from the military life.  Instead, I'm stressed, frustrated, and absolutely fucking done with all things military.  What's the point of policy if nobody is going to pay any attention to it?  What's the point of paying people to do a job if they're just...not doing it?

Apologies for the language.  If you have anything to add on any point, please drop a reply.

-Scott


 
Milhouser911 said:
Good evening gentlemen.

I released 25 August.  Here's a list of things that have gone wrong:

Release issues (so far):
-My release wasn't processed correctly.  I received my full end-month pay for August, as well as my mid-month pay for September.  At the end of Sept, I received a pay stub saying I would be receiving -$2600.  I'm not sure how to get this cash back to the CF, but I'm sure it's gonna screw things up while they correct things.
-My release date was entered incorrectly in the system, somehow.  I'm not sure of the full details, but my release appointment was Friday, 23 Aug, my final day in the CF was Sunday, 25 Aug.  Somehow, my release date was entered as the 24th in some places, the 23rd in others, the 25th in others.  I've been informed by letter that my release date has been officially amended to 23 August, which makes exactly 0 sense to me.
-The pension office still has me listed as serving, so 0 progress has been made on getting me my pension cheques.
-VAC still has me listed as serving, so my ELB/whatever they call it now is still at stage 1, hasn't even been looked at.  They tell me that it's because Guardian still has me listed as serving.
-My leave cashout, which I was told would take 5 business days, hasn't been processed, and I have no idea when it will come through.
-My severance pay, which I was told would take 30 days, obviously hasn't come in.

Pre-release issues:
-I opted for a posting to JPSU in February so that I could take advantage of VRPSM and begin taking the electives for my chosen program over the summer.  Paperwork was lost, I was lied to, paperwork was submitted incomplete, and I was forced to re-submit the entire package in May.  I never did hear back about that, and as a result changed my (3B) release date from 19 Dec to 25 August IOT attend school without the military ******* it up.
-My 30-day Op Transition period was a nightmare of fighting with a ****ed up chain of command who decided I had to be at work from 9-4 every day, in uniform, but didn't actually have to do any work.  There's a thread on it, I'm sure most have seen it.
-Obviously my DWD was a mess, organized by a Cpl with no help or involvement from the CoC.  I'm positive the unit CO wasn't even aware of it.  He certainly wasn't present.
-I first started trying to elect my IPR on 2 July, so that I could get the wheels turning before release and school, etc.  I was finally granted access to the BGRS portal on 16 August.

Brookfield issues: 
-Brookfield is using an old interpretation for the Dual Residency Allowance that requires your home to be listed BELOW market value. (link: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/policies-standards/relocation-directive/clarification-bulletin/2010-4-principal-residence-marketed.html)  This was grieved in 2011, and it was found that the policy did not have treasury board approval, and the clarification bulletin was ordered removed from circulation, and all members denied TDRA benefits over this interpretation be tracked down and paid their entitlements.  (link https://www.canada.ca/en/military-grievances-external-review/services/case-summaries/case-2011-131.html)
Brookfield is still using this interpretation.  I pointed it out to them during my 2017 posting and was ignored.  Now I'm trying to claim TDRA, and of course I'm being told that my house must be listed below appraised value.  These points were given to my chief clerk on 20 August and forwarded to the BSHRM for clarification.  To date, I've not heard anything back and am still being denied TDRA benefits.

Throughout the process, I've seen repeatedly that pension cheques should be cut within 45 days of release.  Well, today is day 44, and I don't think I'm going to see it tomorrow.  The only bright spot in this entire process have been SISIP, who took my pension estimate as a working number and immediately starting paying me the 75% top-up, and my VAC case manager, who has pushed through in getting me access to VAC medical benefits despite the system still listing me as serving.  Shocking that the only useful people I've dealt with so far have been non-mil.

Now that I'm a civvie, how do I grieve this?  This is an astronomical amount of bullshit from a system that claims to be supporting its members.  I feel like this dogs breakfast needs some eyeballs, because obviously it can happen very easily.

Does anyone have any sort of direction here?  I'm tearing my hair out.  I was supposed to be released, concentrating on school, and enjoying the benefits of my time in uniform.  My plan was solid, between JPSU/VRPSM and the benefits to which I am entitled, I could have been well ahead on school by now, financially stable, and truly transitioning away from the military life.  Instead, I'm stressed, frustrated, and absolutely ******* done with all things military.  What's the point of policy if nobody is going to pay any attention to it?  What's the point of paying people to do a job if they're just...not doing it?

Apologies for the language.  If you have anything to add on any point, please drop a reply.

-Scott

Just shooting in the dark but your former unit chief should be going to see you superintendent clerk...
 
PM sent - there may be a few things I can influence through my office. We've got Manulife and VAC liaison teams here. Brookfield is a different beast, and I don't think I can influence them.
 
Your old base will have a CAF IRP coordinator (usually the superintendent clerk). They can go to DCBA on your behalf with bgrs problems.
 
Milhouser911 said:
Pre-release issues:
-I opted for a posting to JPSU in February so that I could take advantage of VRPSM and begin taking the electives for my chosen program over the summer.  Paperwork was lost, I was lied to, paperwork was submitted incomplete, and I was forced to re-submit the entire package in May.  I never did hear back about that, and as a result changed my (3B) release date from 19 Dec to 25 August IOT attend school without the military ******* it up.
-My 30-day Op Transition period was a nightmare of fighting with a ****ed up chain of command who decided I had to be at work from 9-4 every day, in uniform, but didn't actually have to do any work.  There's a thread on it, I'm sure most have seen it.
-Obviously my DWD was a mess, organized by a Cpl with no help or involvement from the CoC.  I'm positive the unit CO wasn't even aware of it.  He certainly wasn't present.
-I first started trying to elect my IPR on 2 July, so that I could get the wheels turning before release and school, etc.  I was finally granted access to the BGRS portal on 16 August.

I am awaiting a release message from DMCA as I type this and asked for a release date of 31 Aug 2020, which coincides with a new school year, blah blah blah.  Anyway, I staffed up a memo to be posted to the Transition Unit, and lo and behold, it's still at the HOD level... even though it was handed in on 20 Oct.  So, it's not looking too positive for me either.  I don't want to stay at this unit because I highly doubt they will approve VRPSM, or even the 30 day transition period. 

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time...  I'm looking forward to leaving all of this behind, but the road to it is stressful and difficult...
 
Dog

It sounds like JPSU with a period of retention is still a confusing mess, and people don't know whether you can be posted there or not. I don't know how true that is...my application was never denied, it just disappeared, over and over again.  Originally submitted 17 Jan 2019, when I released on 23 August, nothing had been actioned.

As for the 30 days to sort your release, they don't have to approve it.  They don't have the authority to NOT approve it.  Give the Transition Centre Client Services folks a call at  1-800-883-6094.  I explained the situation to them and they phoned up my CoC and laid out the policy in black and white for them.

I mean, my CoC still ignored it, but my direct supervisor got the point and played cover for me so that I could *almost* take full advantage of the Op Transition 30 day window.

Good luck.  I've been out almost 5 months now, and while I miss my peers and the work, I haven't spared a thought for the organization itself or the people that call themselves "leaders". 

-Scott
 
Transition Centers are starting to be more strict with who they post in for a variety of reasons.

Asking to be posted there because you don't think your unit will support a vrpsm isn't a viable reason.
 
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