Thank you, Chairman.
Thank you to our guests for coming today. We learn something every time we have a meeting. You made some very direct statements, and we appreciate that.
I've learned something about you, too. You made the comment that you're not fond of the word “complaints”. I learned a lot from that. I agree with you; it should be “issues”. We shouldn't be putting a negative connotation on anything. If we're starting something such as an ombudsman, he should be dealing with issues. We should never use the word “complaints”--which would be good for us.
I want to thank you for your long service, and your service even after you retired. It's important for us to hear from somebody who knows what they're talking about. I can't even remember how many places you've been, how many difficult situations you've been through, and how many challenges you've had to face.
I have a couple of questions. I'm surprised the forces have such poor medical records...or maybe there are gaps in medical records. If we want an ombudsman to help somebody, he needs accurate information. How did the poor record keeping come about? Through all the different areas you've served in, why are there gaps in some of the service people's records?