What does Remembrance mean to you?

November 11^th is fast approaching and the question I have had on my mind for the last few days’ centers around remembrance and what it means to you.

After the unveiling ceremony for the Afghanistan War Monument here in Grande Prairie, it became very obvious to me that like everything in life, there are varying degrees of remembrance and various reasons for remembrance.

Our monument and the 4 individual memorials that pay tribute to the fallen connected to Grande Prairie and region attracted approximately 70 citizens for the dedication ceremony. In spite of having done a lot of marketing on radio, social media etc. the weather tanked on us and therefore people just didn’t come out.

My question is a simple one, what moves you to honour or remember our soldiers and their sacrifices, their families and their enduring sacrifices?

I ask as a kid who grew up in a military family. My father did not care of it was 40 below out, on Remembrance day, unless you were advanced in your years and infirm, you were at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day, no ifs, ands or buts.

I remember his diatribes well, “Those soldiers fought in all kinds of weather, conditions, they didn’t get snow days, or days off while in the battlefield, a little snow and cold isn’t gonna’ hurt you for an hour.”

When I compare where we live to the images I see around the world, when I get on my motorcycle or attend a meeting with other business women, I feel so blessed and grateful and I know I have to opportunity I have in part because of our military, their service and their sacrifice and the sacrifices their families make as a result.

Do you honour Remembrance Day?

Do you attend an indoor or outdoor ceremony? Tell me why you chose the service you did too please.

If you don’t honour Remembrance Day, may I ask why? I really, truly would like to try and understand.

Here in Grande Prairie we have two services on Remembrance Day, I’ll be at the cenotaph, because that’s what my father would expect of me were he still alive.

I leave you with this snippet of the poem “For the Fallen”

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

For the Fallen (stanzas 2-3)

Robert Laurence Binyon, by artist William Strang.

Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21^st September 1914.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

The good, the bad and the very ugly

Our military is in the headlines this week and it is not a pretty thing.

Here is the link to the Maclean's article preview: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/our-militarys-disgrace-a-preview-of-our-latest-cover-story/

Rape and violence, these are among the topics of the investigation by L’actuality and their sister publication Maclean's.

Our military has reportedly had these problems for a lot of years.
And sadly, so has our R.C.M.P.

But it's not just about what happens at work.

In the US, this article from the Free Thought Project states that 1 in 4 women is a victim of domestic abuse but that number is 1 in 2 for police officers spouses.

The Canadian Dimension article from October 2015 suggests that domestic abuse in Canada by police officers is handled very badly by the police services:

Begin Quote:
As bad as things are in the U.S., by comparison Canada and other countries are in the Stone Age in taking action or acknowledging the problem. In the Montreal and Halifax police departments, less than one percent of male officers who commit domestic violence may face a criminal charge, according to calculations based on discipline records. The situation is even worse at the RCMP—even after Jocelyn Hotte’s shooting rampage. The RCMP disciplines Mounties more harshly if they steal or make a false statement than if they attack an intimate partner. A male Mountie who assaults his wife or girlfriend may have as little as a one-in-6,500 chance of ever facing a judge for his crime. End Quote

Not surprisingly, the Canadian Military also has it's issues with spousal abuse.
The CBC reported on the issue in 2011.

Police Officers and Combat Military Personnel and Veterans all become broken human beings at some point in their careers.  Some become far more broken than others.

My personal belief is that there are a number of factors at play here.

The very nature of the jobs these people sign up for is centered around violence and dealing with the worst of the worst in humanity.

Some of the people who come to these jobs already have ego issues or anger/aggression issues but are successful at hiding their true nature for a long time, until one day they loose their grip. Others have superiors who turn a blind eye or ship the bad apple out to another detachment or unit to get rid of the administration headaches.

Others are good people who over time become jaded by the filth they have to deal with on a day to day basis, who slowly begin to loose a handle on their own sense of morality and decency.
Their moral compass shifts.

Yet others are plunged into the depths of darkness over a single horrific incident that haunts them.

The darkness and pain has to have somewhere to go and if it is not being dealt with in a constructive way like counselling, things can go off the rails.

From everything I have read, it appears that most of the "offenders" in these rape and violence cases are male. And that does not surprise me.

"Weakness" in the military is frowned upon, the same in the R.C.M.P.  and other police services.
You have to be mentally tough to deal with a lot of the situations these people face.
You have to have your "brother/sister's" back. They need to be able to rely on you and so a sign of cracking under pressure could be a death nell to your job when it comes to your trustworthiness in a crisis situation. Hence showing any humanness means your livelihood becomes jeopardized.

