Simplifying the Service Delivery Model for Medically Releasing Members of the Canadian Armed Forces

September 2016

In May 2016, the Office completed a report titled Determining Service Attribution for Medically Releasing Members. During our research, it became apparent that the process for members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are transitioning to the services of Veterans Affairs Canada is neither user-friendly nor seamless. The transition process is unnecessarily complex and difficult to navigate – especially for those who are ill or injured.

Progress report on the status of recommendations

September 2025

Progress report definitions

• Recommendation 1

  It is recommended that the Canadian Armed Forces retain medically releasing members until such time as all the benefits and services from the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada, and Service Income Security Insurance Plan have been confirmed and are put in place.

  Recommendation 1 status:  Accepted  Partially implemented

  The CAF Transition Group (CAF TG) developed the Military Career Transition website and the Digital Transition Centre web service. Both tools help CAF members and their families navigate their transition from military to civilian life. In addition to being a central location for members to plan and complete their transition (including how to start a medical release from the CAF), members can use the Digitial Transition Centre to book an appointment with a Transition Advisor or a Services Coordinator who is specialized in supporting ill and injured members expecting a medical release.

  Medically releasing Regular Force members are now retained until they have submitted all applicable applications for benefits and services from the CAF, VAC, and SISIP. CAF TG is working to ensure that all benefits are in place before a member releases. This service is not yet available to all Reserve Force members. 

  CAF TG also created the electronic Canadian Armed Forces Release Administration (eCAFRA) This service facilitates communication between the CAF and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and Service Income Security Insurance Plan (SISIP) regarding a member’s intent to transition and allows them to plan their transition. This service is expected to be available to all Reserve Force members in 2027.

  The eCAFRA is currently only available to Regular Force members who submit a voluntary release or component transfer. The eCAFRA allows members to access their digitalized release applications through the MCS Portal by login in with their Defence 365 account. This service is expected to be available to all Reserve Force members in 2027, and no timeline was provided on when or if this service will be available to medically releasing members.

  Effective 2 Apr 2025, the Interim Reconstitution Employment Measure (IREM) allows certain CAF members with permanent medical employment limitations (MEL), who do not meet the minimum operational standard of Universality of Service (U of S), to continue to serve in the CAF for up to three years (subject to prescribed conditions).

  We consider this recommendation partially implemented until all medically releasing members of the Regular and Reserve Force are included in eCAFRA.

  • Recommendation 2

    It is recommended that the Canadian Armed Forces establish a Concierge Service for all medically releasing members. This service would serve as a focal point to assist members and their families for all administrative matters regarding their transition.

    Recommendation 2 status:  Accepted  Partially implemented

    The CAF Transition Group (CAF TG) developed initiatives to support this recommendation.

    The Digital Transition Centre allows members to book virtual or in-person appointments with the CAF and Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) at their nearest Transition Centre. This allows CAF members to access transition training and education, register for transition-focused events, and translate their military skills, training, and experience into civilian equivalencies.

    The Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions (CAFMPI) 03/25 – Canadian Armed Forces Transition to Post-Military Life provides direction on resources and support for CAF members in their transition to post-military life. It also outlines the availability and eligibility of services that are available to support ill and injured members in their transition.

    The military to civilian transition process is available to all Regular Force members, including those who are medically releasing, and their families through all Transition Centres. The CAF TG is working on making the same services available to the Reserve Force through the renewed Reserve Force Release Process. This service is expected to be available to all Reserve Force members in 2026.

    Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) established the Veterans Family Program funded by VAC in 2015. Since 2018, VAC expanded these services from seven to all 32 Military Family Resource Centres across Canada. This program supports the unique transitioning needs of medically releasing CAF members, medically released Veterans and their families by supporting their health and well-being during this time. CAF transition Centres have additional resources for families, such as the Family Liaison Officer and the family transition advisor.

    On 11 July 2025, the CAF published the CAFMPI 06/25 – Reserve Transition Support (RTS) Policy for Reserve Force (Res F) Members who are ill or Injured and 05/25 – Attached posting of Reserve Force (RES F) members to the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group (CAF TG). These instructions allow “eligible members on a period of full-time Reserve Service greater than 180 days, who suffer from an illness or injury, regardless if it is attributable to service or not, to be offered a period of Reserve Service while being supported by the CAF TG until they have either returned fit for general duties in the Res F, or are released from the CAF.” This represents significant progress for Reserve Force members.

    Although the CAF TG announced that full operational capability was reached on 1 April 2024, the group is not expecting to implement the renewal of the Reserve Force Release Process until 2026. Our office will continue monitoring these initiatives.

  • Recommendation 3

    It is recommended that the Canadian Armed Forces leads, through a phased approach, the development of a secure web portal. The portal would contain information for all Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada, and Service Income Security Insurance Plan programs and services. The portal would also enable members to input their information just once, and the portal would automatically apply for all services and benefits that would be consistent with the member’s needs.

    Recommendation 3 status:  Accepted  Partially implemented

    The CAF developed web tools to support the transition process such as the Military Career Transition website which centralizes all transition information for the CAF and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). They also developed the Digital Transition Centre web service which is a central location for members to plan and complete their transition to post-service life including how to start a medical release from the CAF. These tools facilitate communication between the CAF, VAC and Service Income Security Insurance Plan (SISIP) regarding a member’s intent to transition and to allow members to plan their transition.

    Additionally, the Canadian Forces General message (CANFORGEN) 109/25, Provision of Personal Information Upon Release states that “efforts are ongoing to enhance access to health and service records in order to ease the transition during the release process and ensure access to this information once a member has been released.” Currently, members are advised through the CANFORGEN 109/25, Provision of Personal Information Upon Release to obtain their military health records before releasing.

    Medically releasing Regular Force members are now retained until they have submitted all applicable applications for benefits and services from the CAF, VAC, and SISIP. This service is expected to be available to all Reserve Force members in 2027. 

    The electronic Canadian Armed Forces Release Administration (eCAFRA) allows Regular Force members to access their digitalized release applications through the MCS Portal—currently only available for voluntary release (VR) or component transfer (CT) to the Reserve Force. This service is expected to be available to all Reserve Force members in 2027, and no timeline was provided on when or if this service will be available to medically releasing members.

    In 2024, our office worked with the CAF to expand the DND/CAF Ombudsman’s Military Benefits Browser (MBB) to include all benefits and services available throughout a military career. The MBB continues to provide easy access to information on benefits for CAF members, former members, family members and survivors of deceased members.

    The centralization of transition information may ease the burden of the application process to various benefits and services especially when a member is in transition. However, we consider this recommendation partially implemented until all Reserve Force members are included in the eCAFRA, and that all applicable CAF benefits are in place before a member transitions to post-military life that are within the CAF’s authority.