Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'm going to ask some very pointed questions, because the purpose of this study is to get to the bottom of the problems and make recommendations.
As Colonel Mann mentioned, military families rely on the civilian community. People in towns such as Petawawa take the care of soldiers and their families very seriously. This is evident by the generosity of the local businesses and individuals to particularly the Petawawa family resource centre.
My questions relate specifically to OSIs suffered by Canadian armed forces members and the consequences of seeking treatment. Our committee has been told that soldiers who obtain treatment for OSIs, including PTSD, are treated without negative impacts to their careers, yet we hear repeatedly in the House of Commons—in the chamber during question period, for example—that getting treatment for an operational stress injury is a career terminator. We also hear unhelpful comments from the opposition, even the Liberals saying that PTSD is all in their heads.
Please explain to me why some soldiers are told at their very first appointment in seeking treatment for an OSI that it's likely they'll be medically released in three years. Why is that the experience of some soldiers, whereas others are able to be successfully treated, and continue on, and grow in their careers?