The skies over Moose Jaw will be relatively quiet the next few months after 15 Wing Air Base grounded all planes to protect its students’ health during the pandemic.
General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), issued a letter on March 24, where he informed the CAF community that all institutions should cease all training and educational activities immediately. He explained that all students and staff must be protected to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in all training complexes, which could overwhelm community medical centres.
The Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean, Que., and all other schools across the CAF are to temporarily cease operations, he said. This will allow staff and students to safely go home, where and when feasible.
Those people who cannot make it home will be urged to continue to live in their quarters, where support will be given to them. All personnel on the bases and at the schools are to isolate themselves and be confined to ensure their care. Civilian staff will be allowed to voluntarily isolate themselves within the lines.
2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at 15 Wing Moose Jaw has complied with Vance’s directive and paused all pilot training, Lt. Camille MacKenzie Dolphin, public affairs officer, said in an email. Furthermore, 431 Air Demonstration Squadron — the Snowbirds — has also paused training as it prepares for the 2020 air demonstration season.
“While we remain flexible on how long this pause will last, we are currently focusing our efforts on the critical activities necessary to ensure we are protecting our most important asset — our people … ,” she said. “The Wing has also reduced regular services to limited hours of operation to only those essential for support to our troops.”
The base community is taking the Canadian Armed Forces’ health protection measures seriously to maintain operational effectiveness and preserve its capacity to carry out core missions in support of the Government of Canada, Dolphin continued. The base has closed access to sports complexes and dining hall buildings; however, meals are still available for pick-up by individuals who live on the base.
“15 Wing Moose Jaw takes the health and safety of our personnel and the members of our Defence community very seriously,” echoed Col. Ron Walker, 15 Wing base commander. “At this moment our priority is to protect our people and their families as much as possible from contracting the virus COVID-19 and to allow a return to flying training as soon as possible.”
15 Wing is still accepting deliveries of essential supplies, while some non-essential work and deliveries are being delayed at this time. Meanwhile, all social events, graduations, Wing tours and visits have been cancelled until further notice.
Dolphin confirmed that only critical and essential members of 15 Wing are allowed to access the base. Following instructions from the Department of National Defence (DND) and the CAF, all precautionary measures are being taken to avoid illness or additional exposure to DND employees and CAF members.
