As part of Health Services, DND is committed to the provision of comprehensive health promotion programming for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The Strengthening the Forces (STF) health promotion program provides CAF leaders and personnel with the information, skills and tools necessary to promote and improve their health and well-being.
The health of CAF personnel is an essential and critical component of operational readiness. CAF personnel must be sufficiently healthy and physically fit to function effectively in very demanding, challenging and potentially dangerous situations. STF enables the CAF leadership to develop and sustain a strong, healthy and fit force, in an environment which supports a lifestyle dedicated to eating well, injury prevention, coping effectively and living addiction-free.
STF is provided by the Surgeon General, through the Directorate of Force Health Protection (DFHP). Program specialists in DFHP provide expertise and professional development to CAF and develop specific tools, information products, training and campaign activities for delivery on Bases and Wings across Canada. STF health promotion program is delivered on Bases and Wings by the CF Morale and Welfare Services' Personnel Support Program, under the guidance of DFHP.
There are four major interrelated areas of healthy lifestyle in STF programming:
CAF recognize that health promotion is equally the responsibility of the CAF leadership, the individual and the health services community. While the responsibility for achieving and maintaining health ultimately rests with the individual, the organizational and work environments have a marked influence on the individual's health choices. Guided by the population health approach paradigm and aligned with the World Health Organization's key action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion across the interrelated areas of focus, the CAF STF program is committed to building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments for health, strengthening CAF engagement and community action, developing personal skills and contributing to the reorientation of health services toward population health.