Canadian Military Journal [Vol. 23, No. 4, Fall 2023]
Education

Major (retired) Marshall Gerbrandt is a PhD student at the University of New Brunswick. His research explores adult learning in the Canadian Armed Forces which includes military pedagogy; the formal and informal ways institutional culture is taught and learned; and online learning. Prior to doctoral studies, Marshall started his military career in the Royal Canadian Navy as non-commissioned member and finished it as an artillery officer in the Canadian Army. During his career, Marshall held leadership positions within the training system, operational units, and while deployed.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) devotes significant time training members in both general and specific skill sets. As a result, members of the CAF spend a considerable portion of their careers away from home during Individual Training (IT), large-scale exercises and operational deployments, often for prolonged periods. These absences negatively affect the quality of life of members and their families^{Footnote 1} while adversely influencing overall CAF retention.^{Footnote 2} Large-scale exercises and operational deployments represent unavoidable absences from home. This article reports on research investigating whether increasing the use of Distance Learning (DL) within IT is a viable option to reduce the time members spend away from home and in turn, positively affect their quality of life and CAF retention rates.

The Canadian Forces Individual Training and Education System (CFITES), the over-arching framework for the development and delivery of CAF IT, defines DL as “any form of learning where time, locations, or both separate instructors and learners.”^{Footnote 3} Within this definition, there is no implied use of technology to connect instructor (or material) and student. Therefore, this article defines DL as any form of learning where technology is used to facilitate interactions between and or amongst instructors and students.

Literature Review

The well-being of military members and their families remains a priority for research within the CAF and the most recent health and lifestyle survey showed members spending 25 percent of time away from home with the preponderance of that time dedicated towards military coursing.^{Footnote 4} Significant time away from family is negatively associated with an individual member or their family’s quality of life^{Footnote 5} and adversely affects CAF retention;^{Footnote 6} whereas additional time home between deployments has a positive effect.^{Footnote 7}

Literature focused on CAF training and education is minimal, and almost non-existent outside of graduate work. Of published articles, most can be categorized as individual opinion pieces,^{Footnote 8} historic accounts,^{Footnote 9} or, most frequently, a medium to promote new endeavors^{Footnote 10} rather than empirical analysis. Once the aperture narrows to DL, three studies were identified; two focused on full-time DL and one examined part-time DL. Scoppio and Tregunna touched on DL within the CAF on the periphery of a larger study about pedagogy and found that while the usage of DL was increasing, it often occurred without considering the applicable pedagogical approaches.^{Footnote 11} Jones explored member satisfaction with CAF delivered DL and found the greatest satisfier with DL is remaining in location while the lack of peer interaction was the leading dissatisfier.^{Footnote 12} Finally, Thorne discussed how individuals balanced competing academic, work and family demands on their time and found combining part-time DL and a full-time job negatively impacted their quality of life.^{Footnote 13}

Research Question

Building upon previous research but with a more narrowed scope, this article reports on research investigating the following question: How would an increase in the use of Distance Learning (DL) affect the quality of life of individual members and their families?

Research Methodology

By examining the experiences of individuals working within Regular Force Artillery Regiments, the impact of DL on quality of life was explored using case study methodology. My experience as both an Artillery Officer and Instructor-in-Gunnery led me to select artillery as my source for examination. Case study methodology allowed for an in-depth examination within a real-life context and provided an opportunity to identify categories across multiple sources of data.^{Footnote 14} Exploration occurred through sub-research questions focused on understanding the three aspects of quality of life: (1) well-being; (2) work environment; and (3) living conditions. Seventeen participants completed an electronic questionnaire, followed by individual interviews with two participants.

The research reported within this article received approval from the University of New Brunswick’s Research Ethics Board along with the CAF’s Social Science Research Review Board. Potential or perceived conflict of interest issues owing to my military experience and rank were mitigated through the anonymous nature of the electronic questionnaire combined with a lack of any formal or informal authority over those members asked to participate. While my previous educational experiences led me to believe in the value of DL as a means to improve quality of life, I also acknowledge that my personal and professional situation at the time contribute to that positive view. This became quite evident during data analysis and synthesis due to the number of diverging opinions and experiences. Individual experiences with DL varied considerably, which resulted in unexpected responses.

