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Defence Watch was contacted by some personnel taking part in Operation Impact, the mission against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. They didn’t feel it was right that RCAF maintenance/support personnel at the Kuwait base were receiving the same hardship and risk allowances as the pilots/aircrew from the CF-18s, Aurora and refueling aircraft (the argument being that such aircrew run a greater risk of potentially ending up in the hands of ISIL, similar to what happened to the Jordanian pilot whose aircraft crashed).

However, the Department of National Defence says that while aircrew and support personnel are indeed getting the same hardship and risk allowances, aircrew are receiving extra compensation.

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DND spokeswoman Ashley Lemire explains further to Defence Watch:

“Hardship and Risk Allowances are one component of operational allowances applicable to all deployed personnel under Military Foreign Service Instructions (MFSIs). Aircrew may, on approval of the CDS, retain an allowance – Aircrew Allowance – while deployed as compensation for duties involving exposure to adverse environmental conditions, including hazards that are not normally experienced by other CAF members. The CDS approved Aircrew Allowance for personnel occupying flying positions on Operation IMPACT.