I've noticed that there have been attempts within VAC, and I think the Canadian Forces and a number of people have attempted to change the culture by bringing up these issues earlier. I find soldiers resist listening to that because, when they come back, one of the characteristics of trauma is denial: that doesn't apply to them, or they don't need that, or that belongs to somebody else, or someone else has that weakness.
But here's what I have noticed. You may know Stéphane Grenier. I've met with him a couple of times. He's a former service person and is working I believe in VAC. He's having some success in introducing to the younger soldiers the information and psycho-education: If you go overseas and serve, you could take and sustain an injury called an occupational stress injury. So they are e attempting to do that, but what I find with the young guys is that don't take it up because soldiers in the military strongly believe “I'm all right, mate”. They believe they're invincible, they're strong, and they don't need that. There's a psychological resistance there.
Well, as I said before, the people they will listen to will be other soldiers who come back who meet them and spend some time with them. These are sometimes what I call “alpha soldiers”. Alpha soldiers are soldiers who have been through our program and who are highly respected in the community because they had an honourable firefight in Bosnia or they were heroic in Afghanistan. Their status is very high in the regiments. But some of them are a part of our program and soldiers will listen to them. That's what I see. There is some movement, but not as much as I would like.