r/CanadianForces • u/Silver-Buy-1856 • 19h ago
How much do you work per week?
As a CMD, I'm working 47.5 hours a week M-F. I'm just curious what others experiences may be.
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u/SoupSandwichShitpump 19h ago
I work 2hr a day. They call it green welfare for a reason.
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u/Oolie84 Canadian Army 15h ago
2 hours? Take a break bro, you deserve it.
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u/SoupSandwichShitpump 15h ago
Way ahead of you. I've already scheduled my ten 15-minute smoke breaks and a 90-minute lunch. Plus, I shower, shave, and shit exclusively on the King's dime. It's a tight schedule trying to squeeze in my Amazon orders and daily MIR appointments.
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u/crazyki88en RCAF - Combat Medic 19h ago
As a CMD I work I work 37ish hours per week. Not counting lunch or PT as my unit is essentially PT on own time.
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u/casa_del_porno 18h ago
This is 9.5 hrs a day, which is significant in garrison. You are pretty much working the equivalent of 6 days / week. This is not a good work-life balance, I really hope that this is all gainful employment and that there is a valid reason for it. You should be asking for your monthly short days.
I wonder what is required of a CMD in garrison to justify these hours.
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u/PersonalityOk5744 18h ago
Idk about other units but most units I've been at have treated the 2 shorts/month as a unit-wide, long weekend extender, holiday period filler, built into the leave plan. They're not an entitlement one just requests monthly, only granted at the CO's discretion.
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u/ApprovingGrief 16h ago
I've been to units where the CO hoards them like a dragon holds onto gold. Same for Family Day shorts, even when requesting for a reason specifically listed under the leave policy manual.
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u/LastingAlpaca Canadian Army 17h ago
Medics working in clinics will come in at 0700 to be ready for sick parade, and will leave at 1600. Sometimes they need to cover CDU desks at lunch time, and they have clinic duty lock up shifts.
And since most clinics are being treated like informal transition center / dumping ground for health services, if you have a medic that is not completely dysfunctional, that 47.5h figure is probably realistic.
And no, we barely get any short, PT time or sliders in most clinics. And even when we do, the civilians bitch and moan and we end up sending them home instead and keep the uniforms on duty.
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u/Sadukar09 Pineapple pizza is an NDA 129: change my mind 16h ago
And even when we do, the civilians bitch and moan
Until they volunteer to be possibly sent to charge an MG nest (insert other dangerous CAF things) to recover the wounded, tell them to keep bitch and moaning.
Until they do so, I don't care about their opinions on letting CAF members go early/PT/etc.
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u/LastingAlpaca Canadian Army 16h ago
Sure.
But if civilians don’t get their way, they will complain about non-tangible stuff like toxic leadership and eventually get people removed.
There is 0 way to win this fight, unless you have top cover, which you rarely have.
In my trade, we don’t get to retire. We get to medically release with trauma and moral injury.
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u/Sadukar09 Pineapple pizza is an NDA 129: change my mind 14h ago
Sure.
But if civilians don’t get their way, they will complain about non-tangible stuff like toxic leadership and eventually get people removed.
There is 0 way to win this fight, unless you have top cover, which you rarely have.
In my trade, we don’t get to retire. We get to medically release with trauma and moral injury.
I get what you're saying. If they want to play that game, I'd document everything they do, and what I'm trying to do/intent.
Both to protect myself and preserve evidence for defamation or getting THEM for toxicity.
Getting my troops PT time/short days/sliders shouldn't be an insurmountable op because of toxic civilian employees.
It's not easy being in a leadership position, but I'll try my best to take care of the troops, even if it blows back on me.
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u/Sabrinavt Med Tech 5h ago
As a medic in a recruiting centre, this is about what I've been working for the past 3 years, often even more, and they keep pushing for us to do even more medicals than we already do (which is already about triple what doctors are expected to do in the clinic).
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u/Struct-Tech Construction Tech 18h ago
On paper, 30 hours.
730-1400 with 30 mins for lunch. PT own time always.
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u/Euphoric-Mix-7309 18h ago
Wow, CE has really improved over the years. No way you work those hours at an RPops position.
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u/Struct-Tech Construction Tech 18h ago
I am at an RPOps, haha. I was amazed when I came here on my house hunting, I was expecting to hear 730-1530, PT 2 or 3 times a week.
My first day of work, my civilian supervisor was wondering why I hadn't gone to PT while I was still in the office at 1500, he told me to go to PT. I said I didn't bring my kit. He told me to leave and that he'd see me in the morning.
They are really good for it here.
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u/Exacotacoly RCAF - AERE 15h ago
In my old unit somewhere between 40-60hrs depending on emergencies...which occurred often.
Now? About 2hrs a day. I think I was placed here on purpose as a breather.
