CAF Post-Service: The Honest Transition Guide
SCAN covers the basics. Your release element processes the paperwork. What neither of them adequately prepares you for is the complexity of what comes after — which benefits are time-critical, what documentation makes or breaks your future VAC claims, and why the handover from the CAF to Veterans Affairs Canada has gaps that cost releasing members real money.
The SCAN Program: What It Covers and What It Skips
The Second Career Assistance Network (SCAN) is a mandatory release seminar program managed by the Canadian Armed Forces. For voluntary releases, attendance is typically required unless waived. For members being released on medical grounds, SCAN is one component of the broader medical release support.
What SCAN does well
- —Overview of release types and administrative process
- —VAC benefits introduction and My VAC Account setup
- —SISIP financial counselling sessions
- —Résumé and interview preparation workshops
- —Pension and benefits broad overview
- —Referrals to community and veteran support organisations
What SCAN consistently skips
- —The specific documentation required to anchor VAC claims
- —The Release Medical Examination form (CF H&S 3822) and why it matters
- —The IRB 60-day income loss deadline (not release date)
- —SISIP LTD interaction with VAC benefits
- —Reserve Force entitlement differences by Class
- —Concurrent CAF and VAC claims strategy
VAC Benefits: The Actual Numbers
Veterans Affairs Canada administers a suite of benefits under the Veterans Well-being Act. The figures below are published VAC amounts for 2024 — confirm current rates at canada.ca/en/veterans-affairs-canada as these are indexed annually.
Ongoing monthly benefit. Replaces income lost due to service-related disability affecting earning capacity. Taxable. Not a lump sum — paid monthly while eligible.
Monthly tax-free benefit for eligible veterans with a VAC-accepted disability. Amount based on extent of disability. Published VAC 2024 maximum monthly rate.
Tax-free lump sum for eligible veterans. Maximum indexed annually. Amount depends on degree of disability and number of conditions accepted.
One-time tax-free payment for eligible service members with specific severe injuries caused by service. Published VAC 2024 amount. Does not require permanent disability.
Paid to survivors of veterans who die from service-related causes. Maximum indexed annually. Specific conditions and surviving dependant calculations apply.
Release Types and Why They Matter
Your Release Item (RI) code — the administrative code assigned to the reason for your release — has downstream consequences for your benefits eligibility. The CF98 (Record of Service) is the document that contains this. It is not always explained to you what code was applied, and not every code is clearly self-explanatory.
Full access to VAC benefits for conditions accepted as service-related. SISIP LTD not typically applicable. SCAN attendance usually required. No enhanced medical support package.
Similar to voluntary for benefits purposes. Pension and VAC entitlements based on service conditions and accepted disabilities. Full CFSA pension if service period qualifies.
Triggers enhanced support including SISIP LTD, Career Transition Services, and priority VAC case management. Often the most complex — and most administratively demanding — release type. Release medical examination documentation is critical.
Entitlements vary significantly by sub-item. SISIP LTD generally not available. VAC benefit access for accepted conditions preserved. CF98 code may affect some other entitlements. Consult SCAN/SISIP for specific implications.
SISIP Financial Services: LTD, Education, and Career Transition
SISIP Financial Services is a CAF-managed mutual insurance plan that provides financial products specifically for CAF members. The two most significant post-release programs are the Long-Term Disability (LTD) plan and the SISIP Education Program — both are commonly misunderstood.
Payable for medically releasing members unable to work. Initial 2-year period assessed against own occupation; after 2 years reassessed against any occupation. SISIP LTD and VAC IRB interact — combined benefits typically integrate so you are not receiving duplicate payments for the same lost income. A SISIP financial counsellor can map your specific situation.
Provides funding for vocational retraining and education for eligible medically releasing CAF members. The cap is approximately $50,000 — confirm the current maximum with SISIP as program terms are subject to revision. Can cover tuition, books, and approved living expenses during full-time study. Applications through SISIP; not automatic.
Job search support, résumé assistance, interview coaching, and employer connections for members eligible for SISIP LTD. Free for medically releasing members. Delivered by SISIP-contracted career transition firms. Engage early — services are available before your release date.
SISIP details are specific to your plan participation and release type. Contact SISIP Financial Services directly (1-800-267-6681 or sisip.ca) for your situation. SISIP counsellors are available for pre-release planning sessions.
VAC vs. CAF: The Handover Gap
The Canadian Armed Forces covers you while you serve. Veterans Affairs Canada covers you after you release. The problem is the transition between these two systems is not automatic, seamless, or always well-explained. Benefits do not transfer — they are applied for separately, and timing matters enormously.
Apply to VAC before release — ideally 6 months out
VAC explicitly encourages applications before release. A file can be opened, documentation submitted, and processing begun while you are still serving. The alternative — applying after release once you need the benefits — puts you in a queue with a gap in income. VAC processing timelines are not instant.
