Over 100 soldiers from Canada and the United States recently headed for a weekend of fishing and golf in Nipawin. It was part of a coalition between WoundedWarriors.ca and the Wounded Warriors Project in the United States. The organizations provide support to wounded service members to help them rehabilitate and transition back to civilian life.
This weekend was the brain child of country singers Blake Emmons and Jim Chute.
"Wounded Warriors started out at a campfire last fall with Blake Emmons. Blake, who is a vet himself, said I’d like to bring half a dozen of my wounded buddies up fishing. From there is just mushroomed," says Chute.
A motorcade from Saskatoon to Nipawin welcomed those who survived their military service but came home a different person to their families. Many of these soldiers were injured in Iraq or Afghanistan, and they continue their fight at home while trying to rehabilitate and find steady jobs and a steady state of mind.
One day, some of these wounded soldiers may be well enough to return to active duty. Others will be released from the Canadian Forces. Sgt. John Tescione was injured while peacekeeping with the Canadian Army in the former Yugoslavia. "I received seven gun shot wounds and I healed in 30 days. With PTSD you’re never in control anymore. You feel like you’re alone.” said Tescione.
That helpless feeling was lifted with every cast thrown in the waters of Tobin Lake at Nipawin Saskatchewan. It was a goal organizers set months ago. The work of organizing and fundraising for the nearly $200,000 weekend was nothing compared to the price some of these wounded warriors have had to pay.
Wayne Watson from Saskatoon was driving his truck across Canada when he heard about the Wounded Warriors Weekend and offered to volunteer his boat. “I think it’s a huge honor in being involved. Being able to give back to those who give so much to us is an honor. It’s overwhelming. The stories we heard on the media boat bring a tear to your eyes every time.”
Sgt. First Class Marc Dervaes was on his third combat tour with the United States Army in September of 2009. While responding to a distress call in Afghanistan, his vehicle was ambushed. The first rocket that came through the windshield also took off his arm. “It was tough to keep things under control. I was in a leadership position so I still had to push forward and realize that a lot of people still depended on me for guidance. I tried not to show the emotional strain that I was under at the time," says Dervaes. That emotional strain lead to something many of the soldiers here are suffering - PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
And not asking for help can be a big problem. Captain Wayne Johnston is the founder of woundedwarriors.ca. “For a lot of soldiers, it is an act of courage. There are two forms of courage: On the battlefield it is fight or flight. Another one is seeking help. I would say to soldiers who are “not quite right” to go and talk to somebody. I would say that to all Canadians for sure.”
Over the last decade, the military has come a long way in recognizing the need to diagnose and treat PTSD, but some soldiers still say there are gaps in the care they receive. Some believe the process needs to be sped up so those who slipped through the cracks can get help. Johnston thinks mental health isn’t just a Canadian Forces problem. He says it is a national problem that needs to be talked about.
"I call it the invisible bullet. It can manifest in five minutes, five days or five years and I think we as a nation have to talk about it more and make it more comfortable to talk about," says Johnston.
While it may have been hard for some of these wounded warriors to talk about their personal problems during this weekend getaway - participants say just being together was part of the healing process.
Organizer Jim Chute said the purpose of the event was to bring PTSD to the forefront. “It’s hardly recognized as a wound. Some guys lost their arms and legs and some guys lost their souls and it’s got to be recognized as a wound. These guys are here realizing they are not alone and they are feeling better about themselves right away.”
PTSD, lost limbs and questions about what the future holds. They are stresses these wounded warriors face. But for one weekend, their focus was on the battle at hand: reeling in a walleye from the waters of northern Saskatchewan.
