Majority of Canadians not interested in joining the CAF

[lenaitch]

Are the ‘ambulance drivers’ the ones who have, at a minimum, a college deplorable in primary care paramedic, plus a fair bit of on the road clinical training before they ever go live?

I dunno, I’ve got plenty of experience waiting for both fire and paramedics who are staging while we deal with the first ten minutes of a call, and then supporting them when they’re doing their part. I’ve seen firefighters go into some super sketchy situations to keep people safe. I’ve seen paramedics deal with the worst people imaginable while those victims are in acute distress, with medics getting kicked, punched, bit, and spat on. And I shudder to imagine the biological hazards they’re constantly exposed to. I also have a soft spot for the one medic who helped dive in when I was in a scrap with a suspect once.

Particularly when the impacts of operational trauma are added to the picture, I don’t think it’s fair to undersell the risks paramedics face. I wouldn’t want their job.

Autocorrect or not a fan of the community college system?

 

[Bluebulldog]

Are the ‘ambulance drivers’ the ones who have, at a minimum, a college deplorable in primary care paramedic, plus a fair bit of on the road clinical training before they ever go live?

Not to digress in the thread too much.

I'm not saying the job doesn't have its hazards. I was in a relationship with a paramedic for quite a long time. For every "hero moment" there were a ton of bad calls, but there was also a lot of slackassery as well. PCP is a baseline for Paramedics, and currently it can be obtained with less than a year of career college, and a couple of months preceptorship. There also isn't a governing body for PCPs in ON. So if you somehow manage to get in, and you're lousy, it takes a lot to get you out. ACP...different story.

Particularly when the impacts of operational trauma are added to the picture, I don’t think it’s fair to undersell the risks paramedics face. I wouldn’t want their job.

Saw it firsthand.

IMHO, Paramedics get a crummy shake in ON ( I can only speak for my own province / experience). As most services have PCPs start on a call-in / casual basis, often for up to 10 years. During that time, they have no benefits, and no sick days. Full time? Yes, absolutely, but the journey to get there often chews up decent folks, and spits them out.

 

[Quirky]

Again we need balance. We can not provide one family permanent geographic security at the expense of everyone else.

I wonder if civilian employers would give so much leniency to their employers who have these kinds of issues. While there are plenty of areas where we can improve, I don't think anyone should complain about paid time off for medical appointments for themselves and their families.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I wonder if civilian employers would give so much leniency to their employers who have these kinds of issues. While there are plenty of areas where we can improve, I don't think anyone should complain about paid time off for medical appointments for themselves and their families.

I agree we are very open to partial days off. I think that had more to do with our antiquated leave system though.

I took the article be more along the lines of geographic postings and ops tempo. I know of a person in my trade in Halifax right now who has never sailed because they have a child with special needs. Their spouse is also military. They've been here for close to 10 years.

How many families have had to endure extra hardship and what impact has that had on the other families ? At what point have we been fair and now it's time for the member to give some ?

I agree we should help where we can, but what's the total cost ? And when has the accomodation started to cost more than is feasible ?

 

[Quirky]

I know of a person in my trade in Halifax right now who has never sailed because they have a child with special needs. Their spouse is also military. They've been here for close to 10 years.

That's not fair to everyone else. While we need to take care of our people, I think the CAF regularly steers towards being a very expensive social welfare safety net. Medical releases take way too long for example, paying people to sit at home for months and years is unacceptable.

 

[OldSolduer]

That's not fair to everyone else. While we need to take care of our people, I think the CAF regularly steers towards being a very expensive social welfare safety net. Medical releases take way too long for example, paying people to sit at home for months and years is unacceptable.

I'm retired and to a point I agree with you. There are regulations governing "Compassionate" postings and the like and I have no idea how vigorously they are enforced.

The issue as I see it is the Cpl Bloggins who has a special needs child being told "take the posting to sea/field unit etc or be released". Then the spouse runs to the nearest media outlet with this latest outrage. And the CAF will not say a thing due to "privacy" issues.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I agree we are very open to partial days off. I think that had more to do with our antiquated leave system though.

I took the article be more along the lines of geographic postings and ops tempo. I know of a person in my trade in Halifax right now who has never sailed because they have a child with special needs. Their spouse is also military. They've been here for close to 10 years.

How many families have had to endure extra hardship and what impact has that had on the other families ? At what point have we been fair and now it's time for the member to give some ?

I agree we should help where we can, but what's the total cost ? And when has the accomodation started to cost more than is feasible ?

