Craig Hood is a Veteran of the Afghanistan War and a current serving member of the Queen’s Own Rifles. Craig has dedicated himself to advancing the causes of new Veterans in Canada. He has taken on a leadership role in his community, encouraging a number of Veterans to become familiar with the programs and benefits available to them.
Using the power of the internet and social media, Craig has actively encouraged young Veterans to join their local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL). He has also encouraged young Veterans to get involved in their communities. Furthermore, he has issued a challenge to each young Veteran to bring 10 more Veterans to the RCL as members. His work is being noticed as he was interviewed by CBC News, which allowed his advocacy work to spread even further.
Craig was also instrumental in creating the 32 Canadian Brigade Group Veterans’ Well-Being Network, a Facebook page with the objective of bringing current and former members of 32 Canadian Brigade Group, and any Veteran within the geographic area, together for peer support and outreach. Within this forum, everyone, regardless of rank or trade, is made to feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts, concerns and struggles as a means of mutual support. This network has been used to spread the word about the programs and services available to help Veterans. It has also effectively been used to link Veterans in crisis with those who can help. The success of this network has led to it being replicated by the other reserve force brigades across the country.