Thank you for welcoming me to testify once again.
For the record, my name is Christopher Banks, and I retired as a sergeant after 20 years in the Canadian army.
I joined in 2000. By 2003, I was deployed to Camp Maple Leaf in Bosnia, where I served as a peacekeeper. In 2008, I was deployed to FOB Wilson in Kandahar, where we engaged insurgents and dodged IEDs. I returned home with post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2019, I was medically released.
Since then, I have studied public policy and administration at the University of Guelph, as well as defence and security at Algonquin College. I am a stakeholder with National Defence and Veterans Affairs. I am a member of the Royal Canadian Military Institute's defence and security study committee and I write for the defence policy journal SITREP.
I joined in an era of transformation. I was able to witness our transformation from a Cold War military into a modern military. After 9/11, the military changed as it adapted to the change in warfare in Afghanistan and as it shook off the cobwebs of administering a fighting war. It continued a long process of change from a uni-capable military to a more capable and dynamic military.
The military changed not only as a result of combat operations but also socially, as did Canadian society. Social standards, training standards and even terminology changed considerably in this time. They say the only constant in life is change, and the military is no exception.
Since my return from Afghanistan, I have sought to help my fellow veterans as an advocate. I advocate in two ways.
The first is that I help veterans connect to the resources they need, whether by engaging directly with them or by speaking to veterans groups about my journey and the importance of self-care.
Second, I bring my experience and knowledge to the change-makers by engaging with legislators and policy-makers on behalf of all veterans and serving military personnel.
On the matter at hand, I want to be clear: I am not a Persian Gulf veteran. I was asked to testify because I am a combat veteran, or what is being described by some in these meetings as a “war service veteran”. I have followed the previous meetings on this subject and concluded that at the heart of what they are asking for is the same hurt and irritation that all of Canada's veterans feel. The erosion of benefits over time is no stranger to anyone who has donned a uniform, nor is the dragging of feet for projects that don't secure a re-election. This is the reality for Canada's veterans and our serving military. Those who have worn the uniform know all too well the feeling of being taken for granted.
Commemoration and recognition are important to all veterans, and we Afghan veterans have our own demands: the monument, which has become politicized; the Victoria Cross that was denied to Jess Larochelle; and the combat action badge that is teased every couple of years. Veterans of all demographics demand a reversal of the erosion of benefits and services; the follow-up study for the Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, the PCVRS contract; ensuring that benefits are easy to access and in line with the ever-increasing cost of living; and hiring more case managers and adjudicators at Veterans Affairs to eliminate the devastating wait times.
I'm happy to answer any questions the committee may have.
Thank you.