Based on my observation of the quality of the RSS pool over the past few decades, I'm pretty sure that's why the CAF keeps the Reserves in operation: so they have somewhere to post their 'people with issues' to

 

[OldSolduer]

Based on my observation of the quality of the RSS pool over the past few decades, I'm pretty sure that's why the CAF keeps the Reserves in operation: so they have somewhere to post their 'people with issues' to

Some yes - We had an RSS staff who showed up about three times then disappeared.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Some yes - We had an RSS staff who showed up about three times then disappeared.

I wasn't concerned with those types as much as the ones who should have disappeared, but didn't

 

[Booter]

The compassionate system federally is a mess- that doesn’t serve anyone consistently,

But years of accommodation is no good for anyone- that’s a place where the compassionate part should be transitioning to a PS job where it’s not feasible for you to deploy for 15-20 years.

We actually do both sides badly. Weird.

 

[Brad Sallows]

a college deplorable in primary care paramedic

I do love automated features...

 

[lenaitch]

I took the article be more along the lines of geographic postings and ops tempo. I know of a person in my trade in Halifax right now who has never sailed because they have a child with special needs. Their spouse is also military. They've been here for close to 10 years.

How many families have had to endure extra hardship and what impact has that had on the other families ? At what point have we been fair and now it's time for the member to give some ?

I agree we should help where we can, but what's the total cost ? And when has the accomodation started to cost more than is feasible ?

Agree, and it' not restricted to the CAF. I don't know what your rules are but the civilian legislation uses terms like 'reasonable accommodation' and 'undo hardship', but employers often avoid wanting to find out what the practical manifestations of those are. Both have different meanings at the personal, local and organizational levels. I know of one police member, uniformed patrol, who does not work nights because it has been determined that driving at night is too stressful (I don't know any details beyond that). So in a small-ish office, other members are obviously working more nights.

 

[brihard]

Dammit, autocorrect got me good on that one, lol.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Based on my observation of the quality of the RSS pool over the past few decades, I'm pretty sure that's why the CAF keeps the Reserves in operation: so they have somewhere to post their 'people with issues' to

Funny most of my interactions with RSS staff has always been positive, that was between 1977-86. I deeply appreciate the council and advice from the RSS Warrant Officers I got.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Dammit, autocorrect got me good on that one, lol.

However, it means people are reading what you write...

 

[daftandbarmy]

Funny most of my interactions with RSS staff has always been positive, that was between 1977-86. I deeply appreciate the council and advice from the RSS Warrant Officers I got.

I know what you mean about the 70s and 80s as we generally got good people then.

Things changed in the 90s, based on my experience, and became a little less 'consistent'.

 

[Furniture]

I agree we are very open to partial days off. I think that had more to do with our antiquated leave system though.

I took the article be more along the lines of geographic postings and ops tempo. I know of a person in my trade in Halifax right now who has never sailed because they have a child with special needs. Their spouse is also military. They've been here for close to 10 years.

How many families have had to endure extra hardship and what impact has that had on the other families ? At what point have we been fair and now it's time for the member to give some ?

I agree we should help where we can, but what's the total cost ? And when has the accomodation started to cost more than is feasible ?

I suspect you'll find that the member has never actually been on compassionate status, and has just been accommodated based on the "he's a good guy", or "I've known him for years" system... I know of people in my trade who held up positions wasting space simply because their supervisors wouldn't push for compassionate status, so their accommodation was officially tracked, and the clock would start ticking.

While I think the CAF should be looking to do more to support people, and take people's wishes into consideration, it can't be at the expense of other members.

 

[OldSolduer]

While I think the CAF should be looking to do more to support people, and take people's wishes into consideration, it can't be at the expense of other members.

I agree. When soldiers are serving multiple deployments to wherever but there are some that have never deployed on an overseas operation. The soldier that needs the break can't get it because "so and so can't go because of _____"

 

[mariomike]

Lenaitch said,

I know of one police member, uniformed patrol, who does not work nights because it has been determined that driving at night is too stressful (I don't know any details beyond that). So in a small-ish office, other members are obviously working more nights.

I imagine that must raise a few eyebrows with the old-timers.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I suspect you'll find that the member has never actually been on compassionate status, and has just been accommodated based on the "he's a good guy", or "I've known him for years" system... I know of people in my trade who held up positions wasting space simply because their supervisors wouldn't push for compassionate status, so their accommodation was officially tracked, and the clock would start ticking.

While I think the CAF should be looking to do more to support people, and take people's wishes into consideration, it can't be at the expense of other members.

I am well aware of the games and administrative gymnastics we will play, especially for specific segments of our demographics.

I agree. When soldiers are serving multiple deployments to wherever but there are some that have never deployed on an overseas operation. The soldier that needs the break can't get it because "so and so can't go because of _____"

Bingo. I always wonder when I see fellow CPO2/MWO with a CD, "Where in the sweet mother of god have you been for the last 10 - 15 years ?"