Canada's military looking for ways to keep badly wounded soldiers

[fcgv]

By Murray Brewster

OTTAWA (CP) - Faced with an increasing number of wounded troops returning from Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces are looking for ways to keep those permanently disabled in uniform, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said Saturday.

When that's not possible, the Defence Department will offer disabled soldiers retraining and a shot at public service jobs, O'Connor said.

"We're reviewing that policy in light of the number of casualties we've had from Afghanistan to make sure that people who've sacrificed their lives for us or part of their future that we can look after them and reintegrate them into the military," O'Connor said at an event marking the Forces' involvement with the Canadian Paralypmic Committee.

But the authority to changes the so-called "universality of service rule," which essentially requires all members of the military to be fit and able to deploy for missions overseas, rests with Gen. Rick Hillier, the country's top-military commander.

Hillier ruled out making changes or exceptions to the policy, but agreed that many of the soldiers severely wounded in fighting the Taliban are the kind of people he wants to keep within the ranks.

"They appear to be the top quality camper that you'd like to be associated with," said the chief of defence staff.

"Everyone of them is a joy. I'd like to keep those folks in uniform until they're completely rehabilitated and recovered, then we'll have a discussion with them.

"And I don't think we'll have to change the universality of service. I think we have methods to look after them if they want to stay a part of the Canadian Forces."

The current system, introduced under Hillier, gives severely wounded troops up to three years to recover. If they are unable to meet the standards for overseas service, then they face the possibility of being forced to leave.

But Hillier said, as chief of defence staff, he has the sole authority whether to sign a soldier's release papers. He hasn't been put in that position yet since most of the major casualties have taken place within the last year.

"It's going to be quite some time before we get into the position," he said.

Last fall, Hillier and O'Connor faced questions before a Commons committee about whether veterans of the Afghan war, including disabled soldiers, could be used as trainers for new recruits.

Since it first sent troops to Afghanistan in 2002, 55 soldiers have been killed and nearly 300 have been wounded. Most of them have been able to return to their units.

Only a handful of the wounded, perhaps as many as a dozen so far, can be classified as permanently disabled, Hillier said.

Master Cpl. Jody Mitic, a sniper who lost the lower part of his leg in Afghanistan earlier this year, is one of those who wants to remain in the army.

"My mission from day one when I got hurt was to find a way to stay in uniform," he said.

"Just the fact I'm a sniper, it makes me want to stay and do sniper stuff because I really like it and I don't see a civilian market for it."

The Defence Department has partnered with the paralypmic committee to offer support to permanently injured soldiers.

Under a new program announced Saturday, the association plans to visit disabled troops and encourage them to become involved in paralypmic sports activities and games.

"This bring us back to our roots," said Carla Qualtrough, president of the association.

The group was founded at the end of the Second World War as a venue for disabled soldiers to remain fit and active in their communities.

Copyright © 2007 Canadian Press

[Fortunata]

This is such an excellent idea. If a wounded/disabled soldier wants to stay in the armed forces (or other branches of the public service) there should be accommodation for them.

[Fat Freddie]

This has long been around. I was medically discharged 3B only after I requested they stop trying to keep me in. The doctors and my bosses all tried to keep me in by using "work arounds". Even after I requested they stop, my boss tried to scuttle the doctor's paperwork. I had to ask him to just let it go and let me find a new life. He did, but not without hours of trying to talk to me about how the miltiary could give me a plum job working in a teaching position in Borden. My case did go in front of the CDS, but only after I told them enough was enough. The CDS signed my release, but not all was bad as the retraining package they give works well for most people. Some fall through the cracks, but in general it's a good retraining program.

And no, I was not wounded in Afghanistan or anything as noble as that. Mine was a training accident on Canadian soil, on duty, and without fanfare....

[Fortunata]

Fat Freddie, without fanfare it may have been but your service is appreciated regardless.

I did not know this idea was not new. Here I was ready to give kudos to the Steve government for this but now I find I don't have to. Whew!!

[Topaz]

My understanding is the military has to keep as many upper more experience soldiers around because they need everyone and there wouldn't be more experience soldiers to teach the ones coming up through the ranks. Once some of them have their time in, they leave the military and so goes another experience person who could be helpful with the ones coming up.

[geoffrey]

Same in business Topaz... not just the military.

Ask any HR person out here how difficult it is to retain experience. The average turnover in Calgary is just over a year in my field. The military is doing a pretty darned good job of keeping people around if they are averaging even 5 years.

Just the reality of an hot job market, companies with tons of money and people that want to make it.