Data collection occurred over several months and consisted of an anonymous electronic questionnaire and individual interviews. Participants were identified through purposeful sampling and needed to meet the following criteria: (1) attended a Royal Canadian Artillery School Developmental Period (DP) 2 or higher course between January 2018 and August 2020,^{Footnote 15} resulting in 312 unique individuals; and (2) currently serving (fall 2020) within the 1^st or 2^nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA) but not operationally deployed, yielding 53 potential participants. The electronic questionnaire was administered to the 1^st Regiment, RCHA and expanded to include the 2^nd Regiment, RCHA due to a low response rate of 30%. Combined, the overall response rate was 32% (n=17), falling short of Cranton and Merriam’s suggestion of 60%^{Footnote 16} but comparable to Jones’ much larger study on DL satisfaction (n=368 of 1310 invitations, or 28%).^{Footnote 17} Upon completing the questionnaire, respondents were invited to participate in an individual interview. Of the five volunteers, only two were interviewed because two were no longer willing and one was selected to deploy.

The electronic questionnaire focused on understanding: (1) IT experiences; (2) the effects of IT on the member and their family; (3) effects of personal tempo, which are the sum of demands military service imposes upon the member^{Footnote 18}; and (4) individual perceptions on an increased use of DL. Beyond understanding participant demographics, it consisted of a series of questions based upon a four-point scale (no impact to a lot of impact) with an opportunity for individuals to expand upon their answers in an open format. The individual interviews used these same topics as probes to spark discussion and further my understanding of their experiences.

Coding was an iterative process that started with the respondents’ own words to manually generate codes and evolved as codes with similar meanings or redundant terminology were identified and consolidated using a spreadsheet.^{Footnote 19} The initial 58 codes were first refined to 17 by eliminating redundant terminology and similar sentiments. Utilizing the updated list of codes, data was re-examined and each response was studied twice. First, by question to understand the extent they represented a common feeling and then by code to ensure consistent application.

This process resulted in a refined list of eight codes divided amongst three over-arching categories. The three categories are: (1) Family and Partner Relationships, consisting of absence, partner pressure and parental presence; (2) DL, consisting of instructional design, DL beliefs and networking/socialization; and (3) Quality of Life, comprised of well-being and personal tempo.

Findings

Participants provided data within both the electronic questionnaire (148 unique responses) and individual interviews (47 unique responses). Responses were coded both individually and collectively to ensure a common understanding of each code. Given the open-ended nature of each question, each response was often assigned multiple codes which yielded 272 associations (Table 1). In this section, I describe who participated in the study before exploring each category. Participants are identified alpha-numerically where R indicates a questionnaire response and P denotes an interview participant.

Table 1 Code Frequency

	Code	Electronic Questionnaire Frequency	Individual Interview Frequency	Category
1	Well-Being	41	19	Quality of Life
2	Personal Tempo	30	14
3	Instructional Design	29	22	DL
4	Absence	27	9	Family and Partner Relationships
5	Partner Pressure	20	5
6	Parental Presence	19	2
7	DL Beliefs	10	8	DL
8	Networking/Socialization	5	3
	Total	181	82

Demographics

The depth of responses provided insight as to the effects of increased DL across multiple ranks and family situations but remained narrow in overall demographic scope. Participants were predominantly male (n=16) failing to reflect female representation within the Canadian Army.^{Footnote 20} The majority were either married or common-law (n=14) and the average number of people within a single household was three. Of the respondents, most were Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (n=10) and Junior Officers (n=6) which aligns with the inclusion criteria.

Family and Partner Relationships

The first category describes how absences associated with military training affect both the member and their families and consisted of three codes: absence, partner pressure and parental presence. The majority of respondents believed absences associated with face-to-face military coursing increased their personal tempo. R6 identified a sense of “being gone all the time” and P1 noted that continuous time away “makes you more reluctant” to want to be away. R2 noted absences related to IT should be considered along with their unit’s “high tempo.” R16 described the partner’s need to “pick up the slack” during their absence. These examples highlight how IT is only one factor that influences personal tempo: both collective training and incremental tasks contribute to a feeling of constantly being away.

Some respondents thought full-time DL would be challenging at home as their “spouse would expect [them] to be responsive and assist in home life” (R11). R14’s family “would actually prefer if [they were] away” because they can cope with that absence whereas working from home and being unable to “attend to their needs” causes confusion and anger. Contrasting that view and noting DL must be separate from work, R5 thought that when completing courses from home, “family life would be easier, whether childcare or spouse work cycle” and that full-time DL could ease the childcare burden, because, when a military member departs for a course, the parent remaining at home effectively becomes a single parent (R10). Compared to the parent remaining at home, the respondents noted that as the absent member they experience pressure due to missing “events” (R16), “life moments” (R1), and are often faced with having “limited hours and focus” (R5) dedicated towards their family when away.

