Brigadier-General Rick Pitre assumed command of the Canadian Force’s most recent formation, the newly established 2 Canadian Air Division/Air Force Doctrine and Training Division in a formal ceremony at 17 Wing, Winnipeg on Thursday, June 25. The Air Force has embarked on what BGen Pitre calls “a new and exciting chapter in our rich air force history.”
Commander 2 Canadian Air Division is now responsible for all Air Force doctrine, individual training and education. In addition to the Canadian Aerospace Warfare Centre located at 8 Wing Trenton, BGen Pitre will oversee the conduct and management of training establishments at:15 Wing Moose Jaw, 16 Wing Borden, and a new Air Force Training Centre comprising several Air Force schools and training institutions In addition, he will have oversight of training conducted by the Prairie Cadet Region.
“The creation of 2 Canadian Air Division/Air Force Doctrine and Training Division will regroup the majority of Air Force training, education and lessons learned functions into one formation, which will allow a better focus on doctrine, training and associated support at this crucial time in our history,” said LGen Angus Watt, Chief of the Air Staff, who presided over the ceremony. “The reorganization of existing resources into two formations will allow 1 Canadian Air Division to enhance its focus on Air Force operations at home and abroad.”
The conditions influencing the training environment today present significant challenges and will require a much more focused integration of doctrine, training and education, not only within the Air Force, but across the whole of the Canadian Forces, according to BGen Pitre.
“Today we need the ability to track and influence an individual’s career from the moment he or she steps into the recruiting office… to commencing training,” he said. “The tools to make this happen exist. We have them and what we need to do now is to make them work for us in a practical and affordable way.”
“The creation of 2 Canadian Air Division is a reflection of CF transformation initiatives and is all about increased efficiency and effectiveness,” said CWO Bill Dalke, the Division Chief Warrant Officer. “There will be a distinct benefit to having a Commander whose focus is dedicated to Air Force doctrine and training matters.”
The Air Force’s ability to be a “learning organization” while continuing to generate forces for operations will be significantly improved through this realignment, which will make effective use of already existing resources. The principle objective for this transformation is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of training, standards, activity levels and resource allocation.
“We improve through learning, by having agile processes that can adapt to an evolving environment, while remaining true to the core principles,” said BGen Pitre. “And therefore it stands that 2 Canadian Air Division must be responsive, forward-thinking, innovative and continuously learning.”
