Not helping veterans could turn into national security problem: Military Ombudsm

[BinRat55]

Well...

What I found the most troubling for me was the fact that I never received and tangible follow-up WRT my medical issues. I completely understand the doctor shortage (seemingly Canada-wide...) however the raft of medical issues which I was released for only compounded over the months following my 3B release. It wasn't my choice to be released, and my part 2 med release apt I was told "Call 811 and put yourself on the list for a family doc..." which I did. And I called monthly. No family doc and some of my med issues were too complicated to be followed by a walk-in or emerg.

All this to say I ended up in hospital for almost two weeks just before Christmas. The hospital couldn't understand how I was released without any kind of follow-up. My only answer was "It's normal?"

I think there should be something in place for those being released for more serious medical issues where maybe the MIR would follow them (to a degree - as in if I have a cold, go to a walk-in, but I need my insulin re-checked so I can go to to the base hospital) just until we get family docs... 

Post script - While I was in the hospital, they wouldn't release me until they found me a doctor (it was that serious). I now have a family doctor.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Well...

What I found the most troubling for me was the fact that I never received and tangible follow-up WRT my medical issues. I completely understand the doctor shortage (seemingly Canada-wide...) however the raft of medical issues which I was released for only compounded over the months following my 3B release. It wasn't my choice to be released, and my part 2 med release apt I was told "Call 811 and put yourself on the list for a family doc..." which I did. And I called monthly. No family doc and some of my med issues were too complicated to be followed by a walk-in or emerg.

All this to say I ended up in hospital for almost two weeks just before Christmas. The hospital couldn't understand how I was released without any kind of follow-up. My only answer was "It's normal?"

I think there should be something in place for those being released for more serious medical issues where maybe the MIR would follow them (to a degree - as in if I have a cold, go to a walk-in, but I need my insulin re-checked so I can go to to the base hospital) just until we get family docs... 

Post script - While I was in the hospital, they wouldn't release me until they found me a doctor (it was that serious). I now have a family doctor.

What you mention about family doctors was hot topic on the recent SCAN seminar I attended in Halifax.  I am lucky that my wife has a family doctor for her and my child who has agreed to take me on upon retirement and I felt bad for the members who were very nervous, and honestly angry, about entering civilian life with out such reassurances.  I would suspect these would be folks being push out the door vice leaving on their own terms.

I like your idea of using the MIR until you have medical support set up like a family doctor.  Perhaps its a service where VAC runs a sort of sick parade out of base hospitals for vets.  Of course this is in a perfect world where we actually have the doctors to so such things.  Of course this also only helps people who release near an MIR.

 

[BinRat55]

What you mention about family doctors was hot topic on the recent SCAN seminar I attended in Halifax.  I am lucky that my wife has a family doctor for her and my child who has agreed to take me on upon retirement and I felt bad for the members who were very nervous, and honestly angry, about entering civilian life with out such reassurances.  I would suspect these would be folks being push out the door vice leaving on their own terms.

I like your idea of using the MIR until you have medical support set up like a family doctor.  Perhaps its a service where VAC runs a sort of sick parade out of base hospitals for vets.  Of course this is in a perfect world where we actually have the doctors to so such things.  Of course this also only helps people who release near an MIR.

Very true. I was admittedly overwhelmed with other things (mostly within my control but still time sensitive) but the seriousness of some of my med issues combined with my ongoing frustrations did not pan out well for me. Maybe even part of the release appts (case worker?) someone could vet the soldier's medical issues and flag the more serious cases and place them into a queue of sorts...

 

[mariomike]

In two days, it will be 7 months (217 days) without a pension for me. 

Of all the threads I have read on here, these 3-pages are the ones that surprise me the most: "Pension and Severance Wait Time".

I had never heard of anyone waiting a single day for their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Of all the threads I have read on here, these 3-pages are the ones that surprise me the most: "Pension and Severance Wait Time".

I had never heard of anyone waiting a single day for their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits.

Unfortunately, that scenario is almost the norm with Military Veterans.....

 

[TCM621]

One of my takeaways was that if the government and CAF don't sort out their shortfalls concerning their treatment of Veterans, they won't be able to recruit because people won't trust them to honour their obligations.

There also much more important things involved in the transition than pensions.

I found nothing, said in the interview, that was hyped. Nor did I see it as a media trashing of the inconsistent, useless systems in place right now. The PM said he and his government were opened ànd transparent. No one should be surprised or shocked when an Ombudsman enlightens the taxpayer and stakeholders the shortcomings of a junk government that constantly lies to Vets.

The Ombudsman was doing this job of finding faults, investigating complaints, providing solutions and informing the taxpayer how their money is being mispent within tjhe department they are assigned to. If he's saying these things is because he's investigated the complaints.
  :2c:

I have had this discussion many times with people and I think you hit the nail on the head. As they slowly erode the benefits of the military, it is harder and harder to find people to take a job which pays ok at best,  can move you at a whim, send you off to hot and violent places and place you in risk of death on a daily basis (for some trades). This is the national security risk. At last check we are sitting at about 55000 TES in the regular force. Even in the Afghanistan years we could grow effectively. With the last of the boomers getting out and a lot of people who joined after 9/11 getting close to their 20 we could see that number shrink. We already are stretched thin and we barely do anything internationally in a reasonably large scale anymore.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[BinRat55]

Of all the threads I have read on here, these 3-pages are the ones that surprise me the most: "Pension and Severance Wait Time".

I had never heard of anyone waiting a single day for their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits.

I trust you are referring to "Non-CF pers"... we could do a complete 180 on that last sentence and say "I had never heard of anyone EVER GETTING their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME."

I waited almost 6 months for my severance and 2 months for my pension. I also waited almost 3 months for LTD to kick in!