First move upon CT, awaiting training, dependants, with a house

[TimBit]

Alright the title says it all... suggestions?

No here's the deal: I will be CT'ing shortly to Reg Force and have been informed that, because of delays in the training system, I will be cost-moved on location for OJE. Now I have a house, a wife and a young tot. I seem to be getting conflicting info from everyone I talk to (big surprise), so I have a few questions. Keep in mind I am untrained

1. As I understand it now... I would move straight upon COS date on IR to location, with family to follow once accomodation is secured at new place of posting. Correct?
2. We are planning to go in Q's - anyone confirm we are eligible? (Wouldn't see why not)
3. Once we have secured a Q, I will ask the CO to lift the IR - any reason why that could be refused?
4. Once IR is lifted, family moves - if house is yet unsold, I have to pay both?
5. Once house is sold, I bring my bills and get refund?
6. I will have a penalty for breaking a mortgage - under IRP, three months are covered under custom and another three under personalized. Do I get three months in an OR move?
7. If I decide to rent, would I still receive real estate incentive?
8. Any chance I can ask the BTL Mgr to stick around my current location until house is sold?

Before anyone says that one must be ready to be away from his family when joining the service and bla bla bla, I know that. But of course, lest I'm deployed or on course I intend to try and minimize such periods, particularly while my children are really young. Therefore, I am seeking the right info to make the right decision and/or to know what I am allowed if the OR clerk isn't 100% sure.

Thank you!

 

[George Wallace]

When you arrive at your first Posting, make an appt with the IRP (they now have a new name) people and have them explain everything that you are entitled to.  They will have the most up to date info, and are very good at their jobs.  I have a friend who did a CT and was very impressed with the service he got from them in Petawawa.  They answered all his questions and more.

 

[PuckChaser]

I was eligible for a PMQ and my MPRR said I was single. With a child and a wife, you should be put above single members if there's a wait list.

You can look at some of the PMQs on the base before you go: http://www.cfha-alfc.forces.gc.ca/hl-el/hl-el-eng.aspx I'm not sure how accurate the vacancies are, but it at least gives you an idea.

 

[Bonko]

I just did a component transfer and it's still known as IRP at least in CFSU(O) OR it is. What I experienced is that IRP will contact you and the first meeting will just to sit down and get acquainted with one another and sign some basic paper work. After that they will figure out what's  your preference to send you on a house hunting trip or if you feel that's it not necessary then they will give you a date to go. Make note that just because your COS date is there doesn't mean you will actually be reporting in on that date.  The way my move went about my COS was nine days before I actually reporting in for duty because of the way my move went and the distance I had to go to report to the new unit. Anyway those are my  :2c: on what I've experienced thus far. Wish you all the best with your transfer!

 

[Occam]

I just did a component transfer and it's still known as IRP at least in CFSU(O) OR it is.

I think what he actually meant was that Royal LePage Relocation Services, who administers IRP, is now known as Brookfield Global Relocation Services.

 

[exgunnertdo]

Mine was 5 years ago, and through the OR, not IRP.  Shortly after we did ours, IRP started doing first moves, but I *think* I heard that first RegF moves are now back to the OR. Regardless this was our experience. My husband and I CT'd at the same time, so also, a bit different because of that.

1. As I understand it now... I would move straight upon COS date on IR to location, with family to follow once accomodation is secured at new place of posting. Correct?

- They sent us both on French training, not IR, but "prohibited." Not much different in terms of entitlement for you, but it's almost impossible to get the "prohibited" changed to "restricted", which can then be lifted to move your family. You can't move your family on a "prohibited" posting.

2. We are planning to go in Q's - anyone confirm we are eligible? (Wouldn't see why not)

Shouldn't be a problem, we went into Q's.

3. Once we have secured a Q, I will ask the CO to lift the IR - any reason why that could be refused?

If they determine that you won't be there long enough to warrant moving your family, they could refuse. We weren't permitted to move our family to St Jean (8 months), but once I got to Borden it was going to be 14 months before I was finished my course, so they allowed the move.

