Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, and ladies and gentlemen of the committee.
My name is Bombardier Geoff Logue. Currently I'm posted with the joint personnel support unit in Shilo. Prior to this, I served with the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. I've served in the Canadian Forces since May 15, 2003. I was part of Operation Athena, rotation 5, task force 1-08, Afghanistan. I served with the provincial reconstruction team. My tour, to say the least, was very difficult.
I came home and I couldn't leave my house. I couldn't go out and get groceries. I had to get my wife to do that for me, because I couldn't even leave. I was too terrified of the people around me.
When I came back from my tour, I was sent home on a civilian flight. I was repatriated to Canada on a civilian flight. I had no decompression time. My decompression was at the Boston Pizza in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. I was presented a leave pass and told that I had the next two months off. I didn't have any support. I didn't have anyone to go to.
Since I've been back from my tour, I've been to six treatment centres. I've spent over a year in treatment centres and psychiatric wards. I've put tremendous stress on my family and all my friends. I attempted suicide three times, one of which was last year, when I overdosed on a large number of sleeping pills. I was on life support in intensive care for a week. My wife has hung in there and has been by my side this entire time.
Last year I got my service dog, Luna, from a pet store in Brandon, Manitoba, when she was only eight weeks old. I didn't realize the full impact of having a dog until I started training and working with Mr. Leonard, with the Manitoba Search and Rescue program. Since coming forward with the program...it's done me wonders. I can now leave my house, and not in fear.
My journey through my military career has been very challenging, but I've always done the best job that I could. I've always tried to perform at the highest level that I could perform.
I am going to be medically released from the Canadian Forces. I'm currently waiting for a disclosure package, which will have my release date. I've been told that I could be released within six months, I could be released within thirty days, I could be released within two years, three years, but it's not up to me.
Personally, I am not ready to be released right now. I have a lot more work that needs to be done. Now that I'm getting better, I want to have the opportunity to continue to serve in the military. I don't want to be abandoned. The military is all I've every known; I joined when I was 18 years old.
When I came back from my tour I was on a large freezer bag full of medication. I was on so many medications that I couldn't keep track of what I was taking. My mind was cloudy, foggy. I was a zombie.
The joint personnel support unit that I'm with in Shilo has been incredibly supportive. In fact, they had mentioned to me about Mr. Leonard and the program, and that is how I got in contact with them.
Something needs to be done here. Our soldiers are killing themselves, and this is wrong. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada recognizes Seeing Eye dogs for soldiers, but they do not provide funding for psychiatric service dogs. Mr. Chair, I am pleading to you and to the committee to please provide funding and have this recognized through the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada so that we can save our soldiers. The war may be done, but there is still battle going on with our troops at home in our own minds.
Thank you.