Married but paying for rations while on course.

[Bbmoveup]

Hey im trying to find up to date info for BMQ deductions etc as i have seen conflicting answers.

1. Married and with a dependent and a home owner, do I pay rations? I understand I wont be paying for a room with owning a house.

2. Again I have seen conflicting answers as well... this is less of a wonder but i came across it on the forums here. Do we get extra allowance for being away from the family?

Thanks in advance all.. hoping to get into BMQ this fall.

 

[Jayjaycf]

When I was in St-Jean in 2014, married folks weren't paying for quarter but had to pay for the food and there was no way around that. It did surprise some of them because some were not expecting to pay for the ration. Maybe things have changed but I doubt it. Good luck for your BMQ.

 

[mariomike]

Hey im trying to find up to date info for BMQ deductions etc as i have seen conflicting answers.

Rations and Quarters

The following amounts (subject to change) will be deducted automatically each month from your pay:
a.Non-commissioned members (single): $627,80;
b.Non-commissioned members (married/common law): $527,87;
c.Officers (single): $648,41; and
d.Officers (married/common law): $527,87.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/training-establishments/recruit-school-joining-instructions.page

 

[Bbmoveup]

I ended up finding that I just wasn't to sure if there was anything about having kids at home, who you still have to feed, vs no children at home.

 

[SJBeaton]

I ended up finding that I just wasn't to sure if there was anything about having kids at home, who you still have to feed, vs no children at home.

Unless for some reason you are going to BMQ on TD (there is nothing in your original post that would indicate this), you will pay the full amount for rations regardless of your family structure. Also, you will not be getting an allowance for being away from your family for BMQ. Good luck with your application.

 

[Bbmoveup]

Thanks everyone. Everything you all said is what I could find I just wanted to confirm.

So far I'm ripping through the process.

 

[Joker27th]

I've heard from multiple people recently that a new policy has been implemented recently that if you leave you wife (and in my case child as well) behind are are paying for mortgage or rent, and have to live on base temporarily, that your quarters and rations are provided at no charge. I've even heard that's the case at basic. On the recruiting website the only thing i see is that if your married or common law its $100 cheaper per month compared to a single person at basic. But those same people say that's the old policy.

Wondering if anyone who is currently in basic or finished it within the last year can shed some light on this for me. ~$600 a month is a lot of additional money to spend when you are already paying for a home for your family back home.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I've heard from multiple people recently that a new policy has been implemented recently that if you leave you wife (and in my case child as well) behind are are paying for mortgage or rent, and have to live on base temporarily, that your quarters and rations are provided at no charge. I've even heard that's the case at basic. On the recruiting website the only thing i see is that if your married or common law its $100 cheaper per month compared to a single person at basic. But those same people say that's the old policy.

Wondering if anyone who is currently in basic or finished it within the last year can shed some light on this for me. ~$600 a month is a lot of additional money to spend when you are already paying for a home for your family back home.

Thanks in advance!

Right from the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School website.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/training-establishments/recruit-school-basic-training.page

Things you need to know

•For Non-Commissioned Members: If you are single, you must pay rations and quarters throughout your stay at the School at a cost of $627.80 per month. If you are married/common-law, you must pay rations at a cost of $527.87 per month. This will be deducted directly from your pay.

•For Officers:If you are single, you must pay rations and quarters throughout your stay at the School at a cost of $648.41 per month.If you are married/common-law, you must pay rations at a cost of $527.87 per month. This will be deducted directly from your pay.

 

[Lumber]

Would he be eligible for separation expense?

The only line from the CBI that has me wondering is:

208.997(3) (Entitlement): a member...is entitled to SE if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
d. the member is entitled to a move of (D)HG&E at public expense to the new place of duty;

Every other line, from a-h, seem to be satisfied.

Since the member has been attach-posted to CFLRS, I don't think he would be "entitled to a move of HG&E". At least that's my take.

He would be entitled to PLD at his principle residence, however.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I think the way of business now is they are posted to CFLRS for trg;  if they were attach posted or TD, they would get free R & Q.  Something like that. 

IIRC, SE also was axed when the policy changes happened a few years back.

 

[Lumber]

I think the way of business now is they are posted to CFLRS for trg;  if they were attach posted or TD, they would get free R & Q.  Something like that. 

IIRC, SE also was axed when the policy changes happened a few years back.

But SE is still in the CBIs? I just looked it up? Or do you just mean that they modified it so that it's very hard to actually be eligible for it?

 

[BeyondTheNow]

...On the recruiting website the only thing i see is that if your married or common law its $100 cheaper per month compared to a single person at basic. But those same people say that's the old policy.

Wondering if anyone who is currently in basic or finished it within the last year can shed some light on this for me. ~$600 a month is a lot of additional money to spend when you are already paying for a home for your family back home.

Thanks in advance!

I left CFLRS in Dec of 2015. As of that time, the only benefit in terms of less money being deducted for married or common-law is what you stated. The recruit who was in a married or common-law relationship didn't have to pay for quarters each month (the approx. $100), but still had to pay for rations each month (the approx. $575).

