Commander Canadian Joint Operations Commander Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie addresses per diem claims issue on Op UNIFIER:

 

“Sending Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members overseas on deployment and sometimes into harm’s way is a serious undertaking and the raison d’être for Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC). CJOC plans, conducts, and sustains CAF operations here at home, within North America and in all corners of the globe. Sustaining and supporting deployed troops is critical to our mission success.

 

“When we first started receiving queries regarding our support to CAF members deployed on Op UNIFIER in Europe, I directed the team at CJOC HQ investigate the matter immediately to ensure that we were not putting our deployed personnel at any disadvantage. The Chain of Command has since spoken with each member deployed on Op UNIFIER to ensure that they are not suffering financial hardship with regards to any unexpected expenses surrounding meal allowances, excess baggage fees, accommodation expenses, or for any other reason.

 

“I want to reassure our CAF team that fund advances are always available to members to help ease the burden of any processing delays when they submit claims. Deployed members have taken advantage of this benefit and I highly encourage them to continue to do so as a means of more rapid reimbursement. I have had my leadership team verify that Op UNIFIER members have been offered, and have received, fund advances when requested.

 

“Various circumstances caused delays in the processing of claims for the initial CAF members deployed on Op UNIFIER in the fall of 2022. In January of 2023, with more troops joining the Op UNIFIER team, we deployed additional support personnel to augment the processing capacity needed for the increased number of claims. I am also aware of a technical problem with the Automated Cashier System that has caused a delay on the finalization of over 200 claims, and we are working diligently to rectify the issue.

 

“The global security environment is contested and growing more challenging everyday.  We will continue to deploy CAF personnel around the globe to support our partners and allies in these challenging times and their well-being remains our top priority. As such, we will continue to provide all the support necessary to every one of our deployed troops.”