Oak Bay, British Columbia
Brigadier General Joseph E. L. Gollner is a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces. From 2006 to 2010, BGen Gollner held the position of Colonel of the Regiment of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). During this time, BGen Gollner went to Afghanistan twice to visit battle groups of the regiment and was very active in supporting families of the fallen and the wounded. Under BGen Gollner’s oversight, the PPCLI established its own “Casualty Care Cell” to deal with returning killed and wounded members from Afghanistan, an arrangement so effective, the Chief of Defence directed it be adopted across Canada’s military. In 2002, upon witnessing the complex needs of Veterans returning from Afghanistan, BGen Gollner established and managed, for three years, the very successful “Volunteer Patricia Program,” an ongoing national Veterans-helping-Veterans program funded and administered through the PPCLI Association. In his role with the Canadian Peacekeepers Veterans Association (CPVA), BGen Gollner worked closely with Veterans Affairs Canada on the development of the regulations to implement the New Veterans Charter, fought for the creation of the Veterans Ombudsman position and was instrumental in the drafting of the original Veterans Bill of Rights. As the patron of CPVA, BGen Gollner has continued to work towards improved quality of life for wounded and ill Veterans. He has also been a member of the Veteran’s Ombudsman’s Advisory Council, a position that allows him to provide insight in an important forum for Veterans.