National Defence committee  I will. The other dynamic to be considered when we're looking at the numbers is there are a number of people posted to the JPSU in Petawawa, and there are a number who only receive services. If you distinguish between the two, there are approximately 600 people who are receiving services, but about 200 or so who are posted.

Veterans Affairs committee  A lot of what I was going to say, Mr. Lourenso just indicated. The Integrated Personnel Support Centres have allowed a lot more of that face-to-face contact, especially with the younger veterans, because now we have Veterans Affairs on the Canadian Forces bases and we bring them into Veterans Affairs, so they do get that face-to-face contact.

Veterans Affairs committee  That means they remain in uniform; they are not released from the armed forces.

Veterans Affairs committee  As Colonel Bernier mentioned, there is a tool that analyzes the complexity of an individual's needs. If a person is considered a complex transition, be it because there are modifications required to the home for the long term—for health care or for potential employment—or perhaps there's a mental health condition that would preclude employment for a couple of years, then from the medical side of the house they recommend a period of retention, which can go from six months up to three years.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, it would have been done in the last six months. Especially as we begin the process, we are focusing on those who have complex needs. The plan is that by the end of the year everybody releasing for medical reasons will have an integrated transition plan.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm sorry?

Veterans Affairs committee  At the table there is the Veterans Affairs representative who works in the integrated personnel support centre. There is the case manager from health services. There are the services staff from the integrated personnel support centres who ensure either return-to-work programs, employment programs, or education programs.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's an ongoing process, because as a person is advised that they're going to be medically released, they've basically known in advance for some time, and the process has already begun—we have looked at education programs, we have begun to access employment services, etc. There are as many meetings as are required.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's not considered an aspect of complexity; however, we want to set people up for success, so any benefit of the doubt.... If a person is within a couple of months of the ten-year point, unless there are really odd circumstances, we will get them there.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm happy to say that exact situation has now developed. For about six months now we have been ensuring that every person who is medically released is presented with what is called an integrated transition plan. All of the different partners sit together at the table: Veterans Affairs, the health services case manager, people who look after education needs and employment needs post-release.

Veterans Affairs committee  As the admiral says, in a lot of cases peer support is, first and most importantly, the key to getting people to treatment. As the admiral said earlier in his presentation, it's the nature of our business that a lot of the fellows who need help do not want to step forward and say so, but when one of your peers tells you that it's really important to see the doctor and tells you to take your medicine, etc., it goes a long way towards helping the person find the proper balance they need.

Veterans Affairs committee  Certainly. A person is advised that they're going to be released for medical reasons six months prior to the point of release. A person can only apply for a priority hire position once he or she is released from the forces, but during that six-month lead-up, as soon as we receive the knowledge that the person will be released, we send them a letter with all of the programs that are available to them.

Veterans Affairs committee  Full-time reservists are afforded the same services as regular force members. The Class A reservists—that's the name we use—parade on a Thursday night or once a month and spend a weekend with their units; if they are injured as a result of their military service, they get the same services as somebody in the regular force.

Veterans Affairs committee  They are extremely varied. For example, on the public side, there are a number of departments. There is also the Corps of Commissionaires and similar services. On the private sector side, it's extremely varied. There can be small local electrical firms, for example, and the major banks are registered, including TD, Royal Bank, and Bank of Montreal.

Veterans Affairs committee  When a person releases, both their personnel files and their medical files go to Archives Canada. However, before individuals leave the forces, they have the right to have a copy of their medical files. All they have to do is make that request. Especially for people with medical problems, we ensure through the integrated personnel support centre that a copy of their medical file is made and handed to them so that when they transition to their civilian caregiver, they can bring their file with them for good continuity there.