Thank you, Madam Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to speak before you today.
My name is Damien Pittman. I'm a 19-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. I served in Afghanistan and Iraq and was medically released in 2019 due to PTSD injuries I received while deployed. I'm also the founder of Punisher Waterfowl, a Canadian hunting and lifestyle brand built within the waterfowl industry.
I want to be honest from the start. There's a little bit of trepidation with me speaking before you today, and it's not because of public speaking. I carry a fear that by speaking openly about entrepreneurship or trying to better myself, I may actually lose benefits from Veterans Affairs—benefits that I rely greatly on and so does my family.
Veterans become very cautious about ambition at the very exact moment when they should be getting support in rebuilding their lives. I started Punisher Waterfowl as a hobby in 2014, while still serving, and as a way to engage with my local community. It was never meant to be anything big, but after I returned from Iraq in 2016 and was told that I was getting medically released from the Canadian Forces, I knew I had to put some more effort into the business.
When I was released from the military, my injuries had taken away a lot of my purpose in life. I tried to reintegrate into the civilian workforce, but my injuries took away my ability to hold down a regular job. A standard 40-hour workweek was no longer a realistic option for me. Entrepreneurship gave me a way to work within my limitations. I needed to do something. I couldn't just sit still and do nothing.
Punisher Waterfowl has done more for me than just provide some money and income. Entrepreneurship has helped in my recovery. As a person with post-traumatic stress disorder and the limitations that I have, having Punisher Waterfowl and being an entrepreneur, I got out of bed in the mornings when motivation was very low.
The Canadian Forces instilled in me discipline, resilience, adaptability and mission focus—all traits that a successful entrepreneur is looking for.
The barriers I want to highlight today are straightforward. The first is fear and uncertainty around Veterans Affairs benefits. The second is limited access to capital and financial runway, which is the $20,000 cap we've heard talk about many times during this committee. The third is the lack of veteran-specific mentorship, like my peer Dallas has just mentioned. The fourth is fragmented supports with no clear, one-stop path into entrepreneurship. The fifth is the administrative burden that comes with trying to build a business, while also managing the realities of release and recovery.
My recommendations are also straightforward. Veterans need clear, written guidance that pursuing self-employment will not unfairly threaten their benefits. We need a one-stop veteran entrepreneurship gateway. We need veteran-focused start-up funding. We need a strong mentorship network, and we need entrepreneurship to be recognized as a legitimate transition path, not an afterthought.
Veterans have the ability to build strong businesses and strong communities. I believe I am proof that entrepreneurship can help veterans stay focused, regain purpose and continue contributing in meaningful ways. What is too often missing is clarity, access and confidence that the system will not punish us for trying.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.