Feb 23, 2011 19:11 UTCThe American TRICARE health insurance system for military members and their families is putting more and more pressure on US military budgets, as costs skyrocket far faster than inflation, or budget growth. Ballooning prescription drug costs in particular are causing significant policy and management issues.
One of the challenges is that many people are using more costly retail pharmacies instead of military treatment facilities or mail order, in order to get their medications. But who supplies the TRICARE mail order system?
Continue Reading… »
Feb 22, 2011 14:06 UTCIn 2005, the Canadian Department of National Defence awarded a 22-year, $1.77-billion (USD $1.5 billion) contract to an “Allied Wings” team lead by Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd. of Kelowna, British Columbia, who beat out a competing group led by Bombardier’s military training division in Mirabel, Quebec. The long-term contract will provide primary flight training training and support services to the Canadian Forces and international allies. These services will be provided out of the “Canada Wings Aviation Training Centre” in the Southport Aerospace Centre near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
This is not the first time the Canadian government has chosen a public/private approach to aviation training. Bombardier was already managing the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) program, and the public-private NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program has been running since 1997. In some ways, however, the new “Allied Wings” contract was a logical next step aimed at solidifying Canada’s traditional advantages, as Canada attempts to make itself an international center of excellence for foreign military aviator training:
- NATO Flying Training in Canada
- Primary Training: Competition for CFTS [updated]
- The Big Picture: International Flight Training in Canada [updated]
- Contracts & Key Events [NEW]
- Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
Continue Reading… »