Evidence of meeting #60 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was dog.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Sorry, you joined up in 2003. When did you come back from Afghanistan?
As an Individual
I served in Afghanistan from March 2, 2008 to July 7, 2008.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
You have been in treatment since that time, and then have subsequently been working with the JPSU.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
You say you are being considered for medical release. You are not happy with that. Do you feel you could continue to provide a service to the military in the JPSU?
As an Individual
Yes, sir. I would like to have the opportunity to be a soldier again. The JPSU is a unit that is for the ill and injured soldiers. Typically, when you get posted there, people get medically released.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
People typically get medical.... This is a stage as part of the medical release, as opposed to...?
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Are you actively engaged in assisting people who come to the JPSU for assistance? Is that part of your job?
As an Individual
Sir, right now, my place of duty is I am going to school and upgrading my high school education. I think it's important that I have that.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Thank you very much, Chair.
Master Corporal and Bombardier Logue, that was some sobering testimony, to be honest, for me.
I will continue where Jack left off with Mr. Logue.
One of the other committees I am on is the health committee. We talk about mental health issues all the time. I'm a little bit concerned when I hear that someone who has PTSD, anxiety, and everything that comes along with it has been advised that he may be released in 30 days, or it may be three years. How does it play on your mental health to have that hanging over your head?
As an Individual
Sir, in a way it makes my condition worse, because I don't know what I'm going to do. I love working with dogs. I love the fact that we are helping other soldiers with the dogs. Since the W5 story came forward, several soldiers have come forward now. The JPSU in Shilo is packed full of people who have service dogs now, thanks to Mr. Leonard.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Either one of you can comment on this: is it a common practice, when someone is being prepared for medical release, that there is just an open-ended—I don't know how else to say it. Is it a common practice that the end of your active military career could come at that large of a time span? I'm concerned that it would be a practice. I don't know enough about it to comment intelligently on it, but maybe you could advise me of that. Is that common practice, or is Mr. Logue's experience perhaps unusual?
MCpl Bill Nachuk
If I may, fortunately I haven't personally gone through the medical release part of it, but for a soldier who wants to be medically released or does not want to, yes, the time can really vary, basically depending on your unit. If they feel that they still need you, they could hold on to you and they could draw out that frame. If they feel that they don't want you anymore, you can be out within 30 days.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
For the condition that we're dealing with, that seems like an unusual practice—an unhelpful practice, if I might say so.
MCpl Bill Nachuk
There may be other speakers here today who may be able give more light on that. I'm just speaking from a soldier's point of view and from my understanding. Others speaking later today may be able to give more of a detailed correct statement on that aspect.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Okay.
To move on to the animals themselves, as a dog owner myself, I often lament the costs. He's part of our family, our dog is, so when things come up, it's not a cheap experience, with vet bills and all the rest of the associated costs.
Did both of you have to purchase the dogs, or are they on loan? Who is responsible for the costs associated with their care?
MCpl Bill Nachuk
For myself, personally, I actually purchased my dog from a rescue, so he cost me $150. I purchased him prior to getting involved with Mr. Leonard.
When you deal with vets or whatever and you inform them that your dog actually is a service animal, most vets will.... Well, for myself, one vet, I don't have to pay the tax, which, when you're talking about big vet bills, isn't that much. I had the dog prior. I paid for him.
Now, Mr. Leonard, who I believe is speaking later, may be able to give you more insight, but I know from dealing with the program that if a soldier is in dire need, usually MSAR has a dog that's trained that he will loan out to that individual to help him get through his or her time of need, at which point—at least now we have some funds—we could look at getting that individual his or her service dog at that time.