I spoke with a member who is now in their 10th week of course. Nothing seems to have changed. 

 

[McG]

I still find it interesting that the PM is compelled to fly on military air but he only has to reimburse to the cost of what he would have paid to fly himself.  In contrast, the military member who is compelled to live in quarters without means to prepare food is compelled to pay not only the cost of food but also the full cost for somebody to prepare the food.  Two people compelled to use a means more expensive than they would have chosen, but only one is subsidized for the imposed expense over which they have no control. 
:stirpot:

The rules do not agree with me, but I think troops entitled to free quarters should be subsidized for the cost of food preparation if they are not provided quarters with the means to cook their own food.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

But SE is still in the CBIs? I just looked it up? Or do you just mean that they modified it so that it's very hard to actually be eligible for it?

The info starts at Reply 6 from DAA.

https://army.ca/forums/threads/108923.0.html

 

[Sub_Guy]

Do sailors pay for rations while the ship is alongside? 

They get a free lunch and soup everyday!

 

[Pusser]

Do sailors pay for rations while the ship is alongside? 

They get a free lunch and soup everyday!

Lunch is provided free of charge to all members of the ship's company on normal working days in home port.  The Duty Watch gets breakfast and supper as well.  Anyone else wanting to eat breakfast/supper or lunch on weekends are supposed to pay (since no one lives on board anymore, this is no longer really an issue).  While at sea or in any port other than home port, all meals are provided.

There is no additional ration for soup - it's part of the lunch ration, just served earlier.  Keep in mind that units are allocated a set amount of money per day to feed their personnel, based on their circumstances.  How that unit chooses to break it up and use it is up to them.

There is actually some sound reasoning for the "free" lunch (is anything really free?) and none of it has anything to do with giving the sailors a break or benefit:

1)  There are no adequate dining facilities in proximity to any of the ships in either of HMC Dockyards. The number of personnel in the ships would overwhelm those facilities that do exist.

2)  Sailors are prohibited from "brown-bagging" because there is no place to store their lunches in such a manner as to not attract vermin.  This is a very real issue as the cost of fumigating a ship (which is a refit-level operation) in order to combat roaches or rats far exceeds the cost of feeding the ship's company.

3)  In theory at least, sailors are not supposed to leave the ship during the workday.  Departments generally have authority to allow it though.

In short, if you can't leave to get lunch (or there is no place to go) and you can't bring your own, then the Crown has an obligation to feed you.

 

[AbdullahD]

Hi guys a couple questions of things that have me confused. If anyone can indulge me I would appreciate it.

I have seen the payscale for training and promotions after, they make sense all well and good, but I am confused do recruits who have a wife, children and a mortgage get any incentives? I was reading and saw that married recruits were exempt for paying for lodging but have to pay $500/mo for rations while on bmq is that correct?

Now this PLD business, is it only for moves after enrollment? Ie I apply for Navy, put in for east coast... I do not get it because I applied to be there so I eat that living cost difference? Or does everyone get it? From what I read everyone in those cities get it period.. just want to be sure.

When you have a family and are at BMQ do you get to claim it as an "IR posting"? Or is that after BMQ? Is their a similar claim to be made? Aka anything to help someone who has a family at home waiting in limbo for a posting to be made.

Now if I read it correctly the Canadian Forces will pay for my wife, kids and I to move to wherever I get posted after BMQ correct?

Now after I get posted the CF will pay closing costs etc if I sell my house? They will also pay a certain amount if I suffer a loss on it correct?

Now deployments are not counted as part of your taxable income.. but certain deployments with the RCN do not count towards your away from home time, due to not being a "real" deployment? But regardless of that is that time also not taxable? Or is it only deployments to "operational theatres"?

I have spent a few hours delving into these topics, for fun and it has me all confused a lot of dead links, old info, possibly outdated and I just wanted to clear up these small things. Also not 100% if all or any of these things apply to recruits or only currently serving members for the moves etc.. I did my best to understand but maybe my head has just started spinning trying to figure it all out and it has turned to Greek on me lol I have consulted here and with a Navy vet I work with, he just retired a few short years ago after putting in a respectable career. So I am cross referencing too.

Thanks again and if you feel this is a waste of time I am sorry.
Abdullah

Ps I have no immediate plans to either join or not join. Fact of the matter is I am out of shape (albeit significantly healthier then three months ago), just bought a house and I have a decent albeit unfulfilling job right now. So I am more curious to see if it is even realistic I know within 3-4 yrs the money would be good enough not to worry.. but I'm curious to see if the first couple years will bankrupt me or not.

 

[PuckChaser]

Theres no extra money if you have a family. You're correct about R&Q, rations are stupid expensive for no reason.

PLD is only for certain bases, if entitled you'll get it once you're posted with your family.

Named operations are tax free (CARIBEE, REASSURANCE, etc). One of the RCN folks can hop on to explain the uniqueness of a ship deployment, as it's not the same as my 2 day flight to basically any theatre in the world.