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u/SexySubordinate 17h ago edited 17h ago
It varies wildly as does the “work”.
Some days it’s 0730 Pt, 0930 at the lines. Work until 1130, lunch until 1300 then back to the lines until 1400-1600. Sometimes PT from 1400 onwards.
Other days it’s 0300-0400 sentry, reville at 0500, go to ground at 2330 sort of day.
Sometimes they cut us for self directed PT at 1300 if there’s nothing going on. Some days I just dip to the unit gym for an hour or two if it’s a quiet one.
Thursdays are usually sports afternoon so no morning PT and sports from 1300-1500. “Sports” can be anything from soccer/ball hockey, group yoga or rock climbing to canoeing or mountain biking depending on the weather/season.
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u/sirduckbert RCAF - Pilot 19h ago
What’s a CMD?
I work anywhere between 20 and 60 hours in a week
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u/Nocola1 18h ago
CMD is combat medic.
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u/Dont-concentrate-556 18h ago
Back in my day, we called them medics.
Is the “combat” in the room with us?
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u/crazyki88en RCAF - Combat Medic 16h ago
It's the new name for the trade. No one likes it. most of us still say medics unless we need to differentiate explicitly from PMD (paramedics).
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u/Last_Of_The_BOHICANs 12h ago
Back in your day, combat medics didn't exist. The occupation has only been around for two years now. There's also no HMS clerks anymore, and stewards don't exist either. The CAF kept moving after you left, so you need to remember that this isn't "your day" anymore.
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u/Dont-concentrate-556 11h ago
Settle down bro, go take a walk and get off Reddit lol
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u/Last_Of_The_BOHICANs 9h ago
Hey friend, I'm not the one spending my afternoons complaining about the current goings-on of an organization I no longer belong to.
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u/Prestigious-Lab4334 17h ago
Lmao ain’t that a fact. When was the last time they were in combat?
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u/roguemenace RCAF 16h ago
When was the last time they were in combat?
Considering we just made the trade? Never.
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u/bridger713 RCAF - Reg Force 18h ago
It has varied immensely from posting to posting and deployment to deployment...
Postings have varied from 35-40 working hours per week, to as little as maybe 20 actual working hours per week.
Three out of four deployments saw me working 60+ hour weeks. Although my fourth deployment was pretty quiet.
How much actual work is done in those hours has also varied considerably. Some places are variable, ranging from minimal to overworked depending on what was going on, while other places have had more of a steady flow.
My current work day is typically 0730-1500, but occasionally runs as late as 1700. The pace of work is generally steady, occassionlly dipping to minimal or rising to overworked. I don't have much time for PT during the work day, it's usually relegated to the end of the day, so I tend to do PT before work.
Suits me fine since I prefer 0500 PT on my own time anyway. In the spring, summer, and fall it's cool and quiet outside at that hour, with nobody around to bother me.
Sucks in the winter though. There's no good options for me at that time of year.
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u/BeaverBuzz13 17h ago
Now are you asking how much time we are at work or how much time we actually work on three average mundane day? Cause those are two vastly different numbers.
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u/el870715 7h ago
I work usually 10 hrs a day, work through lunch often and no PT during work hours 🙃 Livin the dream
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u/Stunning-Buy-7837 4h ago
8:00-15:00 ish? Fridays we like to take off early. Add to that appointments and PT, I’m probably physically there 30 hours or so.
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u/LegendaryPotates 16h ago
Instructor OFP course. Roughly ~35 hours a week. Some times as low as 30 and often as high as 48. Takings overnight, weekends, late or very early happen as well. Instructor allowance helps with the chaos.
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u/BandicootNo4431 15h ago
45-50 hours a week on average but that includes taking the laptop home to knock out some admin while I watch TV with the spouse at night.
I'd say I bounce between 35-55 hours depending on the op tempo.
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u/throwaway-jimmy385 Canadian Army - Signals Tech 7h ago
Actual work or just being at work? I have 3 very different answers for you.
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u/Direct-Tailor-9666 7h ago
Some weeks I work 80 hours with zero overtime.
Some weeks I work 8 hours.
Some weeks I work nights and weekends.
Sometimes I am on call.
Sometimes I can take leave when I want. Other times I am forced to take leave.
It all evens out to 37.5 hours salary. Maybe.
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u/Rich-Philosopher7661 15h ago edited 15h ago
Dont get beat up on what others work, it will kill you inside, Comparison is the thief of Joy. Work as hard as you can on meaningful work, prioritize the meaningful work, and produce. Hours are dependent on posn. Some people work more than others, all that matters in the end is outputs, if your outputs are solid, you are golden. I have worked 40 -133 hrs in a week, they are just numbers, solid outputs is what matters.
