Staff created a “food pantry” for cash-strapped soldiers so they wouldn’t go hungry during specialized cyber training.
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Canadian military personnel sent to Ottawa for specialized cyber training have had to rely on donated food to make a living due to a lack of support from the military and the high cost of living in the city. .
In other cases, soldiers went months without receiving reimbursement for their expenses from the Defense Ministry, causing further financial hardship, according to concerned military officials contacted by this newspaper.
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Recruits were initially not eligible for housing benefits while in Ottawa.
Additionally, although the military has completed initial cyber specialist training, some troops still have to wait 18 months to two years for security background checks, delaying their next steps.
Gen. Wayne Eyre, the chief of defense staff, has said the welfare of service members is one of his top priorities, but did not respond to requests for comment.
But in an emailed statement, defense spokeswoman Andre Anne Poulin acknowledged the ongoing challenges faced by cyber trainees traveling to Ottawa for instruction at Willis University.
At one point, staff at Willis College had to create a “food pantry” to keep cash-strapped military personnel from going hungry.
“We take this issue very seriously and recognize that new CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) members face significant financial pressure due to the high cost of living in Ottawa and limited CAF base support services.” We recognize that,” Poulin said.
The department also acknowledged that a large number of miscellaneous expenses submitted by military personnel had to be processed after training resumed in the Ottawa area following the pandemic. “Money claims initiated by military personnel at Willis Course were given greater priority as the Canadian Forces Support Group (Ottawa-Gatineau) recognized their special challenges,” Poulin said.
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The Canadian Armed Forces sent personnel to Willis University for the first time in 2020 to take courses lasting more than a year. The military announced on September 7, 2021 that the first 11 Canadian military personnel educated at Willis College have received full training as cyber operators.
Poulin said the Canadian Forces responded to ongoing concerns about students’ housing and financial issues, but that didn’t materialize until January 2023. It said subsidized accommodation was provided that month, and service members who chose alternative accommodation began receiving Housing Disparity Allowance from July. January 2023
Regarding delays in sensitive inspections, Poulin said the department is working to improve its vetting process. “CAF recently made changes to the security clearance process for cyber operators to allow them to complete initial training and be recruited into their first units with less delay,” she added. “Processing the highest level of security clearance in the CAF continues to be a challenge across occupational groups that require higher levels of security clearance.”
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In February, the newspaper reported on an internal defense review that concluded the Pentagon’s cyber force was hampered by a lack of staffing and training and security clearances that took too long.
The force, made up of military and civilian personnel, is responsible for cyber operations and protecting national defense and Canadian Forces networks.
A 2021 assessment released through the Access to Information Act found that “staffing shortages impede cyber forces’ ability to plan and implement solutions, putting cyber efforts at risk.” .
“Cyber positions have been allocated throughout DND/CAF, but there remains a shortage of talent to fill them.”
The position of Cyber Operator in the Canadian Armed Forces was created on January 31, 2017, following a previous directive from the government for the Armed Forces and National Defense to engage in cyber defence. These individuals perform a variety of cyber operations. They monitor the Canadian Armed Forces’ communications networks to detect and respond to attempts to hack systems, as well as provide cyber support to military operations.
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However, the ministry declined to provide further details. The Defense Public Affairs Office said it could not provide such information for security reasons.
But those words are not true. The Canadian Forces itself also publishes information online about the job descriptions and qualifications of cyber operators. It also focuses on the graduating cyber operator class. Additionally, the Canadian Army published its first female cyber operator profile in 2019.
The Defense Public Affairs Agency did not explain why it provided false information to this newspaper.
David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist who covers the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian military issues. To support his work, including exclusive content only available to subscribers, sign up here: otwacityzen.com/subscribe
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