Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I'm Captain (Navy) Cyd Courchesne, the medical advisor to the Chief of the Air Staff, and the director of aerospace medicine for the Canadian Forces.
I would like to provide a brief background and explain the roles and responsibilities of my position. I'm a general practitioner by training, and I enrolled as a general duty medical officer in the CF and completed post-graduate training in aviation medicine. Most of my career has been spent in support of the air force. I first started out as a flight surgeon in Cold Lake, Alberta, and progressed over the years to my position as medical advisor to the Chief of the Air Staff.
Although it might seem strange to you that I'd do this in a naval dress uniform, that is just a reflection of the joint nature of the CF.
Like my colleagues present here, in general terms, I'm the liaison between the air force and the health services group. I provide advice to the Chief of the Air Force and his staff on medical matters, and I am the point of contact for the air force headquarters staff for issues related to health services. Likewise, I provide the commander of the health services and our senior staff with advice, information, and situational awareness on the air force and air force issues.
I provide professional technical guidance and leadership to all the regional surgeons in matters of aerospace medicine support, though I have no command authority over them. I function as a senior staff officer of the health services group, and I represent Canada in international military aerospace medicine working groups.
I have no direct role in the health service delivery at the clinical level or on deployments, and no direct role, either, in the mental health realm, whether that be programs, policy, or service delivery.
As director of aerospace medicine, I'm responsible in general terms for formulation of doctrines, strategic plans, and policies with respect to health services support to air operations. In particular, I establish air crew medical standards and air crew medical policy for the Chief of the Air Staff and for the CF.
I also hold the appointment of medical advisor to the airworthiness authority under the Aeronautics Act, and that just also happens to be the Chief of the Air Staff.
I will be pleased to answer your questions in French or English. Thank you.