David MacLeod

Globalization, combined with significant changes in society, finances, communication, and mass access to weapons and technology, have redefined security. The Canadian Armed Forces have changed to adapt to this evolving security climate. The key asset to any organization, including the Canadian Armed Forces, is high-quality personnel. Attracting and retaining personnel engaged in a dangerous, physically demanding, emotionally draining, and complex profession is challenging. A significant factor in the retention and maintenance of personnel is effective healthcare. The federal government, not provincial governments, is responsible for the health care, and documentation of that healthcare, of members of the Canadian Armed Forces. However, what happens to military medical records when the member leaves the military and enters society as a civilian? Who is responsible for the transfer of military medical records, and how can this vital information make it into the provincial health care system to ensure data-driven decisions when the patient, a veteran, is in greatest need? We examine veterans' access to their health records from multiple perspectives, including the need for education concerning the understanding of Veteran Literacy, the movement and transference of medical files, and the ethics of researching Veterans under the umbrella of Chapter 9. Are former members of the Canadian Armed Forces vulnerable, or are we biased because of their job description? Keywords: Veterans, Vulnerable, Healthcare