Concurrent CAF and VAC claims are possible
You do not have to choose between a CAF claim and a VAC claim. For conditions that manifest or are aggravated during service, concurrent claims through the CAF grievance system (if applicable) and VAC are both possible and sometimes appropriate. A veterans' service bureau can advise on whether this applies to your situation.
My VAC Account — set up now, not after release
My VAC Account (canada.ca/my-vac-account) is your portal for managing VAC claims, applications, and correspondence. Set it up before release using your CAF email and identity credentials. After release, account setup can be administratively slower. Critically: submitting documents through My VAC Account is faster than postal submissions and creates a tracking record.
VAC contact: 1-866-522-2122
The VAC general enquiry line is publicly listed at 1-866-522-2122 (toll-free in Canada and the US). The Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Hospital in Quebec is a federal veterans' hospital with priority access for eligible veterans — specifically for complex clinical cases. Access is through referral.
Reserve Force: Where It Gets More Complex
Reserve Force entitlements differ meaningfully from Regular Force entitlements, and the differences are not always clearly communicated. Reserve Class determines which benefits apply.
VAC disability claims possible for injuries during Class A service. Benefits typically proportional to period of service. Most complex to assess — condition must be linked to specific Class A periods.
Broader access to benefits during Class B service. Injuries during Class B service generally treated similarly to Regular Force for VAC purposes during that period. SISIP LTD access depends on duration and specific circumstances.
Generally treated equivalently to Regular Force for benefits purposes during the Class C period. VAC claims for Class C deployment injuries processed similarly to Regular Force claims. Full CAF benefits suite during Class C service.
Reserve Force disability claims are often more complex than Regular Force claims because they require establishing that an injury occurred during a specific period of classified service — and records of Reserve service can be harder to retrieve. If you are a Reservist with a potential disability claim, engaging a veterans' advocate early is strongly recommended.
The Release Medical Examination: The Document That Anchors Everything
The CF Health Services Form 3822 — commonly called the Release Medical — is the comprehensive health examination conducted in the period before your release. It is the baseline record of your health status at the point of leaving the CAF.
This form is not just an administrative requirement. For any VAC disability claim lodged years after your release, the CF H&S 3822 is the contemporaneous evidence that your condition existed at or before the point of separation. Without it — or with an incomplete version — claims become significantly harder to establish.
Be thorough — not brief
The Release Medical requires you to report all health conditions, injuries, and symptoms. This is not the time to minimise or downplay. The medical officer who conducts the examination cannot include conditions you don't disclose. Many veterans fail to mention chronic issues — back pain, hearing loss, psychological symptoms — because they seemed "normal" after years of service. Document everything.
Request your copy immediately
You are entitled to a copy of your CF H&S 3822. Request it before you leave the medical unit on the day of examination. Do not assume it will be forwarded to you. Medical record retrieval after release requires formal requests through Health Services records offices — timelines extend significantly.
Canadian Forces Grievance Board — if something goes wrong
If your release process involves decisions you believe were made unfairly — including decisions that affect your benefits entitlements — the Canadian Forces Grievance Board (CFGB) is the formal redress mechanism. Grievances must typically be lodged within the CAF chain first (Initial Authority), then to the CFGB (Final Authority). Timelines and procedures are specific. Seek early advice from a legal officer or veterans' advocate.
Key Numbers, Contacts, and Timelines
The transition out is not one event — it is a sequence of actions, each with a deadline. Most members who lose benefits do so because they acted on a timeline that felt reasonable rather than one calibrated to the actual deadlines.
Apply for VAC benefits — 6 months before release
VAC accepts applications before release. This is the recommended timeline. Starting earlier means potential processing during your final months of service rather than after.
IRB application — within 60 days of income loss
Not within 60 days of release. Within 60 days of the date you experience income loss attributable to your service disability. If your situation is unclear, apply early and let VAC make the determination.
Set up My VAC Account — before release
canada.ca/my-vac-account. Use your current credentials while they are still active. After release, identity verification for account setup is more cumbersome.
Request medical records — on release day
CF H&S 3822, dental records, any specialist referral documentation. Request in writing. Keep copies. These documents are yours by right.
Contact SISIP — 90 days before release minimum
SISIP financial counselling, LTD eligibility assessment, and education program planning all require lead time. 1-800-267-6681 or sisip.ca.
VAC general enquiries — 1-866-522-2122
Toll-free. Available for pre-release planning questions, application status, and benefits enquiries. This is the publicly listed VAC main contact number.
The Royal Canadian Legion and the National Council of Veteran Associations maintain veteran service bureaux staffed by trained, accredited advocates who assist with VAC claims at no cost. Their knowledge of the system, documentation requirements, and appeal processes consistently produces better claim outcomes than unrepresented applications. Find your nearest bureau through the Legion (legion.ca) or NCVA (ncva.ca).
The Veterans Ombudsman (ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca) provides independent review of concerns about the fairness of VAC decisions and processes. If you believe VAC has treated your case unfairly, the Ombudsman's office is the appropriate escalation point.