A Vision for CF Messes

1
A Vision for CF Messes
2
Rationale for Messes

• Mess Customs and traditions contribute
• to the socialization and acculturation of CF
  personnel to the profession of arms,
• to a sense of unity and cohesion, friendship,
  esprit de corps and military identity
• Messes are important to maintaining the Canadian
  military culture, pride in service and
  professionalism

                  
3
Background

• Messes- AFC Direction-Oct 97
• Messes will continue to receive public support
• Members will continue to belong to a mess
• Members will continue to pay mess dues
• Leadership at all levels will actively promote
  the value of messes and their place in the CF
• Messes will operate in accordance with sound
  business practices
• A training program for mess staff will be
  developed and implemented and
• Staff assistance as requested must be available
  to bases from CFPSA mess and review and audit
  staff

4
Venue of Choice

• Messes be the venue of choice for publicly funded
  official functions, base social activities,
  all-ranks unit activities, professional
  development, conferences, etc.
• Local mess policies and activities must be
  responsive to the needs of the membership,
  supportive of the participation of spouses
  families

5
Mess Dues

• Mess Dues Options
• Status quo
• Mess Dues standardized nationally based on the
  category of mess and membership status
• Member given the choice between reduced mess dues
  or a value added packages including entertainment
  and other services
• Depending on the general financial situation of
  the mess, mess dues (local subscription) may not
  be required

6
Governance and Administration

• Standardized National Governance Structure
• ADM (HR-Mil) responsible for CF mess policy
• Environmental Chiefs of Staff retain overall
  responsibility for mess operations
• Administration and financial management of messes
  will be based on standardized national processes
• Mess Constitutions and By-Laws will be based on a
  national template
• Local management
• Mess Committee
• Board of Directors responsible for mess
  official/social program
• B Svcs O or PSP Manager responsible for technical
  management/ financial management of messes

7
Governance and Administration

• CFPSA will provide the guidelines and technical
  support related to administration and financial
  operation of the messes
• All messes will have a business plan
• Sufficient public funding is required to support
  official functions
• Sufficient public OM funding for the upkeep and
  maintenance of the mess
• Normally Only NPF funds generated from mess
  operations (exclusive of membership dues) will be
  used to supplement public funds to upgrade mess
  facilities or furnishings

8
Governance and Administration

• All messes will operate in accordance with CF
  orders and regulations and all applicable
  federal, provincial and municipal statutes and
  laws
• Messes will operate in accordance with sound
  business practices.
• Messes will not operate or budget to operate in a
  deficit position
• CFPSA will provide common mess management tools

9
Infrastructure

• A national level cost benefit analysis should be
  completed to compare the capital costs of new
  mess construction against the status quo
  (separate mess and food services infrastructure
  at most locations)
• To plan the integration of public food services
  with mess operations, a joint working group
  should be formed at the highest possible
  management level

10
Infrastructure

• Provision and upkeep of mess infrastructure is a
  public responsibilities
• Future mess capital projects should consolidate
  messes and look at including public food
  services, accommodations and conference
  facilities
• Consolidate Bar operations to allow messes to
  operate from a single bar

11
Training

• Mess management staff require initial and
  recurring training in hospitality services and
  mess management
• All mess bar staff require an alcohol server
  training and awareness program (i.e..Smart Serve)
• A national level training budget is required to
  provide mess staff training programs

12
Program Evaluation

• CFPSA will conduct staff assistance visits and
  conduct periodic audits of messes operations
• Mess programs will be audited every three years

13
Leadership

• A key to the revitalization of our messes is
  leadership. Strong active leadership from
  leaders at all levels, but especially from unit
  commanders, will be required to make mess
  relevant to younger members of the CF
• Local commanders must allocate sufficient
  resources for mess operations and anticipate
  significant mess infrastructure investments in
  their mid to long-term capital expenditure plans

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Decisions Required

• Decisions Required
• Mess Dues
• Governance and Administration
• Local management structure
• Business and marketing plan
• Mess management software
• Infrastructure
• Confirm public responsibility
• Consolidated hospitality complex
• Future capital construction
• Training and program evaluation
• Standardized nationally supported training
  program
• Funding for program evaluation