Maybe Too Little Too Late

Heroes Remember

Maybe Too Little Too Late

Transcript

Back then in ‘92, they did not decompress troops coming back from tours. We were the first soldiers shelled since the Korea War back in ‘50, ‘51, ‘52 around that time. So they weren't ready for troops coming back with stress, stress illnesses and stuff like that. So we came back they acted like nothing really happened and then you try to get back into the swing of things and you would just start having problems, medical problems. There is a massive sense of frustration from when somebody is always trying to kill you and you can’t really do anything under those rules of engagement. And you really start simmering inside, and it’s, you’re under stress the whole time. Absolutely the whole time. And you’d have people that would, soldiers that would, you know, wave at you one minute, the next minute you go up in a building and shoot at ya. So you couldn’t trust either side, they, all sides were bad. Some sides, you know, you’d drive by, they’d wave at ya and stuff like that, but like I said next minute later they’d, they’d be shooting at you and planting little hockey puck, anti-personnel mines. One of my friends, Corporal Reid, blew his leg off from it. There was a lot of, lot of things like that. You were on edge the whole time, the whole time. Like I said I was afraid to walk on grass for, when I got back. Afraid of fire works for years and things are, you know, better now, but just stuff stays with you. You lose your innocence, you’re never the same when you come back from something like that. It is, it’s a horrible thing to live through. I’m very happy now that I am getting help for my problems but, you know, a lot of times, it’s too little too late.

Description

Mr. Bilinskis provides his opinion on coping after service in the military and results of living on the edge.

John Bilinskis

Mr. John Bilinskis was born July 26, 1967 in Montreal, Quebec. With a strong military background of his mother, father and grandfather serving in the Second World War, Mr. Bilinkis carried the strong fascination for the service. When making the decision to join the army, Mr. Bilinskis joined with 3 Royal Canadian Regiment holding rank of Corporal . After living in Germany for two years and being trained as a combat soldier, Mr. