Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon General Appointed Chair of the Committee of Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO

News Release

June 2, 2015

OTTAWA – General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, is pleased to announce that Brigadier-General Jean-Robert Bernier has been unanimously elected as Chair of the Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS).

This appointment, to begin in November 2015, will be the first time that any nation outside continental Europe chairs this committee. It reflects NATO’s confidence in Canadian leadership and presents an important opportunity for Canada to support the Alliance by positively influencing medical readiness on an international level.

Quick Facts

The Committee of Chiefs of Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS) is comprised of the Surgeons General of NATO nations, those of many partner nations within and outside Europe, and the senior medical authorities of NATO’s strategic commands and international military staff. It reports to NATO’s Military Committee and is supported by many specialized international expert panels and working groups that address all health and operational areas relevant to the Alliance.
COMEDS is the highest coordinating and advisory authority for all military health matters affecting NATO. It aims to optimize the coordination, standardization, interoperability, and readiness of its members’ health services, improve the exchange of relevant information, and formulate advice to the Military Committee and other NATO bodies on military health matters relevant to the Alliance.
The Chair’s responsibilities are to coordinate the committee’s work, address strategic alliance medical capability and health issues, and represent committee consensus.
Any NATO nation can nominate a candidate, who must be an incumbent or just-retired national Surgeon General. The NATO Surgeons General then collectively elects the Chair.
Brigadier-General Jean-Robert Bernier was appointed Surgeon General, Head of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, Commander of Canadian Forces Health Services Group, and Honorary Physician to Her Majesty the Queen in 2012. He will be transferred to the Primary Reserve Force in June 2015 and promoted to Major-General to fulfill his duties as Chair for a three-year term.

Quotes

“The appointment of our current Surgeon General to chair the Committee of Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO honours and recognizes Canada as a leader in health services. This is directly attributable to the hard work and dedication of our military medical staff.”
The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defence

“I want to extend my sincere congratulations to BGen Bernier on his well-deserved appointment to lead the committee of NATO Surgeons General. His strategic medical leadership and expertise will serve him well while representing Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces as a world leader in health services.”
General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff

Associated Links

Biography of Brigadier-General Jean-Robert Bernier

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Contacts

Lauren Armstrong
Office of the Minister of National Defence
(613) 996-3100

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: (613) 996-2353
Toll-Free: 1 866 377-0811

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Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon General Appointed Chair of the Committee of Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO

News Release

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