AFP Newsletter - Summer 2019

Issue #33 • July 2019 Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada See Stand up on page 4 need to apply for the Pension for Life benefits. For veterans who have already received a Disability Award, a calculation will be done automat- ically to determine if any addi- tional money should be paid on a monthly basis. Veterans who have previously received the Earnings Loss or Retirement Income Support programs have already been transi- tioned to the Income Replacement Benefit. They will receive compa- rable benefits and amounts that are no less, before offsets, than those received prior to 31 March 2019. Be aware, however, that, the names of the benefits and the structure of your payment may look different thanks to the consolidation and replacement of previous financial benefit plans. To learn more about the Pension for Life benefits, visit veterans.gc.ca/ PensionForLife . Press release from the Government of Canada Stand up of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group: a commitment to look after members, veterans, and their families T he Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, today announced the stand up of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group. The Transition Group assumes a new role within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to standard- ize and professionalize transition services to better meet the needs of all CAF members . The goal is to ensure that all Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, and their families receive the full range of support, compensa- tion, and benefits available to them. Whether members are embark- ing on the road to recovery, going through rehabilitation, returning to duty in the CAF, or transitioning to life after service, we are committed to assisting them in their journey. The new Transition Group brings together the current people, ser- vices, and resources of the renewed Joint Personnel Support Unit and the Directorate of Casualty Support Management, as well as a number of additional investments, into one integrated formation. One of the benefits of this group will be that members will have a centralized and reliable source of informa- tion and services to support them during and after military service. Increased leadership guidance and mandatory training will also help them feel equipped, confident and secure to plan and prepare for transition. Services for the ill and injured and families of the fallen will continue to be a core part of the support this formation will offer. This new formation is a critical part of a broader group of govern- ment initiatives designed to im- prove outcomes for CAF members, veterans and their families. To make the transition process as seamless as possible, the Govern- ment of Canada has invested in new online tools, including: n A Military Career Transition portal on Canada.ca which assembles online information from the CAF, VAC, and other partners, and puts this informa- tion, including Second Career Assistance Network (SCAN) training, at your fingertips; n My Transition Guide , a ready- to-use reference for members and families to access informa- tion on support and services available throughout the transi- tion process; n The My Transition app , now available for download on the Apple app store and Google play; and n Enhanced Transition Training available for all members plan- ning to transition to life after military service. In support of the stand up of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister of National Defence issued Operation TRANSI- TION, a directive that underscores the importance of transition to the Forces and informs its members of the immediate changes and the steps being taken over the next few years to improve the transition process. Services to be implemented over a three to five year time frame The first step towards the Transi- tion Group providing codified and professional services for all mem- bers is to launch the Transition Trial at CFB Borden under the auspices of the Directorate of Transition Services and Policy (DTSP), a new directorate devoted to improving transition. The goal is to design a process, based on the domains of wellbeing, which ensures that every transitioning member has an oppor- tunity to maximize their potential.