Myths about Veterans' Life in Canada

by albertacowpoke | November 9, 2009 at 03:14 am

169 views | 42 Recommendations | 7 comments

November 5th to November 11th has been declared Veterans Week in Canada.

A recent survey conducted by the Corps of Canadian Commissionaires found that Canadians are ill informed about Canadian Veterans. The survey found that Canadians believe that at half of Canada's war veterans receive a pension.

The fact is that only about 30% of veterans receive a pension. A soldier must serve at least 20 years in the Canadian military to receive a Pension. Veterans on the average serve 11.5 years in the military.

Soldiers pay into a pension fund and their pension is calculated at 2% for each year served, based on the best five earning years of their career. To qualify 20 years must be served for 40% pension. The pension does not take into account allowances for risk pay such as parachuting, diving, or submarine duty, but is based on basic pay only.

Needless to say most veterans must look for a second career after leaving the military. This can be disheartening as the lifestyle change is immense. Soldiers are used to a fast paced life, loyalty within their peer group and being their for each other, especially during combat.

Canadian soldiers have been involved in multiple tours since the early 90s, starting with involvement in the former Yugoslavia (Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia) and later on in Afghanistan.

After leaving the military, former servicemen have difficulty to find a job and, when they do, they find that the civilian world is cut-throat with a lack of loyalty. This is true among co-workers and also loyalty up and down the food chain.

Organizations like the Corps of Commissionaires, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Royal Candian Legion try to ease this transition, but not always with success.

But in fact, only 30 per cent of veterans have served the Canadian Forces long enough to have earned a pension for retirement.

A veteran must serve 20 years with the Canadian Forces before being eligible for a pension but the average duration of a veteran's service is 11.5 years -- a fact only 14 per cent of respondents knew.

The Commissionaires, an organization dedicated to easing a veteran's transition back to a regular civilian lifestyle, said most Canadians believe veterans serve longer than they actually do.

About 35 per cent of people thought veterans serve an average of 20 years in the military.

3 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Add a comment

YankeeJim

at 04:13 on November 9th, 2009

I don't believe that there has ever been an attack on Candadian soil in recent history.

albertacowpoke

at 04:31 on November 9th, 2009

That's true, our last attack was the War of 1812. We had the October crisis in 1970, when the terror group FLQ (Front de Liberation du Quebec) kidnapped the Labour Minister in Quebec. He was subsequently killed. Pierre Elliot Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, which basically invoked Martial Law in Canada.

Canada has been a longstanding member of NATO and participated in almost all Peacekeeping Operations. In the last two decades our involvement has been, primarily, in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.

marianmo

at 06:10 on November 9th, 2009

also many canadians were killed on sept 11 terrorist attack in new york city.......i have met many veterrans these past years threough my invokvement with the royal canadiab legion...their stories of their involvement in ww2, korea and peacekeeping tours are fascinating,,,most radiate a pride in their country, their fellow military comrades and in themselves. they are pleased to go to schools to talk with students about their experiences. remembramce day and veterans week is a small token that we as a nation can dedicate to our veterans. thank you to all who have served in the military.

exandsuccessful (not verified)

at 08:03 on November 9th, 2009

As a former Canadian soldier I can only agree there is a profound lack of awareness and understanding about former military personnel in Canadian society. People either think you are retarded, psycho or stupid. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Forces and worked with well-educated, decent people. My only disappointment since leaving has been the total lack of respect I receive from employers and other Canadians.

albertacowpoke

at 08:26 on November 9th, 2009

I have found similar situations since I retired. Part of it is the media not doing enough stories of the good things the military does. I has become a little better since our involvement in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Both General MacKenzie and General Dallaire have managed to get the attention of the media when they gave interviews with no holds barred.

Having said that, I think our public image has improved a lot since the 90s. Somalia was one of the dark periods of our military. Some of the media coverage was justified, some was very much dramatized. The Canadian media never did an in depth investigation of this event.

They have gotten a little better with the coverage of Afghanistan, but they do need to get off Khandahar Airfield once in a while and get to the FOBs to see what the battle groups are going through.

hidflect

at 11:24 on November 9th, 2009

Among city folk the two most maligned groups of people I find are farmers and soldiers. Both seem to be relegated to the stereotype of being a dumb hick who somehow wasn't "sophisticated" enough to cut it in urban life. As if the rat race was some ultimate global achievement. I think the attitude is a reflection of the ignorance that abounds from the narrow and specialized lifestyle cities enforce and maybe a bit of insecurity too.

Both roles require the ability to multi-task across a wide variety of disparate skills, needing the constant application of common sense under the strain of a physical and often monotonous workload. Not many city jobs can offer that providing rather a life of what must seem like endless nuance and ennui. I've worked with a few ex-soldiers and in every case have seen them found their footing in being excellent team leaders and project managers; a niche where.they can continue to practice their experience of organising and solving tasks amongst groups of people. (Not to stereotype them all over again).

albertacowpoke

at 12:09 on November 9th, 2009

You hit the nail right on the head. People see the picture of farmers represented in Hollywood movies or tv shoes. The contrary is reality, farmers nowadays are well educated, up on the issues and hard workers.

As an ex soldier I live among farmers and the reality is that we have a lot in common. Maintaining a house in the suburbs is one thing, but running a mixed farm operation with hundreds of animals, water conservation, land rotation, equipment management is another.

Like any small businees, they are buried in paperwork, which means they need a general knowledge of the tax code. Some hire accountant to peruse their books at the end of the year, but the remainder of paperwork is a family effort.

Thanks for your comments hidflect.