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

It is recommended that the Canadian Armed Forces retain medically releasing members until such time as all 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) has 32 Transition Centres located across Canada where ill and injured CAF Regular Force and Reserve Force members and their families can access transition services and casualty support. 

The CAF TG also developed the Military Career Transition website to help all CAF members, and their families navigate the transition from military to civilian life. Included is a link to their Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) account, VAC benefits navigator, and the Digital Transition Centre.

The Digital Transition Centre web service is a central location for all members to plan and complete their transition to post-service life including how to start a medical release from the CAF. Through the Digital Transition Centre, members can book an appointment with a Transition Advisor or a Services Coordinator who is specialized in supporting ill and injured members expecting a medical release. Members can also book virtual or in-person appointments with the CAF and VAC at their nearest Transition Centre and access training and education transition, register for transition-focused events, and learn to translate their military skills, training, and experience into civilian equivalencies.

Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 5030-0, Transition to Post-Military Life issued on 20 May 2025, ensures that members have access to a wide range of programs, services, and resources before they release.

The Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions (CAFMPI) 03/25 – Canadian Armed Forces transition to post-military life issued on 20 May 2025, provides direction on the resources and support to be provided to CAF members in their transition to post-military life.

The CAF is also planning to enhance VAC data transfers such as improving reliability and advanced release notifications of all CAF releases, this measure aims to accelerate processing of VAC benefits.

The electronic Canadian Armed Forces Release Administration (eCAFRA) currently only allows Regular Force members to initiate and manage aspects of their digitalized voluntary release through the MCS Portal by login in with their Defence 365 account. The CAF is working on including voluntary and compulsory releases, which include medical releases, for all members in eCAFRA.

 Everyone can access the Military Benefits Browser (MBB) to find all benefits and services available throughout a military career. Our office also has educational information to guide members and their families through the three phases of medical release.

 The CAF confirmed that both Regular and Reserve Force members have access to estimates and, where possible, personalized forecasts of benefits before release. Since certain benefits are confirmed and finalized once the member is released, this recommendation is partially implemented, and we will continue monitoring its progress.

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 the member’s transition.

Recommendation 2 status:  Accepted  Partially implemented

The CAF Transition Group’s (CAF TG) purpose is to provide support to all CAF members and their families as they transition out of military service. Their role is to provide education and training on transition so that members can explore all options available to them while ensuring a smooth transition and well-being, especially for ill or injured members.

The CAF TG developed the Military Career Transition website to help CAF members and their families navigate the transition from military to civilian life. The site includes links to My VAC Account, the VAC Benefits Navigator, and the Digital Transition Centre.

They also created the Digital Transition Centre web service which is a central location for all members to plan and complete their transition to post-service life including how to start a medical release from the CAF. Through the Digital Transition Centre, members can book an appointment with a Transition Advisor or a Services Coordinator who is specialized in supporting ill and injured members expecting a medical release. Members can also book virtual or in-person appointments with CAF and VAC representatives at their nearest Transition Centre. Through these services, members can access transition training and education, register for transition-focused events, and translate their military skills, training, and experience into civilian equivalencies.

Release administration policies and procedures are standardized across both the Regular and Reserve Forces as established by the Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 5030-0, Transition to Post-Military Life and Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instructions (CAFMPI) 03/25 – Canadian Armed Forces transition to post-military life. Reserve Units are receiving training from the Release Benefits Administration on the release process, with training expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Current efforts are focused on modernizing release administration through the adoption of digital tools to better integrate member input with administrative processes and improve efficiency, and communication. This includes a plan for digitalized access for all medically releasing members through eCAFRA. Implementation activities are ongoing to support adoption of these enhanced digital tools.

The Veteran Family Program helps medically releasing and released members and their families navigate the release process and with challenges that may arise. This program provides support for social, emotional, and financial well-being and connects families with relevant resources and services.  Program offerings include the Veteran Family Journal, Mental Health First Aid for the Veteran Community, Care for the Caregiver, and the Family Information Line. Veteran Family Program Coordinators are available at Military Family Resource Centres across Canada.

All CAF members are included in the release process with access to CAF TG services and a centralized web service to plan and complete their transition to post-service life including how to start a medical release. Administration policies were standardized in 2025 (DAOD 5030-0 and CAFMPI 03/25). While significant progress has been made, this recommendation is partially implemented until the Reserve Units’ training on the release process has been completed.

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 2 status:  Accepted  Partially implemented

The CAF developed web tools to facilitate the transition process for members such as the Military Career Transition website which centralizes all transition information from the CAF and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). This includes the Digital Transition Centre web service where all members can plan and complete their transition to post-service life. 

Additionally, there has been improvement to the Digital Transition Centre’s transition plan which contains the same content as VAC’s Military Transition Tasks List, to ensure all members benefit from a common and standardized transition plan across both VAC and CAF systems.

The electronic Canadian Armed Forces Release Administration (eCAFRA) currently allows Regular Force members to access their digitalized voluntary release applications through the MCS Portal by login in with their Defence 365 account. The CAF is working on including voluntary and compulsory releases for all members in eCAFRA.

The DND/CAF Ombudsman’s Military Benefits Browser (MBB) continues to provide easy access to information about benefits and services available throughout a military career and transition.  

We consider this recommendation partially implemented until all medically releasing Regular Force and Reserve Force members have access to eCAFRA and a secure, integrated web portal is available to support transition services and benefits.