Colonel Chris Hadfield Supporting Pilot Recruitment 

After a stellar career spanning 25 years, 70 types of aircraft and 316 trips around the earth, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield, recently retired from Canada's Air Force, traveled to Ottawa last week to encourage young Canadians to consider flying for the Air Force, just as he began doing in 1978.

Col. Hadfield officiated at an enrollment ceremony at the Canada Aviation Museum in support of the Canadian Forces pilot recruitment campaign, in hopes that other young Canadians will see the opportunities that are available through a career in the Air Force.

"Life in the Air Force has challenged and trained me daily to become more skilled, more competent, and a better Canadian. I have been given the freedom to go higher, faster and to see the world in a way that I never thought possible," said Col. Hadfield.

Col. Hadfield, a former CF-18 fighter pilot, is delivering his pro-pilot message at events this fall, marking his retirement from the Air Force after 25 years of service. The first Canadian to walk in space is making the transition to civilian life, continuing to work as an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency at NASA in Houston, Texas, and maintaining his Air Force affiliation as a member of the Air Reserve.

The Canadian Forces has recently launched an extensive recruitment campaign to try to recruit 222 new pilots, mainly university graduates direct from civilian universities and the Royal Military College as well as internal CF occupational transfers.

FMI: www.airforce.dnd.ca