Support for Soldiers Returning Home

They were left at the airport and they were on their own. They were giving their leave passes on base. They were gone and there was no wash up or there was no sitting down talking to them, saying, “Okay, give me your experience or anything bothering you?” but they were gone. Here’s the date you report back to work then you carried on in Canada here as a soldier. You know, and they didn’t think this affected a lot of people, but it did. But when the General, when he was diagnosed with PTSD, I was happy. I said, “Hey it took this man at his rank to admit that he’s suffering from it. Good. Now there’s hope for the young corporal and privates that can come forward, say don’t be embarrassed because this General did”, you know and I was happy. I was very happy for what he did. He opened the doors for a lot of, a lot of the soldiers, you know, including myself. He opened the doors and said, “Hey, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Tell your story. Tell how you feel.” You know and if people want to laugh and joke, let them laugh and joke, perhaps they’re covering up too. I did. You know I did for the longest and it took me ten years to open up ten years, and it was that or my marriage was rock bottom. I wasn’t communicating with nobody, you know. I was miserable. And I realized oh it’s, and it wasn’t for my wife, I need help. I gotta get out of here and I need help fast or something’s gonna happen. And I did. And I wasn’t, it wasn’t me that help because I was too proud. It was my wife that went and said, “Hey, you’re not the same husband. You haven’t been for ten years. It’s time.” Now, do other soldiers going to go through it? They’re out there. They’re out there and I think it’s time for everybody to stand up at the plate and say, hey, I’m not embarrassed, not anymore. I was. I’m not embarrassed anymore. No, not at all. And I’m glad the soldiers are getting the support they are getting today. They need it. They deserve it.

Mr. Wiseman provides his opinion to the support for military soldiers returning home and how his wife recognized and supported his emotional needs.

Robert Wiseman

Mr. Robert Wiseman was born October 9, 1953 in Bathurst, New Brunswick. With his father being a Veteran, and his five other brothers joining up, Mr. Wiseman made this the reason for joining the service. In 1974, fresh out of high school, Mr. Wiseman travelled to CFB Cornwallis Recruitment Camp receiving 11 weeks of training then to CFB Gagetown for advanced training as a combat soldier. Mr. Wiseman joined the army experiencing one tour to Cyprus and later in his career travelled to Bosnia holding the rank of Warrant Officer. His service in Bosnia provided humanitarian support to the Bosnian people after the Srebrenica massacre where many people were killed. After discharging from the army, Mr. Wiseman returned to Fredericton.