You truly are a cog in the wheel, a piece of machinery and when you break down, when you are going sideways, you run the risk of being discharged and worse.

The stigma attached with "weakness" is a largely a male "issue".
Many men see "weakness" as a flaw.
The system sees "weakness" as a flaw.
And so, they become good at covering up the misery they are in.

Too often no one notices and so no interventions take place.
Due to the fear levels the victims have, often times many are hurt before the "situation" ever comes to light.

The violent, grotesque and often cruel world these people live in while on the job, takes a huge toll on their psyche. The military and police services in particular, are very good at making people into "soldiers", into order followers, into people who turn off the pain, the degradation while on the job, but as the horrors come to them through their mind's eye, in a crowded room or in their dreams, many crack.

Eventually some of them totally crumble. Without help, many become lost.

Many times, the victim becomes a victimizer.

The problem is not with the majority of these human beings, but rather with a system that does little to address the mental health needs of it's people.

If the "management" caught the warning signs and got these people the support, help and tools they need, things wouldn't have to degenerate the way they often seem to.

That is the SHAME GAME.

If they only knew that it's NOT WEAKNESS at all but HUMANNESS.

I don't care how tough you are, how strong you think you are.  If shown enough horror, enough cruelty, at least one of three things will happen, if not all three:

1) You will become so angry, so filled with a sense of impotency that the rage damned near consumes you and you take it out on everyone around you especially your spouse.

2) You commit suicide either physically or career wise. By that I mean, you drink and drive (Self Medicate), you pick fights, you become overtly aggressive - a bully...you become a problem child in other words.

3) You find the right help and support and begin living a better, healthier and more balanced life.

Our soldiers, veterans and police have more than a hurdle or two to overcome.

The New Veterans Charter  still does not provide for them adequately, in spite of the Equitas agreement, for if it did, the bureaucracy would have changed hugely, especially with the high profile cases mentioned below, but it has not.

From my personal experience talking with veterans, it hasn't improved for a lot of them.
Their case managers are burnt out and overworked thanks to so many VAC offices closing, which means the bureaucracy is worse than ever.

Some of the policies and procedures are border line cruel when it comes to benefits and supports.

Case in point - Eric Magill - when you read his story in the Trenton Trentonian Newspaper, you will shake your head at the lunacy.

He lives in Trenton Ontario and has been given a wheelchair with California wheels on it, the wrong wheels for his terrain and the brakes don't work. His house is not wheel chair accessible, neither is his vehicle and why? Paperwork issues. Bureaucracy. 14 YEARS WORTH.

And how about the case of veteran Paul Franklin- his legs were left behind in Afghanistan, taken by an suicide bomber and yet every year he is asked if they have grown back.

The degradation of needing support and being treated like an unworthy/manipulative human being is cruel.

If prisoners were treated in this manner, the John Howard Society or someone would be advocating loudly for them.

The Equitas Society was formed to combat the inadequacies in the New Veteran Charter and while an agreement was reached in May of 2015, nothing much has changed.

Psychological supports are even tougher to get than the physical supports like a wheelchair and sadly, I personally know of stories where spouse's of soldiers with PTSD and other mental challenges are told to run far away, take half of everything and go.

No family counselling, no real help. Instead - destroy a family.

I have lost military friends to suicide. The devastation to their families is enormous.

Sadly, I get why these people blow a head gasket and why so much abuse and suicide exists.

The combination of the rigours of the job, the sometimes inhumane treatment at the hands of superiors and bureaucrats becomes too much and voila, the perfect storm.

I admit I am no psychiatrist or psychologist, but I have heard these heart wrenching stories enough to know that I am not too far off in my interpretation of what takes place. At least for some.

It's tragic. But, we can do something to help end some of the degradation of suffering for one man...

I hope those of you who can will join us in Nisku at Blackjack's Roadhouse on May 28th for our Wheels for Our Wounded Poker Run - this year we will be riding to help Eric Magill.

This poker run will be the kick off our national Crowdfunding Campaign that we are launching for him.

With Branch #389 of ANAVETS as our new partner, we are going to be able to provide those who need or wish to have a charitable donation receipt when you donate online or mail cheques.

We are just waiting for the new bank accounts to be opened and the PayPal account for ANAVETS to be set up!

We intend to raise funds through the crowdfunding platform until we have raised all of the money we need to fund the scooter conversion project for Eric.


