Commander at 22 Wing CFB North Bay welcomes broader recruitment standards for the Canadian military

The Commander at 22 Wing CFB North Bay says he welcomes new changes at the Canadian Armed Forces that will allow the military to recruit people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma and some other conditions.

"We have a medical system that can help members to deal with those things and still allow members to have a reasonable career in the military," said Col. Joe Oldford.

"So I'm excited about those changes, and I really hope it translates to more people joining the Canadian Forces and doing the great mission that we do every day."

Col. Oldford made the comments during an annual mental health fair held at the base on Wednesday. It featured 45 exhibitors who offer services to support members of the military who are struggling with their mental health.

"When you need help, I want people to go get help," Oldford said.

"There shouldn't be any stigma attached with it. Our mental health is our regular health."

The mental health fair and the new relaxed recruiting rules for new recruits are happening at a time the Canadian Armed Forces are facing recruitment challenges.

Canada's military is short more than 13,600 members in its regular and reserve forces combined.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan said the goal is to restore the regular force to 71,500 members, and reserve force to 30,000 members.

Arthur Henry, a Royal Canadian Air Force veteran and registered psychotherapist, was a guest speaker at the mental health fair in North Bay.

"Having a veteran who's gone through that and is able to talk us through the challenge that he experienced in that transition is super important," Oldford said.

"And he also understands the mission here. He understands the stress of military life. And you know, he was able to shape his discussion to help support that facet of our life here."

Oldford said working in the Canadian Armed Forces poses some mental health challenges because the work can be high-stakes at times, and the lifestyle is different than civilian life.

He noted a quarter of the families at 22 Wing CFB North Bay move away every summer because they are posted to other bases. New personnel and their families then move in to take their places.

"So the challenges that come with that are substantial, particularly with our families in terms of getting medical care, dental care, health care, and education for our children," he said.