Canadian Airmen fly with 62nd AW

Published May 14, 2015
By Airman 1st Class Keoni Chavarria
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash -- Throughout history, countries have relied on each other and their militaries to succeed, and with one program, service members from separate nations are able to work together to learn more about another nation's military.

The Military Exchange Program gives a service member in the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force an opportunity to work for the other nation for three years at a time to learn their systems and methods.

The intent of the program is to create a better understanding and cooperation between allied militaries to provide a better functioning relationship.

"It's a little bit of camaraderie, but a lot of it is work exposure to different military environments, and functions, and bringing that knowledge back to your own military," said Royal RCAF Capt. Trevor Lanoue, 10th Airlift Squadron pilot.

Throughout the program, the service member learns skills that they would not normally be taught.

"The program has been really advantageous to see some of the things the U.S. does that Canada doesn't such as air refueling. It was a skillset that I learned when I came down here," said Lanoue.

The exchange does not come without complications though. For the most part, Lanoue works with the 10th AS but still coordinates his tasks with his original squadron.

"An area of limitation we have is when we have short-notice alerts because it is a quick-notice short-reaction situation," said Lanoue.

For RCAF Sgt. Wes Ramsay, 8th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, adapting to the new changes was also a milestone.

"Adapting to a new environment, a new culture, and a new language was challenging," said Ramsay.

Once a year, the participants fill out a yearly report to tell their leadership what they are doing and their thoughts on the program.

"The program has been a very eye opening experience," said Ramsay.
He added, compared to the qualifications and systems to fly for the U.S. Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force are more simplistic.

"Historically, there have been a lot of joint operations between Canada and the U.S. so I think the program has served a lot of value by having an opportunity to cooperate and work closely together," said Lanoue.

According to Lanoue and Ramsay, working with U.S. Airmen has been a beneficial experience learning more about each other's military culture.

"One thing I could definitely take back home is the professionalism and the education that they push to the Airmen here," said Ramsay.