If you are blessed to be riding these days, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Preventing Suicides - A Tangible Solution

With 8 recent suicides, I have decided to share with you something that I have been working on since July when I was on the Bikers United in Remembrance Conga in support of our veterans.

One of my stops on the Conga was at the ANAVETS club in Kamloops.
Myra Boomhour had set up a BBQ to support the conga and while there, I was introduced to David Hughes. David told me of a Young Offenders Centre that is vacant and has agreed to help me obtain a lease on the property for a holistic healing centre that would be run by veterans for veterans.

The dream of a place where veterans could come and stay for the support, therapy, counselling, VAC admin supports ETC  that  they need started a long time ago with a chat that Trapper Cane of the Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Units and I had.

He and I dreamt of this exact piece of land that is now within our reach.

30 dorm rooms with a private facility for the ladies, classrooms, commercial kitchen and laundry, work shop, gymnasium and a whole lot more!
Here are a few photos of the facility which is located on 150 acres and has a grazing lease of a further 240 acres and is close to a lake!

 As you can see from these photos, the place is in great shape and the BC Housing report reflects that.

Work to the sewer system and fire sprinklers along with paint, cleaning and some elbow grease is really all this facility needs to be up an operational quickly.

The facility offers room to grow and expand as needed and is close to everything needed to provide the services veterans and their families desperately need.

Here is the Executive Summary of High Valley Veterans Centre:

Proposed Logos

High Valley Camp – the making of The High Valley Veteran’s Centre

Veterans Helping Veterans 

A C.A.V. Initiative

High Valley Veteran’s Centre will be a place where veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, can come to obtain:

NB: A special emphasis will be placed on veterans who have served less than 10 years and those who are in crisis and require special, immediate supports. 

High Valley Veteran’s Center will offer the veteran a holistic approach to civilian life integration where the services and supports that they need to thrive will be provided in an 

all-encompassing environment.

By drawing on the vast support network that is available in close proximity to the High Valley location, we will be able to deliver a wide array of programs and services to the veterans that require our support.

Because of its unique location near Logan Lake BC, High Valley Camp is the ideal property to become the High Valley Veterans Center.  As a former young offenders center it is already equipped with the core infrastructure the center needs to become viable quickly and efficiently.

The High Valley Camp as it is currently called provides for dormitory style living with a full gymnasium, industrial kitchen and laundry facilities, classrooms, administration offices, access to the lake along with 150 acres for expansion and a variety of ways to generate some income for itself including a 240 acre farm with grazing rights.  The facility provides for both male and female veterans to participate with separate housing for female veterans.

The High Valley Camp is the ideal facility for our purpose of saving lives and families, not only because of the facilities’ infrastructure, but because it offers a remote and quiet setting that is close to Kamloops and Kelowna Airports, rehab and job retraining services, medical services and Physio therapy services.

It is also close to Logan Lake and Merritt as well and within reasonable driving distance to Vancouver.

There are a reasonable number of jobs in the region working for mines and housing is affordable in Logan Lake for those who choose to stay in the region. Many of the jobs available to members of our program would be in places like Fort McMurray where they are in need of quality well trained employees.

High Valley Veterans Center – The Concept

When a veteran comes to High Valley, they will meet with their team: the clinical psychologist, the VAC Liaison, if needed, the nurse and the building/facilities administrator – their direct “boss”.

They will then be assigned a room and taken for a tour of the facility by the building administrator.

On day two, the veteran, together with their VAC Liaison and the psychologist, will map out a program designed for the unique needs of each individual veteran. Their progress and needs will be monitored weekly through meetings with their counselors and the building administrator and their programs adjusted accordingly.

The veteran will work at the facility, attend courses and counseling and assist in farming or gardening duties or PTSD dog training duties. They will be paid a wage; they will pay for their room and board.

Saturdays for all resident veterans would involve a full 6 hours of working on the facility and 2 hours working with the dogs or at farming or gardening chores.

Saturday evenings for those wishing and depending on where they are in the process, a van will take them to the social house of their choice; the RC Legion, ANAVETS Club or the Eagles Club in Kamloops and bring them home. 

An average day for one veteran may look like:

7 AM Breakfast

8 AM – work detail

12 Noon – Lunch

1:00 pm – Counseling session – Psychologist

2:00 – VAC Liaison session

3:00 – 5pm - Work detail

5:30 pm supper

6:30 – 8:30 PTSD Dogs

Another veterans schedule might be exactly the opposite, working with dogs first thing in the morning. And not every day will be the same in that they may only need counseling sessions 2 times per week, they may need them 5 days a week.

