That is a good question. I have heard some talk about their disability award being higher than ours. At first glance that appears to be the case. I'm going to get officials to scurry around for some of these numbers while I'm talking, because I want to make sure I'm right.
I do know that under the British system potentially a veteran could receive about $1 million in a disability award. They have different categories of veterans. My understanding is there's been very few, if any, who have actually received $1 million. Ours is about $267,000. But ongoing support for the veteran and family as time goes on doesn't occur in the British system at the level it does in ours.
When we look at those, I think it's sort of cherry-picking the best from the British system in isolation from all the benefits and the ongoing benefits we provide. But I do know this is factual. It's not making it up as I go along to get out of the committee unscathed. None of the British veterans have ever received the ultimate award of $1 million. It's out there, and I'm sure in time some will receive it. In fact I'll probably get a call from Britain later on today to say they've had one soldier who received it. But my information tells me, Mr. Lobb, that none of them have ever received that maximum amount. Many of our veterans have received the maximum, and sadly so. Obviously in many of these cases the disability is without question; it's given out.
I think of those serving in Afghanistan--I may be correct--we've had 26 cases of individual soldiers who have received the maximum disability award. In the British system, there's none; it's a big zero. I have to be very careful, because I don't want to criticize the British system, but I do know we have paid the maximum 26 times. They have never paid out the maximum.