TRANSFORMATION OF THE CANADIAN FORCES AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION PROGRAM

Canadian Forces (CF) operations in Southern Afghanistan are increasingly exposing its members to hostile operational conditions and producing battle injury rates not seen in Canada since the end of the Korean War. The resulting increased demand for Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) of CF members from Afghanistan back to Canada has acted as a catalyst for a long overdue transformation of the CF AE Program. The CF AE Program is in the process of transformation through centralization of its management, coordination, and mission execution functions. CF AE Program management and coordination elements have been embedded within the operational level headquarters at 1 Canadian Air Division to ensure Program responsiveness. AE personnel have likewise been co-located with the flying and training squadrons at 8 Wing Trenton to help guarantee timely mission execution as part of a newly formed CF AE Flight. Economies will be realized through decreased travel costs for mission deployments and personnel training, as well as elimination of the need for duplication of AE equipment and other supplies at multiple locations across Canada. When not performing AE missions, the CF AE Flight will participate in military and clinical training to ensure the operational readiness and clinical competence of all its personnel. As a result of Canada's transformed CF AE Program, Canadian soldiers, sailors, and airmen will be re-introduced into Canada's health care system sooner and in better condition than ever before. Canada's finest will continue to receive the 'best care in the air'.