Distance Learning

DL is the second category that emerged and focuses on individual experiences with DL and beliefs on its future use. It is comprised of three codes, which are networking/socialization, DL beliefs and instructional design. While some respondents discussed perceived affordances for instruction delivered face-to-face and at a distance, most focused either on the reasons why face-to-face instruction is preferred or how DL is ineffective. R8 stated DL would “increase the difficulty to plan, coordinate and study with other candidates” while R15 believed face-to-face instruction “provides a better feedback system due to being involved directly with instructors.” R13 highlighted the importance of meeting members from other organizations because they “bring so much value to the experience” and face-to-face learning allows individuals to see what “other Units are doing different…and it widen[s] our knowledge and experience.”

Respondent opinion is evenly split between those who articulated positive views towards the use of DL and those who believed it would reduce learning quality or be detrimental to their family situations. R18 was optimistic that DL could reduce workload while improving their home life but is more pessimistic about actual implementation. R5 believed technology and method of instruction can lend itself to “efficiently conduct[ing] DL.” Amongst those who associated DL with positive outcomes, a number were adamant that certain skills are unteachable via DL such as practical or hands-on training. R3 suggested that many respondents’ negative experiences are due to a perceived “disconnect between the course and the job.” R1 built upon the previous statement, describing courseware as “click until you’re done” but with outdated information.

Quality of Life

The final category that emerged following the analysis of data is Quality of Life. This category focuses on how military training, actual DL experience and potential DL affect individuals and their families and is comprised of two codes, personal tempo and well-being. Most respondents thought that a high personal tempo negatively affected both them and their families. Some found attending military courses actually improved tempo compared to employment within their unit because “there are no duties, hours are set and adhered to” and the “only downside is being away from home” (R18). While R3 does not believe DL is a viable option for career courses, they stated that they would “hate [their] life slightly less” if the time spent away from home were reduced. R13 agreed that “being away from home for shorter period[s] of [time] would increase [their] quality of life.”

Additionally, R8 restated a common belief that reducing time away will not reduce “the workload back at the home unit.” In contrast, P1 described a positive work environment that recognized his full-time DL status but noted circumstances vary and that his peers “were pressured by the chains of command to do other things.” This reoccurring sentiment demonstrates the extent to which one’s chain of command influences the DL experience.

According to R10, full time DL “would improve things” at home to include overall quality of life. They go on to note the positive effects of being home during the COVID-19 pandemic as it represented “the longest single stretch of [their] career” at home and “improved the quality of [their] home life significantly.” However, R11 contrasted this view by highlighting the issue of the disconnect families may experience between what they see (member at home) and what the member is tasked to do (work). R15 also shared this opinion and stated that working at home “would allow for more family time during the evenings and weekends” but “add more work stress during the week due to being home during the week days.”

Discussion

This study sought to discover how increasing DL within Artillery IT would affect the quality of life of individual members and their families. Below, I synthesize the findings with respect to the three categories identified.

Family and Partner Relationships

Based on many comments and observations concerning the effect military training has on both members and their families, this category consists of three refined codes: absence, partner pressure and parental presence. As witnessed through respondent comments, absence directly contributes to the latter two. While this research intended to focus specifically on absences associated with IT, respondents expanded the discussion within their open-ended responses to encompass all types of absences from home. It became clear that being absent for any reason contributes to stress and friction at home. These comments support prior research which negatively associates significant time away with family quality of life^{Footnote 21} and overall CAF retention.^{Footnote 22} Absences are unavoidable and take many forms within the military profession including both IT and operational deployments. IT represents an area in which increasing the usage of DL could positively affect an individual’s personal tempo through an overall reduction in time spent away from home.

Military training is perceived by respondents to contribute to an increase in their personal tempo. Respondents were quick to identify that IT combined with collective training and incremental tasks contribute to the sense of constantly being away. Individual experiences varied, but respondents generally spoke to a rise in stress at home due to their partner’s increased responsibilities. Conversely the military member’s experience away from the home unit mostly resulted in a reduced tempo. Absences tend to lead to changes in responsibilities at home and what was once shared became the responsibility of the partner remaining at home.

