National Defence Committee on June 5th, 2013

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

I don't know.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

But were you there for two years or did you go back...?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

Visiting.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

You didn't live there.

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

No.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Oh, so you just went for....

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

Appointments.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

For appointments. Were you seeing someone? Were you part of a group for therapy? Was there any particular program that you were engaged in?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

After I was diagnosed, they stopped. Once they diagnosed me, they just kind of stopped the treatment.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Once you were diagnosed with PTSD, you didn't receive any further treatment?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

Correct.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Is it fair to say you've not received any treatment for PTSD?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

Just enough to get diagnosed.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Corporal, one of the things we talked about when this committee looked at PTSD specifically a few years ago was the possibility of individuals having advocates to ensure that they could get within the system what they needed or what they were entitled to.

Have you been advocating for yourself, or have you had any other person either assigned to you as an advocate or someone you've chosen to advocate on your behalf?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

I was told in my last session that I'm as good as it gets. “This is your life now”, is what I was told.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Have you had any career assessment or other type of assistance in determining what your future course of action might be as a civilian upon your discharge? Has there been some discussion about where you go from here? Has that been part of what you received as part of the JPSU?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

The JPSU wanted me to come in every day and drink coffee, so I took it upon myself to go after schooling for myself. I got my real estate licence, with no help from the JPSU, actually. They were more of a hurdle than anything. Since then, I've started my own business in real estate, again with no help from the JPSU, who only established hurdles for me, even though all I'm doing is trying to set myself up for success upon release, and since then, I've been successful.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Thank you. Your time has expired.

Mr. Alexander.

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

Corporal Glen Kirkland, thank you for being with us.

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

You're going to have to speak up a bit. Sorry.

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Thank you very much for being with us.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Corporal, you could put on a hearing piece.

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

I'll speak up.

It's very moving for all of us, and for all who are watching in the broader audience, to hear directly from someone like you who was at the heart of the combat, the conflict, the fight that Canada carried on for many years.

We are conducting this study of the ill and injured precisely because we know that the system hasn't worked for everyone, and that there are frustrations, including acute ones, such as the ones you've expressed.

Thank you for sharing your experience so frankly, and thank you for the courage you have shown in coming here and making these very painful memories and experiences public. Let me just say personally that you're a very impressive person for what you've done, for your ability to be here today, for your ability to try to overcome all of the adversity: PTSD, injuries, and witnessing terrible events in the ways that you have done.

Given that this incident happened almost five years ago, and you've given us part of the story, and probably the most frustrating parts for you, of how the system didn't serve you, could you take us through the major events that happened after September 3, 2008, as you recall them in theatre on your way back here? What kind of care did you receive? What frustrated and surprised you about it? What were the main stages, and what suggestions do you have for the committee as we struggle to formulate recommendations and try to ensure that the system better serves Canada's men and women in uniform?

[Cpl Glen Kirkland]

I just want to make sure I've got this right. You want to know what happened after I got blown up?

Where do you want me to start?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

You were unconscious, so start from the things you remember.