Veterans Affairs committee  I recommend taking a really close look at the policies. Return home moves weren't something that was really examined, because it used to be a little more of a rare occasion. Class B contracts used to not happen very often. They've become a lot more commonplace, especially if you're talking about moving to the NCR.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is entirely the responsibility of the member to self-identify if they are a survivor of MST and require support. Like you said, it's not a gendered issue. I just had a situation where I travelled out of town to help a male survivor who suffered an incident in 1987 to finally put in a claim for it and finally start to get some help.

Veterans Affairs committee  One way would be to make it a routine to make sure that the caseworkers at transition have training on how to provide those supports and that they're open to it. I've talked to a lot of military people who make it quite obvious. They'll have “positive space ambassador” signage on their cubicles and that sort of thing.

Veterans Affairs committee  That is correct.

Veterans Affairs committee  It was roughly 3,000, including at Fort Leavenworth, which we did in November last year.

Veterans Affairs committee  Absolutely. We can help train the people—caseworkers and everyone else—who are dealing with how to support people. Our entire business is built around supporting at first disclosure. In a lot of cases people don't voice the fact, don't disclose the fact, that they've been victimized in this way until the eleventh hour, because they don't feel as though they can.

Veterans Affairs committee  Honestly, I'd say it would be through plugging into the supports that are currently in place. I could definitely source that through my channels and find stories. I know it was something they attempted to do with me when I released. My release came through in March of 2022, but as early as that summer I received direction from my CO at the time that they were floating a draft media policy that said that no member of the transition centre could do a media interview without a minimum of 24 hours' notice.

Veterans Affairs committee  May I make a quick comment?

Veterans Affairs committee  I might have a little bit of input here. The cost of housing crisis is not new for the CAF. I worked at IRP in 2006, and I can remember people coming back from house-hunting trips in Edmonton in tears because they knew they couldn't afford anything out there, especially those in the junior ranks.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you. Good afternoon, committee. I decided prior to coming in here that I wouldn't take—hopefully—the whole five minutes, because I want to try to save as much time as possible for questions, but I do have a few points I want to highlight. I've testified a few times on the subject of military sexual trauma and survivors.