Injured departing Forces members to get help
New special unit to help ease transition to civilian life, expand ‘restricted employment’
HALIFAX — The federal government detailed its plans Friday to create a special unit to support injured Armed Forces members as they prepare a return to civilian life.
Treasury Board President Scott Brison spoke at a Halifax military family resource centre, two days after Ottawa announced a revamped defence policy that proposes to spend an added $198 million on health and wellness in the next decade.
He said the money will help fund a 1,200-person Canadian Forces Transition Group to begin “over the next several years.” It will include 400 specialized staff and 800 personnel “whose only mission will be to heal” from physical and psychological injuries, including PTSD.
Nova Scotia was the scene this year of a murder-suicide in which former soldier Lionel Desmond — who was being treated for mental illness — fatally shot his wife, daughter and mother.
The Jan. 3 killings in Upper Big Tracadie, N.S., prompted a debate over soldiers with PTSD, domestic violence and what should be done to prevent such tragedies.
Brison stopped short Friday of promising any public review into the case by Ottawa, but said the federal government will learn from the internal review of Desmond’s suicide as it crafts new policies on transitioning personnel to civilian life.
Maj.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, deputy commander of military personnel, said the unit will increase the number of people on “restricted employment” who can be helped as their military jobs are backfilled.
He said there are now “a couple of hundred” of spots where personnel can leave their jobs for treatment and transition out of the Forces while someone fills in for them.
Eyre said the change means that up to 800 people could be in the transition unit while their jobs are backfilled.
“We’re getting the money we need for this,” said Eyre.
Eyre said there are plans to hire more staff for the transition unit by this summer, though he was unable to provide specific figures.