Understanding the increase in responsibilities at home, military members recognize both the benefits and pitfalls of being away to conduct training. Geographic separation between family and training establishment provides an opportunity for members to focus on their specific educational tasks without familial distraction. However, they still view separation in a negative manner due to the increase in demands and stress placed upon those remaining. While respondents highlight their inability to assist with reoccurring obligations, increased tension is often the result of unforeseen events. In general, increased time at home with family is seen in a positive manner resulting in an improved quality of life. This observation aligns with what Jones identified as the second greatest satisfier with CAF-delivered DL, which was the ability to stay home with one’s family.^{Footnote 23}

While respondents identified negative aspects about training away from home, they also demonstrated mixed feelings on whether full-time DL would be a positive experience. Some respondents believe full-time DL would increase tension at home because their family would have difficulty rationalizing their partner being both home but also unavailable. While respondents believe being at home could increase their quality of life through additional time with their family, their primary concern remained with the extent to which their chain of command would respect DL. This echoes the findings of both Thorne^{Footnote 24} and Jones^{Footnote 25}, who found the potential for increased quality of life is often offset by additional workload.

Distance Learning

This category consists of three refined codes, networking/socialization, instructional design, and DL beliefs which focus on participants’ experiences and thoughts concerning an increase in full-time DL. Compared to the other categories, this represents the most polarizing discussion with very few respondents taking middle ground. In contrast to the high levels of satisfaction with DL identified by Jones,^{Footnote 26} many respondents in this study negatively describe their experiences with DL. This may be due, however, to both the smaller sample size and types of courses attended. Jones surveyed members across the CAF (n=368) whereas this research focused on a single branch (Artillery) within a single CAF element (Army). Given the broader sample, Jones also focused on more formalized DL, which included full-time components. While some respondents to this research attended similar courses, most of their DL experience is with individual asynchronous courses delivered via the Defence Learning Network.^{Footnote 27}

Although I did not specifically identify Garrison et al.’s Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework^{Footnote 28} in the surveys or interviews, much of the discussion related to DL centered on its three components, which are: (1) Social Presence, (2) Cognitive Presence, and (3) Teaching Presence. Therefore, in this section I use CoI as a framework upon which to discuss responses related to DL and highlight it as one possible framework for considering future CAF DL.

Social presence refers to “the ability of participants to identify with the community (e.g., course of study), communicate purposefully in a trusting environment, and develop inter-personal relationships by way of projecting their individual personalities.”^{Footnote 29} While considering past DL experiences, many respondents highlight how face-to-face learning provides an opportunity to interact with peers and establish professional networks. In contrast to their DL experiences, which are often completed in isolation, face-to-face instruction provides an opportunity to learn from their peers’ experience, understand how comparable organizations are accomplishing similar tasks, and how those same organizations are doing things differently. Ultimately, respondents note that the lack of peer interaction does not increase their knowledge or experience. As a result, there is a preference for residency-based training because it provides that direct interaction with peers. This sentiment aligns with Jones, who found the most cited reason for preferring classroom learning was peer interaction.^{Footnote 30} It should be noted that while the respondents of this research have limited experience beyond DL designed to be delivered individually, their perceptions on full-time DL align with the experiences of Jones’s sample.

Maintaining CoI as the framework for discussion, Cognitive Presence is defined simply as the “dynamics of a worthwhile educational experience.”^{Footnote 31} When discussing instructional design, the majority of participants’ comments focused on what should or should not be taught via DL. In fact, many respondents were adamant that certain tasks must not be taught via DL, deeming instruction that could be classified as theoretical more suitable for DL than instruction that could be classified as applied or practical.

There exists a high level of mistrust in both the quality and delivery of DL within the CAF. Repeated throughout the surveys and interviews were negative comments towards DL in terms of course quality and utility. Much of this may be the result of DL training completed via the Defence Learning Network. The fear of not receiving the same level of education was identified by respondents and highlighted by Thorne, who found that some participants felt DL programs were considered second tier in relation to their full-time equivalents. Similarly, Jones identified quality in course material and DL technology as a dissatisfier.^{Footnote 32}

Teaching presence is comprised of course design, facilitation of learning and instructional direction. The importance of each component is difficult to weigh relative to each other as both educational context and student dynamics are critical influencers.^{Footnote 33} When comparing positive aspects of face-to-face instruction and DL, respondents believe the instructor availability may be significantly less in the latter. Building upon that concern is the belief that face-to-face interaction will provide better feedback and potentially be the only viable means for instructors to identify struggling students. This former sentiment was shared by the participants in Jones’s research where teacher interaction followed peer interaction as the second most cited reason for preferring the classroom environment.

