Introduction

For Wenshuang Nie, joining the Naval reserves was a decision she says she made “on a whim.”

She came out of her Regina high school gym class and saw three recruiting tables lined up next to each other, one for each military branch.

But there was one in particular that caught her eye.

“The Navy was giving the best swag. It was literally a triangular highlighter that caught my attention.”

When a recruiter told her stories of adventure, travel and teamwork, Wen made up her mind: she was going to join the Forces.

Her parents, originally from Urumqi, China, were happy—and worried—for their daughter. Her maternal grandfather had served in the Chinese military, so her mother knew the lifestyle.

“They were a little bit worried, because they really didn’t know what I was getting into, and I didn’t either, so it was a bit of a mixed bag.”

Becoming a medical officer

Wen applied to the Naval reserves, was accepted and prepared herself for her new career.

She first worked as a diesel mechanic where she found herself struggling with the job.

“Confession, I was a terrible diesel mechanic,” she laughed.

“The valves, it was a very physical struggle for me to even open and close them, and it was in moments like that, and maybe in mopping up the black tank explosions […] that I was like ‘Hmm, I should probably do a bit more.’”

She decided to enroll in full-time medical studies while working in the reserves part-time.

“I met all the prerequisites, I applied and I was accepted.”

Following her studies, Wen decided to join the Regular Force Medical Officer Training Plan.

She began her new career path as a medical officer at CFB Edmonton. During her service, she supported numerous Army initiatives such as firefighting, Arctic patrols, domestic operations, international exercises, and even a NATO deployment.

PTSD diagnosis

Toward the end of her service, Wen says she began to notice something wasn't right. She came back from a nine-month deployment overseas and decided to make an appointment with a CAF social worker.

The social worker asked questions that Wen says made her feel afraid and uncomfortable. She did everything she could to avoid them, rather than face the answers.

"I just told her exactly what they needed to hear in that moment, so that they would leave me alone, so I [could] just carry on with the rest of my contract."

Wen voluntarily released from the Forces after 15 years of service—but the toll on her mental health continues to this day.

"You don't know that when you’re in it, because all your energy is spent on breathing."

She often uses water metaphors to describe the feeling when things got really bad. For her, she says it felt like she was drowning and it took everything she had just to stay afloat.

Turning point

It wasn't until her life began to fall apart that she realized she needed help. However, she didn’t know how to ask for it, and feared she might end up losing her medical license.

Eventually, she reached out to Veterans Affairs Canada for more information. She was sent to a retreat with ten other women Veterans who were struggling with similar experiences. They all worked with therapists who helped them create a safe space to share their experiences and start the healing process.

This was a major turning point for Wen.

"That's when I realized...I wasn’t alone. All of these [women] in front of me felt something similar, had similar journeys."

Wen was diagnosed with PTSD. Last April, with VAC's help, she connected with an Operational Stress Injury (OSI) clinic in her hometown.

Joining Team Canada

Now, the water line is not as high as it was. She says she feels like she is able to thrive again. And soon, she intends to prove it by taking her newfound energy and optimism to the Invictus Games to compete for Team Canada.

“I don’t think I would be half the person that I am today without those 15 years of hard knocks, soft knocks, lots of fun, lots of setbacks, and ultimately just the growth.”

She says she was shocked when she found out she’d been accepted as a member of Team Canada. She sees this as an opportunity to meet more Veterans with experiences like her and also as a chance to connect better with her family and make them proud.

“I don’t think they know a lot about what happened in the military, or actually what I even did. I think this would be a great opportunity to talk to them about it.”

Learning to embrace herself

Wen’s resilience has helped her through overwhelming challenges, and she hopes to inspire her teammates through this. As she continues to embrace her authentic self and prepares for Invictus, she has one more goal she wants to achieve.

Throughout it all, she remains proud of her service, who she has become and the journey she has taken to get here.

“I want to walk away knowing…that I presented the most authentic Wen to all of you, and to the world.”

Today, Wen is practicing family medicine in Calgary, AB, having completed her master’s degree in Precision Medicine. She will also be representing women Veterans as a member of the first-ever Women Veterans Council.

With courage, integrity and loyalty, Wen Nie is leaving her mark. She is one of our Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. Discover more stories.