Time frames in the context of who you're dealing with, I think, are ridiculous. A two-year time frame on someone.... Let's say everything goes perfectly, all the i's are dotted and all the t's are crossed, and they get out and they're medically unfit to do anything. Then in two, three, four, or maybe five years they're up and about, feeling good, thinking they'd like to go to school and maybe go out and get a job. It's, “Oh sorry, man. That was a two-year window.”
In my case, I lost both feet. Let's say the system had worked, and Rick Hillier hadn't said, “You're not releasing anyone wounded in combat until I say so.” That would have had me released in 2010 or maybe 2011 and still dealing with the loss of my entire career, identity, etc., and figuring out what I wanted to do or go to school for. For most of the things I asked about taking, I was told, no, I couldn't take that. I think the new budget changes what you can go to school for, which is great. In my case, as an infantry sniper, there's not a lot of transition to the civilian world unless I want to go work for certain people in Aleppo, which I don't.
The two-year window to decide what to take or even if you're healthy enough to take it, in my opinion.... It took me a solid five years just to recover physically from my injury. Mentally, as I said, ask Alannah what she thinks. These arbitrary time limits are baffling to me in some cases. You either qualify for a benefit or you don't. Especially considering you're dealing with people who are mentally or physically, or both sometimes, smashed. With someone who doesn't want to be released, to tell them to get a grip and wrap their head around going to school.... I know lots of troops that have gone to school and done something they hated, and they have no desire to go into the field or the training that they took advantage of. That's one place where I think we should just lose the time limits. Let the individual decide when they're ready.