Respondents are evenly split on whether increased full-time DL would improve their quality of life. Those that are opposed often describe the difference between a desired and realistic reality. The former is represented by an optimistic outlook which sees a clear separation between work and training regardless of geographic location. In this situation, most believe full-time DL would improve their quality of life by reducing the number of days they are away. While that is desired, many believe it is not realistic and shared a more pessimistic outlook on actual implementation based upon their experiences with part-time DL. This belief aligns with Jones’s findings identifying the importance of chain of command support during the delivery of DL with overall satisfaction with DL. Jones determined that chain of command support was a strong factor in determining overall satisfaction with DL. Similarly, Thorne found inconsistencies in how individuals were treated as it relates to how much (or little) time during working hours was provided to focus on their part-time DL.^{Footnote 34}

Quality of Life

Consisting of two refined codes, personal tempo and well-being, this category explores respondents’ thoughts on full-time DL and how this would affect them and their family. In general, respondents held a low opinion on whether true separation between work and full-time DL could be achieved without geographic separation.

Suggestions of increasing the use of DL as a means to reduce time spent away appears to be a viable solution. However, respondents show mixed feelings and provide a more nuanced view on the subject. The stressors associated with being absent may be replaced by the friction created by working at home. Just as respondents fear their chain of command will not recognize full-time DL status being comparable with in-person instruction, respondents believe their family may share a similar sentiment. Geographic or physical separation between work, home and a training establishment appear to provide naturally understood boundaries that are easy for both families and the chain of command to understand. Having members conduct DL from home potentially solves one problem (absences associated with training) while creating another: friction within the home.

Recommendations

Increasing the use of DL within the IT system has the potential to positively affect the quality of life of both individual members and their families. While each category touches upon a different topic, respondents continue to raise two sentiments, which are: (1) Acceptance of full-time DL in the home as a legitimate place of employment; and (2) Quality and implementation of full-time DL as a method of instruction. The following addresses each sentiment and provides recommendations to mitigate the concerns raised by respondents.

Acceptance of Full-Time DL

A recurring sentiment shows respondents do not believe separation between work and full-time DL is possible. This is often based upon their experience with part-time DL and how their respective units enabled their work-life balance. Increasing the use of DL within the IT system could result in reduced absences from home and thus improve familial quality of life. On the surface, this sentiment aligns with existing research^{Footnote 35} and appears to indicate a positive response to my research question. However, many respondents identified a lack of recognition by both their employer and their family that DL, because it is at home, constituted work. This issue is two-fold. First, the perception surrounding DL within the CAF must evolve to ensure both the quality and perception of full-time DL is synonymous with face-to-face instruction. The lack of geographic separation between the member and the training establishment must still result in separation between the member and their unit. Significant respondent discussion surrounds this subject. Unlike part-time DL, where experiences vary greatly,^{Footnote 36} full-time DL must be accompanied by command direction and guidance speaking specifically to the separation between a unit and their members in a manner comparable to currently delivered face-to-face instruction.

Many mechanisms exist within the institution to change how DL is both approached and experienced by its members. However, influencing the familial sphere is much more difficult and potentially beyond the reach of the CAF. It is possible that shifting the method of instructional delivery, regardless of duration, from face-to-face to full-time DL could have unintended consequences and negatively affect the member’s home life. In an attempt to improve familial quality of life, is full-time DL inadvertently making it worse?

Normally, full-time CAF DL is conducted from one’s home. However, few respondents have experienced this in general and none outside of the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is this reality and experience which led most to describe their home life as an unviable work or learning environment and spoke to the increased stress that occurred. While a post-pandemic normalcy may improve the situation and reduce the number of people in the household during the day, it is still realistic to expect to encounter a number of members whose home life is not suitable for completing full-time DL successfully for a variety of reasons. Although the CAF cannot enforce upon its members what it believes to be an acceptable work-from-home environment, it can aim to provide an alternate work environment separate from their normal place of duty which is more conducive to conducting full-time DL. In addition to reducing potential familial stressors, this solution continues to reduce the overall time a member spends away.

