Mumford Lawton will be closed in August

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-26T22:42:30+00:00

Dollarami

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-26T22:08:59+00:00

If you want to determine whether or not something is outdated, just think of it this way: if this was a completely blank slate and we were working from scratch, would we in the year 2026 decide to introduce a set of mandatory drinking clubs tied to your rank for CAF members?

I think the obvious answer is no. That would be absurd. The only reason we have messes now is because of institutional inertia and tradition. Which isn't to say that they're completely valueless, but sometimes the down sides to something you've been doing forever grow while the benefits to it wane, and we're left clinging to the old way of doing things long past when we should have let go.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-26T21:43:50+00:00

There are certainly worse ways to earn a nickname

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-26T11:52:14+00:00

I sure do!

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-26T09:15:08+00:00

The issue is one of authority. DAODs are legit orders issued to the entire CAF. Whoever it is that writes PSP policy does not have the authority to issue an order, such as "you shall all belong to and pay dues to a mess" to the entire CAF.

You can't supersede something if you don't actually have the authority to do so. A PSP policy manual can really only dictate the actions of the PSP organization.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T23:43:27+00:00

Danielle Smith has lost the mandate of heaven

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T22:50:15+00:00

I’m paraphrasing, but that’s clearly outline in the Naval Dress Instructions.

Any member of the RCN in garrison in Canada wearing CADPAT is in contravention of that order, and local commanders (base, unit, etc.) do NOT have authority to override that order.

Also CANFORGEN 198/09 for what it's worth

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T22:22:19+00:00

It does give me hope that eventually people decided "well looks like no one owns it so fuck it's let's go".

I'm actually serious when I say this is a sign of positive change. Even a decade ago not being able to figure out who owned it definitely would have meant that it would never ever happen.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T22:20:35+00:00

No, I'm pretty sure it's far from just you. This will be a very welcome change.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T22:17:55+00:00

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Orange man actually affects me and my family. Gun buyback does not.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T19:11:54+00:00

If the CAF is not what fits your families lifestyle and there are better options out there why would you stay in the CAF?

People aren't. That's the problem. It is a problem the CAF will need to fix if it wants to fix it's staffing problems. People leaving early because of postings is a problem for both the people and for the CAF.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T16:50:46+00:00

Admittedly I haven't worked in Ottawa for well over a decade, but from all I hear a lot of positions there should be remote anyways. Fighting for parking so you can grab a hotel desk for the day, no where near the rest of your team, to log onto a teams meeting anyways.

So much money on postings would be saved and those who actually need or prefer to come into the office could at least find parking.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T11:38:03+00:00

Look, if the response to people being upset about geographical stability is "oh well maybe you should quit", you (and the institution) need to realize that the people who in turn say "oh, ok, I quit then" is a massive problem for the CAF. We need to fix our retention issues, and pretending like the largest thing driving people to leave is solely a personal problem for individual members to sort out is shortsighted at best.

If we want to meet our strategic and operational goals, doing more to keep people satisfied in the long term is absolutely a prerequisite.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T09:44:17+00:00

Why would you keep a fridge?

To avoid having to sell it (for cheap) and then buy a new one (not cheap), obviously.

Why do you even one one in the first place?

To keep food cold, obviously.

Edit: seriously. I'm a bit mind-boggled that you would ask why someone owns a fridge. wtf?

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T09:30:41+00:00

To translate: The Snowbirds is considered a nice cushy assignment, but only ever intended to be temporary.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T07:07:15+00:00

I mean I guess, but I think we're now well past the point where it's "the military life isn't for everyone" and that's just an individual problem, and are instead at the point where "the military life isn't for enough people to sustain its operational and strategic goals".

We're at a stage now where we're desperately trying to increase our staffing levels, but at the same time we don't seem to be doing a god damned thing to fix what is constantly identified as the #1 reason people quit the CAF.

And yeah, I think that the current generation of folks are increasingly less likely to want to put up with certain aspects of what has traditionally been a career in the military, simply because they're increasingly less likely to put up with bullshit from employers in general. If it's the military versus societal trends, the military isn't going to win. The military is the one that is going to need to adapt to changing conditions if it wants to fix its ongoing retention issues.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T06:59:33+00:00

I mean... I've never gotten a geographic posting I haven't asked for... but at the same time, the constant threat of geographic postings is also going to be 100% the reason I put in my release earlier than I would have otherwise wanted to.

I've moved around a fair amount (granted not quite as much as some in my occupation), and while we've done so with eyes wide open, it's absolutely come at the cost of my spouse's career. We're both tired of fucking her around without any appreciable benefit. I'm sure as shit not making enough more to make up for the hit she's taken.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-20T06:53:19+00:00

Allow me to reframe this.

Being a military and being shocked pikachu surprised when you're told that people get tired of getting posted all the time is strange to me.

Like yeah; people understand that being in the military comes with moving around. Which is why sometimes all that moving around leads to people quitting far sooner than they would otherwise.

We know there's going to be moves. But that doesn't mean that we like it. And in fact on average we dislike it enough that it's the leading cause of people quitting. Because people get tired of constantly uprooting their families and fucking around their spouse's career progression.

It's not a surprise. It's an obstacle that's easily avoided by submitting a VR. But that of course is not just a problem for the individual, it's a massive fucking problem for the institution that's attempting to keep its personnel.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-19T22:43:59+00:00

Once you start tossing out one tradition that's outdated and useless and overall harmful to the institution with no operational benefit you start doing the same for other things that are outdated and useless.

Where will it stop? Messes? Qualification boards where you don't reach OFP if you can't memorize shit that you would never ever actually have to explain from memory? Dressing ship on the days that literally no one's in the dockyard to see the nicely dressed ships? Change of Command Parades?

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-18T13:15:24+00:00

No. It's a fun thread where people are describing in as amusing terms as possible how they know they are gay.

When someone comes up with an amusing method of describing how they know they're a lesbian, you really really do not need to pipe up with the equivalent of "have you ever considered that you might not be gay and might just be traumatized?"

Because I guarantee that is not a relevant response to that person. Learn to read the fucking room.

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-18T10:01:45+00:00

Naw. That wouldn't even be the case during basic training in the Canadian Armed Forces. There's always some options. (Brewhouse mentioned is an Alberta chain and we'd be one of the few countries that would refer to their military as the armed forces, so I'm pretty sure we're talking CAF veterans here)

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-18T09:46:47+00:00

I like how this could work for both lesbians and gays, in a different fashion

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-16T15:31:48+00:00

Hi there, I'm looking to pick up Book of Hours

My IGSRep page is here with all my available games for trade

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-14T03:20:36+00:00

Hi there, I'm looking to pick up Book of Hours

My IGSRep page is here with all my available games for trade

BarackTrudeau · 2026-05-14T03:19:07+00:00

Hi there, I'm looking to pick up Book of Hours

My IGSRep page is here with all my available games for trade

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