The aircraft were doing great things. We had a 707 air refueller, and that aircraft proved to be absolutely invaluable, as it was providing fuel not only to our own CF-18s, but also to the other allied aircraft as they went in and over Kuwait and Iraq, and back out again.
I have to mention the field hospital, because it was sent over there. It was stationed at Al Jubail, which was on the Persian Gulf, but when war started, it went out to the west to a place called Al Qaysumah on the Saudi-Kuwait border. When it was being set up, it came under a Scud attack. It was the hospital that looked after not only injured allies but injured Iraqi people coming to the headquarters. It was really quite something. In fact, the number of Iraqis coming there because they were given up.... Our security forces who went with them became very much the guards of all the POWs until they could send them elsewhere.
Someone mentioned this, but the mining that took place on the shores of Kuwait City and at the airport was absolutely incredible. It was our engineers who went there and were able to clear the shores and the airfield of booby-trapped bunkers with ammunition and all sorts of stuff. I would also proudly say that other allies were not quite as lucky, so I put it down to our professionalism and the training of our soldiers that no one ever got hurt doing those mining operations.
I will finally say—and I mentioned this—there was a Scud attack on the headquarters in Bahrain.
Suffice it to say, ladies and gentlemen, this was not peacekeeping. No one in the navy or air force and no soldiers were killed. I believe this was pretty much the case because we had worked very hard at training and they were extremely well trained and prepared prior to going over there. We had luck, to be sure, and other allies weren't so lucky. They were able to conduct operations there and we came back with everybody, basically.
Notwithstanding all of that, there was something out there called Gulf War syndrome, which, honest to God, we didn't understand at the time. It subsequently became something called PTSD. It was something we tried to figure out, but we didn't know. Subsequently, when we came back, PTSD, among other things, was something that was known. I'm sure there are people who were in the gulf who still suffer from PTSD.
I think all the airmen, sailors, airwomen and soldiers involved in the gulf would tell you this was not a peacekeeping mission. It was war, pure and simple. Those who were there knew it, and they and their families back home knew it and felt it. I remain surprised that Canadians—I didn't realize this—did not recognize the Gulf War as a war. I encourage ACVA to give long-overdue recognition to those brave Canadians who served.
I note that all three ships and all three aircraft squadrons received battle honours, which means that they were involved in the participation in a battle with a formed and armed enemy, thus meriting the classification of wartime service. To not do so, to me, sets a bad example and an unwelcome message to those who serve our country in uniform.
That is my other five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm quite prepared to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you very much.