Reserve buyback

[bluecollarb]

Was wondering if anyone had any useful insight on reserve buyback before 2007. I had 2 1/2 years in reserves and only given 6 months of pensionable time to buyback. I didn't really question this until recently but my reserve time has been hatcheted and pensionable time lousy in my opinion. The classification with quite a bit of my class B work was credited 1/4 time because one was 85 days straight and missed the 3 month cutoff for 1 for 1 credit. I also had a course that may have finished just days before class B work began which would have passed the 3 month required continuous service but again the whole block of serviceable time only 1/4 credit. I am wondering if anyone had any experiences in changing the classification of their reserve buyback to increase their pensionable time from an audit or whatever? I am just starting to scratch the surface on seeing if I am going anywhere with this from the pension office.  Appreciate any useful comments. Thanks

 

[dapaterson]

I am assuming that you entered the Reg F prior to 01 March 2007.  In that case, you are limited by the regulations and legislation in place at that time.

Per the CFSA, those would be:

(G) any continuous period of full-time service of three months or more in the Canadian Forces or in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, other than the regular force, if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

(H) one-fourth of any period of service in the Canadian Forces or in the naval, army or air forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, other than the regular force, during which he was liable to be called out for periodic training or duty by the Governor in Council otherwise than during an emergency, except any such service that may be counted by him under clause (C) or (G), if he elects, within one year of becoming a contributor under this Act, to pay for that service,

So, to change anything, you'd have to demonstrate that you had continuous full-time service of 3 months or more.  First place I would look is your MPRR for your Reserve service; are there consecutive dates of full-time service that total over 3 months?  If not, I'd turn to the pay system;  get a copy of your master pay record from RPSR for the period where you were on course, then shortly thereafter on class B, and see if you were paid for the gap between them to corss the 3 month threshold.

The rules are binary: you either qualify or you don't.  If you worked less than 3 months, you don't qualify.

 

[bluecollarb]

Thanks very helpful. I have started looking into pay records to see if I made the "continuous service" requirement to increase pensionable time. I CT'd in Jan 2006 to Reg force and frustrating to get little credit for pensionable time. Unfortunately for one of the block of periods of my service where I may of had a week off in between 85 days of class B and about 6 weeks of class A course cost me quite a bit of pensionable time so I am probably fighting a losing battle. Hopefully rules change. Oh well

 

[SpyGuy999]

"The rules are binary: you either qualify or you don't.  If you worked less than 3 months, you don't qualify."

I would hold off on that judgment.

I have reserve time which involved full-time courses where the course was split in two parts with separate route letters. The split came over a weekend and the intent was to ensure that we reservists attending the course were shown as being employed full-time for less than three months, when in fact the course was closer to four months in length, full-time.

I am pursuing a redress on this practice and will keep you updated on whether I am successful.

 

[dapaterson]

"The rules are binary: you either qualify or you don't.  If you worked less than 3 months, you don't qualify."

I would hold off on that judgment.

I have reserve time which involved full-time courses where the course was split in two parts with separate route letters. The split came over a weekend and the intent was to ensure that we reservists attending the course were shown as being employed full-time for less than three months, when in fact the course was closer to four months in length, full-time.

I am pursuing a redress on this practice and will keep you updated on whether I am successful.

The rules remain binary.  Under ADM(Per) instruction 2/93 there was explicit direction that breaks of one, two, or in the case of a weekend three days that personnel were to have their period of service bridged; if you were not paid for that two or thrtee days it was counter to the military instruction in force.  Similarly, CMP Instruction 20/04 directs that "Short breaks in service may negatively impact the member's benefits and entitlements. Therefore, the approving authority shall ensure that intentional short breaks in Cl "B" Reserve Service, such as over weekends or holidays, are not permitted except in the case of Reg F annuitants who opt to take a break(s) as set out in para 2.13 of this document." (para 4.1b)

Thus, your pension elgibility is not the issue.  The failure to follow CAF policies is the issue; that failure in turn negatively impacted your pension eligibility.  If the situation is as spelled out, you should be paid for that two or three day break; once that is paid service, the full period of service is then admissible under the pension rules.