4. Once IR is lifted, family moves - if house is yet unsold, I have to pay both?

Pretty sure that you'd get TDRA - Temporary Dual Residency Assistance. They would reimburse you your mortgage interest, property tax, utilities, insurance etc. It's in the IRP package, not sure what would happen if you are with the OR.

5. Once house is sold, I bring my bills and get refund?

That's what we did. We got a advance to cover expenses, since we were an OR move, the agent, lawyer, etc couldn't bill IRP directly.

6. I will have a penalty for breaking a mortgage - under IRP, three months are covered under custom and another three under personalized. Do I get three months in an OR move?

I can't remember what our penalties were, but they were all paid. I think with IRP it's actually 3 months under core, and 3 under custom. The three packages don't exist in an OR move. You get virtually the same things covered, but they don't administer it with core/custom/personalized funding.

7. If I decide to rent, would I still receive real estate incentive?

As above, the funding package is different if it's a first RegF move/OR move. We didn't get a Personalized package, so I'm not sure how that would work.  We did get the $650? from that package (movement grant? I forget what it's called), but we didn't get the month's salary.

8. Any chance I can ask the BTL Mgr to stick around my current location until house is sold?

Likely only if there is opportunity for EWAT at that location. We could have done second langage trg in our location. There was a course starting there the same day as the course in St Jean. But no, we had to go to St Jean for some reason.

Good luck with your move! Hope this helps a bit. It has been 5 years, but I'm sure some things are still the same.

 

[TimBit]

As usual ladies and gents, your info was great! Thanks a lot!

Bonko - did you CT/OT or were you qualified in your trade?

exgunnertdo, thank you for the detailed answers. The thing as I said is this will be a non-qualified awaiting training move, so Brookfield themselves told me to go see the OR at CFSU(O)...as we all know those poor sods at CFSU(O) are overworked so the clerk did not really have time to answer all my questions.

Is there a way/place you folks think I can get what I am eligible to during an OR move on paper? I would not want to engage fees and then get the OR at new place of duty to say "oh sorry not eligible". I read the 2010 CFIRP in and out and the one thing i know for sure I am not entitled to is the posting allowance and that of course I shan`t make a cent on this move as we don`t cash out any enveloppe, just refunds.

Thank you everyone, a load off my mind and my wife`s.  :nod:

 

[exgunnertdo]

Ours was the same - CT/OT at the same time. We were both trained in our first trades, but were changing trades on CT.

The OR and IRP both just administer the move, based on treasury board policy. If you like reading policy  ;D you can check out the actual policy document:

http://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/index.php?did=6&lang=eng

The way the OR handles the claims will be different from what IRP does, but it should be the same entitlements, less the month's salary.

The order you do things will be important. Likely scenario - you'll get posted to your new location without your family, and your gaining base will be the one sorting it out. Sounds like you're in Ottawa right now, and will be posted somewhere else? I know it's good to know ahead of time, but it might be better in the long run to wait until you are where you'll be moving your family to. If it's a base that handles lots of BTLs (Borden, for example), you'll be more likely to get the more acurate picture of what to do. They'll have done lots, but I don't know that the Ottawa OR moves a lot of people here who are BTL. They likely have little experience with how it's done. The bases with schools will have more.

Talk to a Real Estate agent about putting your house for sale, but don't sign anything until you have official permission to move.  Talk to your bank about what exactly your penalties will be if you break. Other than that, it's pretty much a waiting game until you have more details/firm dates.

 

[TimBit]

Once more, thanks exgunner. That the move is based on TBS was also my understanding policy, less the allowance. As you can see, I love reading policy  ;D but then, isn`t that what officers do, read all day?  >

You are right indeed, I am moving from Ottawa (yeah!) and will be going to 22 Wg (yes, I know...) where I suspect the OR has extremely limited exp with BTL. I know for one that very few officers go there on BTL since A. you need secret and 2. delays in that trade are recent. Therefore thanks for the advice I`ll try to get a better picture from someone who knows someone at a school (?!?).

I have already begun talking with my realtor, who is former military and who knows what that implies. Obviously, no message= no commitment, so it`s all exploratory right now.. I'm also negotiating with the bank but, oh surprise, they are not super cooperative  :fifty: My big issue was that rates went down after we bought, so I must actually be the only canadian praying for rates to go up in June

Thanks again!