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u/Suspicious_Sky3605 Meteorological Tech 18h ago
Shift work can be anywhere from 12 to 8 hrs a day. 12hr shifts are usually 4 days on, 4 days off with 2 12hr days and 2 12hr nights. 8hr shifts are generally 6 days on 4 days off, with 2 mornings, 2 days, and 2 night shifts.
I'm currently on a ship, and one of one. At sea I work 12+hrs a day from port to port. Alongside, I'm on ship 0730 to 1545 M - F, but lucky if I actually do 2hrs of real work a week. Its mostly just time spent keeping myself busy.
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u/commodore_stab1789 17h ago
I had a weird schedule doing shift work that didn't take into account week/weekends/holidays.
All in all, with paid leave and other breaks, it would amount to about 40 hrs per week. Good thing is it came with no secondary duty and no hassle when off watch.
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u/404Tradenotfound 17h ago
Really been program dependant, ship gearing up for operation im looking at 40-50hrs early on upwards to 60 as we near the actual trip for sea trials and crits. As soon as we hit the operation 8am-5pm every day im at sea (im lucky to be a day walker at this stage of my career) and responding to engineering events at any hour as well. At a shore office, maybe 5 hours a week and lucky if im present for 12hrs total
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u/turbokimchi Army - VEH TECH 16h ago
42.5 hours weekly of scheduled work routine plus 24/7 on-call periods where either less than nothing happens or we end up out on recovery for 12 hours.
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u/donkula232323 16h ago
As rvss I work anywhere from the standard 45 hour week to 60+ depending on if there are any collisions.
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u/Last_Of_The_BOHICANs 12h ago
On average, 46 hours per week. Some weeks are more, some weeks are fewer. In my current position I'm given a lot of leeway in when I work, with almost zero supervision and as long as I churn out results nobody ever checks on me. I appreciate this total lack of micromanaging, and in exchange, I work hard (or maybe just long) enough to accomplish my tasks. Plus I do some volunteering on top, which brings my averages up.
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u/conanap 12h ago
8-1530 for summer, and then Sept - Jun I work 8-1530, and then typically 17-2230 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Additionally Friday evening to Sunday late afternoon contiguous depending on the weekend, usually 1-2 times a month. Between 6 to 24 hours of work on those days.
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u/Cdn_Medic Former Med Tech, now Nursing Officer 11h ago
I “work” about 40-45 hours per week now, but it’s because I’m in university.
I was easily working 60 hours a week before my commissioning.
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u/BaseInevitable 5h ago
In the army reserve I averaged about 20 hours per week on top of my 40 hr per week job, but many weeks were 50 plus on just the army side.
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u/credulous_satan_6666 5h ago
Low 30's a week, minus PT time. Really can't complain.
CMD ranks just above Sig OP as one of the shittiest trades IMHO. Toxic, hard worked, yet barely allowed to practice basic healthcare.
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u/0x24435345 RCN - W ENG 1h ago
At sea, 12-15 hours a day, the rest of the day off-watch but required to respond to basically anything requiring my attention. Usually working about 23-27 days a month for half a year.
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u/waitout_over 56m ago
I have an RSS posting. I work as much as required. Sometimes in 15 hours a week sometimes in 75 hours.
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u/Adolfvonschwaggin 18h ago
When I was in NDHQ, it was 0800-1430 in the office with short lunch break at noon. After that, I do my PT at 1430-1530. So, about 32 hours office time each week.
It's similar when I was posted to a ship while alongside. While at sea, it's 12+ hours everyday until we get to a port.
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u/Odd-Illustrator-9283 17h ago
I can't wait til promoted and posted to Ottawa to finally make a living wage to live there, I'd really like a break from the bde after 5 years
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u/SaltyATC69 18h ago
As an ATC sometimes I'd work 48 hours in 4 days.
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u/GT3502018 17h ago
0730 to 1430 and PT on my own time after. I usually bring my laptop with me to do some hours at home in the evening
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u/Mrsoandso6 Royal Canadian Air Force 17h ago
If you enjoy what you do you’ll never work a day in your life
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u/Ill-Guarantee8279 18h ago
As a firefighter anywhere 48 to 72 hours a week. I guess we are not the only one with long week hours.
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u/roguemenace RCAF 16h ago
What shift is your hall on that you're working 72 hours?
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u/Ill-Guarantee8279 14h ago
All military halls in the CAF (not DND) are at 3 crews. So the shift schedule is on a 9 day cycle during those 9 days we work 3 days. 24hr per shift. So it average per year at 56hrs per week.
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u/roguemenace RCAF 13h ago
Ah ok, it's been a decade since I was a firefighter so we were 4 crews working 4 12s then 4 days off.
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u/daveh30 Morale Tech - 00069 18h ago
“work” might be layin’ it on a little thick, but I attend the daycare centre about 35 hours a week.