Quality of Instruction

As a method of instruction, properly designed and implemented full-time DL could positively affect a member and their families’ quality of life through a reduction in the time spent conducting IT elsewhere. However, simply transitioning the mechanism of delivery without leveraging the affordances of DL creates the risk of replicating the same respondent issues and complaints they associated with the Defence Learning Network. Implementation of DL as a method of instruction should consider both current research, CAF technological limitations, and respondent opinions on what material is best suited for this medium. As respondents considered previous IT, it was believed most theoretical lectures could be taught via distance but with a caveat focused on instructor presence and availability.

In contrast to theory, practical training, which was often linked to simulated or hands-on training, was deemed unviable given present technology and resources. Further, respondents do not want to learn in an isolated asynchronous manner, which was negatively associated with previous experiences using the Defence Learning Network. Respondents want community and the ability to interact and learn from both their instructors and peers. Therefore, increasing DL is a viable solution but it should be implemented and designed to leverage the benefits of DL rather than simply delivering face-to-face lectures at a distance.

Limitations and Direction for Future Research

This research is limited in terms of its sample size and focus on a specific occupation within the Canadian Army’s IT system. It is also important to note that it took place during the midst of a pandemic where respondents’ familial situation was likely different from either pre- or post-pandemic normalcy. Thus, findings from this research cannot be transferred within the CAF or Canadian Army and should be considered against the lived reality of the time. Further, participants had various experiences with DL within the CAF which may have influenced their opinion on DL’s applicability within IT. This variable was not controlled for and examining the quality and type of individual experiences was beyond the scope of this study.

Literature discussing training and education within the CAF as a whole is limited and rare when specifically focused on DL. While this research adds to that body of literature, more work is necessary to better understand the effects of increased DL on both the individual member and their family. To achieve that, the following two recommendations speak to scope and scale.

Increasing the use of full-time DL within the Canadian Army’s IT system would reduce the time members spend away from their families during the conduct of military courses. While a reduction in time away is likely to have a positive effect on both them and their family’s overall quality of life, the potential exists that it may not, and further research is needed to weigh properly the benefits against the drawbacks. Specifically, the scope of research should be expanded beyond the individual member and include their family. A broader scope should explore the impact full-time DL would have on military families to understand the extent to which training creates stressors. As a result of COVID-19, the CAF was forced to transition a number of senior leadership programmes, both officer and Senior Non-commissioned, to full-time DL. Direct comparisons between senior programs delivered in a synchronous manner such as the Joint Command and Staff Program or the Advanced Leadership Program (where DLN is not used as a learning management software) and use of DL within lower level IT may prove difficult due to scope and course aim. However, understanding how remote learning affected individual quality of life is valuable.

Due to the rank of most respondents, CAF DL experience outside of the DLN was limited and thus the majority of responses are based upon interactions within that system.^{Footnote 37} Thus comments about future DL are predominately shaped by their experiences with mandatory asynchronous DLN courses completed in isolation (ex. General Safety or Expenditure Management). While critiquing DLN is beyond the scope of the research reported within this article, examining its effectiveness as an instructional medium is worthy of future exploration. This is particularly important given the institution’s increased reliance upon DLN a means to deliver CAF-wide instruction combined with anecdotal evidence that speaks to ranging from quality to applicability.

Beyond scope, the scale of this study is small in terms of overall participation and area of focus. Future research inquiries should include a larger and sample size which might explore different training systems, while also taking into account individual CAF experiences and how they might influence perceptions of both general IT but also DL.

Conclusion

Quality of life is adversely affected by the time military members spend away from their families. Much of this time is spent attending military courses within the IT system. This study explored how an increase in the use of DL within the Canadian Army’s IT system can affect the quality of life of its members and their families. It was found that increased usage of full-time DL could positively affect the quality of life of individual members and their families. However, current part-time DL experiences and perceptions of full-time DL are not entirely positive. A recurring sentiment shows respondents do not believe separation between work and full-time DL is possible. Prior to implementation of full-time DL, work is needed to address perceptions of and attitudes to DL as well as both institutional and instructional approaches to delivery. DL is not new within the CAF but the COVID-19 pandemic led various organizations to transition instruction from face-to-face to this mode of delivery.

Increasing the use of DL within IT was expected to positively affect quality of life by reducing absences. Interestingly, study respondents provided a more nuanced view and identified how full-time DL could result in increased tension at home. Therefore, unintended consequences should be considered before fully implementing DL as a medium for full-time instruction. As these institutions consider the way ahead, this study raises questions on how increasing the usage of DL might affect both members and their families and ought to be explored more fully.