Remembrance Day is a time when we take a moment to remember the fact that war

isnt all the explosions and excitement video-games make it out to be. We do a
great job remembering all the deaths, but we often forget the living. We have many
brave men and woman who love their country so much, but dont come back in one
piece. Throughout their careers soldiers are told to deal with pain and not complain.
Whether it is a physical injury or a mental illness soldiers often feel the same
pressure to push through the pain.
One of the mental illnesses most associated with military service is post-traumatic
stress disorder (aka PTSD), but there are a range of other more common mental
illnesses which might affect Service and ex-Service personnel. These include
depression, anxiety, panic attacks, alcohol or drug misuse, feeling isolated,
nightmares, flashbacks, insomnia, anger, or aggression. People with these types of
mental illness also seek out high-risk activities, and many have work or relationship
problems. Many have suicidal thoughts, and too many either attempt or commit
suicide.
Mental illness in the Canadian military was recognized as early as World War II. At
that time it was called shell shock. The soldiers suffering from shell shock were
sometimes considered cowards. After World War II, most psychiatrists thought that
it wasnt their job to help soldiers integrate back into society. That was a job for
their families and local community. After the war, some soldiers got treatment for
mental illness caused by their service, but many suffered from chronic conditions
that did not respond well to treatment. Many lost their pensions for admitting to a
mental illness. The general population did not accept that soldiers could have
mental illness. For these reasons, many soldiers never admitted they were sick, and
never got any help.
There has been over 75 years since the start of World War II. Surely weve gotten
better at supporting soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and other battlerelated mental illnesses. Sadly, thats not the case. The modern military has
become more engaged in helping and supporting the mentally ill. Unfortunately the
armed forces have lost more personnel to suicide than those killed in combat in
Afghanistan. If we understand this illness, why are these numbers so shockingly
high? Do we need more programs? Do we need programs to be better advertised?
Or could it be that veterans are not confident that the services can help?
One of the most prominent figures on Mental Illness for soldiers is Romeo Dallaire.
He has often spoken publicly with his struggles with PTSD following his mission to
Rwanda. He repeatedly warned of the imminent genocide, but the United Nations
didnt listen. Ultimately, at least 800,000 died over 100 days in Rwanda. Dallaire
was medically released from the Canadian military in 2000. He has long been an
advocate for Canadas veterans, criticizing people who complain about the costs of
the military. He said, Now that theyre home and the ones that are injured

they cost too much? Mr. Dallaire has a valid point. Canada spent at least $22.3
billion on its military forces in 2010-11. Yet many soldiers had to wait 7 months for
help, and some dont even receive the help they need at all.
I'm an army cadet. In 4 years, I want to go to the Royal Military College, and then I
want to join the Canadian Armed Forces. What great things do I have in store in my
career? Travel, adventure, challenge, and probably, some kind of mental illness. So
why would I want a career that just about guarantees me to become sick? It seems
crazy, doesnt it? Brave men and women love Canada so much that they risk their
lives and their mental health. Canada is an honorable country, and we take great
care of theses brave men and woman throughout their careers. If they have to pay
the ultimate sacrifice we do an excellent job supporting their families, with the
highway of heroes and Remembrance Day celebrations, but mental health issues
seem to fall into a gray area in between. By no means are they forgotten, but they
dont always get the help they deserve or need. As we have more conflicts we
forget to remember the living, in exchange for honouring the dead.