I think it's first necessary to understand that all of the peacekeeping veterans are in fact professional military people. And it can be argued that perhaps the only real soldiers were the ones from the war; however, of those people who did go through the war, very few of them remained in for further military service. So there's a distinct difference in the nature of the person who serves as a peacekeeper as opposed to a war veteran, and I think the same thing applies to the Korean vets and so on. Therefore, they are very much a part of the Canadian Forces, or the Canadian army and the Canadian Forces, system of care, regardless of what happened to them.
As you mentioned earlier on, it was a continuity of people leaving under the care of the Canadian army, the Canadian air force, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Canadian Forces. Because of that, perhaps there are no distinct points to note because it has been a progressive thing.
However, from personal experience, I had no difficulty. I had no disabilities. As an artillery officer I came out of service with an H-1, which nobody can believe, so I can't even claim a hearing aid.
However, I am aware of many colleagues who now, with advancing age, are running into various difficulties. Their cases are under consideration by the appropriate offices when they submit their claim and there are various stages. Some people are disappointed. Some have their wishes fulfilled.
I think there may be an element of opportunism involved in the seeking of various pensions, and I think we all have to be aware of that as well. What the degree is, I'm not sure.
I have not seen very serious cases, personally, of peacekeepers having difficulties with the “system”. However, in conversations with people who have come from a more volatile peacekeeping, peacemaking, peace support operation, such as Bosnia, it becomes a bit more problematic. There are people who apparently have fallen off the edge at the end of their service and so on. I can't elaborate in specific detail about that, but there are cases of which I have heard.