Some veterans may stay at our facility for 3 months and others may require a longer stay. 

The programs will be made to meet the needs of each individual veteran.

Their days will be structured to meet their civilian integration, job retraining or certificate courses and counseling needs and will provide far less stress as everything they need to access will be close by and where ever possible and feasible provided for them on site.

The goals of this method of service delivery are:

1: To provide a comprehensive, well rounded, individualized program of services

2: To ease the burden of therapy needs and financial constraints

3: To remove barriers to treatments and job retraining and integration services

4: To provide a reason for boots to hit the floor everyday

5: To provide hope

While the veteran comes here to help him or herself, they will aide the growth and enriched the lives of their fellow veterans by providing PTSD dogs, improving the facilities and supporting each other.

This centre will create jobs for Logan Lake and area residents as core support personnel needed to run the facility day to day will be required.

Those positions include; janitors, laundry staff, kitchen staff, secretary, receptionist, RN/LPN, paramedical staff and the farm manger. (We intend to keep the former farm manger, Joyce Shannon on staff)

Who we are:

This is a Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Units National Initiative 

The board of directors for the High Valley Veteran’s Centre is comprised of a group of people who have backgrounds and first hand knowledge of working with PTSD sufferers and have been active in their respective communities in affecting change for our veterans.  

Paul “Trapper” Cane - Current National President and CEO of The Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Units

Renee Charbonneau – CEO Belt Drive Betty Media

Graeme Hume – Sgt. Troop Warrant, Ret’d - Building Admin

Barry Drews – CAV Member

J. Brian Archer  - Citadel Canine Society

Advisory Council:

Medric Cousineau – Capt. Ret’d – Paws Fur Thoughts

David Hughes – Hughes Foundation

Canadian Veteran’s Advocacy - Mike Blais  (VAC Coordinator)

Dr. Dee Rajska – Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologist

                                                       ________________________

We have already formed partnerships with several service providers and are networking with every possible veterans support group possible. Groups like V.E.T.S., Wounded Warriors, True Patriot Love and many, many more have been contacted to ensure a streamline method of service delivery and no duplication of existing services.

The centre will cost approximately $4.5 million dollars a year to run and in it's first year of operation has the potential to impact upward of 200 veterans and their families.

We can provide as many as 120 veterans with hands on support and a further 72 with service dogs in our first year. We have a 10 year plan for expansion of the facility to incorporate cabins for family visits and a veterans village for those needing long term housing supports.

Preventing Suicides - A Tangible Solution

Our proposal has garnered letters of support from NDP Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer and several mental health professionals including Dr. Dee Rajska – Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologist and Margo Butler of the John Howard Society.

Our biggest champion for this centre, outside of David Hughes and the Hughes Foundation, has been MP David Sweet who took our proposal to the office of Julian Fantino on our behalf.

Our proposal for the High Valley Veterans Centre is in the hands of Minister Fantino and his staff as I write this.  We have had our first discussion and provided the additional information th ministers office requested, now we need to have the power of positive thinking of every person who reads this - to have our funding request met with favour.

I am asking all of you who read about this centre to say some prayers, to help us make this centre a reality. 

PLEASE write your MP offering support for our centre - LIVES DEPEND ON IT!

I have written a sample letter for those unsure of where to start...

Find your MP CLICK HERE

Dear              ,

With the announcement of the ninth suicide of a Canadian Forces Member, I as a Canadian citizen and taxpayer hear the screams for help of our military members and veterans who are battling with PTSD and other operational stress injuries.

I am writing to let you know that Minister Fantino's office is in possession of and reviewing, the application for funding and administrative liaison support for High Valley Veterans Centre, which will provide a holistic approach to helping our soldiers and veterans in reclaiming their lives.

You can see the Executive Summary for High Valley Veterans Centre by visiting the blog of the lady who is spearheading this project: Preventing Suicides - A Tangible Solution
www.beltdrivebetty.blogspot.ca

I ask you to please review the information and then please, support the men and women who defend and protect our country, support their families and their rights to a brighter and better future.

Sincerely

John/Jane Q Citizen

Note from the Author, Belt Drive Betty - AKA Renee Charbonneau:

As a civilian survivor of PTSD, a member of the C.A.V. and a person who has multiple ties to the military, I was presented the right opportunity to spearhead a project that has the potential to save lives and decided to take the bull by the horns.

The support of those who have agreed to be on our board of directors and advisory council mean more than words can say.

Thank you for hearing me out folks,

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider