You are following me correctly. In 2012, I had to take my uniform off because I was too emotional. I cried. I was not prepared to continue in uniform. That said, when I was retraining as a social worker, I was not allowed to do a practicum at the mental health services on the base because I knew too much about the military. Having been recognized by Blue Cross but not by the Canadian Armed Forces, specifically Calian who manages most of the contract work for social work health care services, I have been avoided because I know more than people want to know. There is concern, which is part of the testimony from other individuals, that I would become an advocate.
Many veterans have significant experience that can be used. Most people who are transitioning are not able to work full time, but if we recognize the valuable knowledge that they have and put in place a system that's robust enough, I believe we can address a lot of the issues, because veterans who have been injured and have gone through the process understand the identity loss. They have lived through the issues and they can help other individuals overcome those things and can explain to case managers and others who are not familiar with the system.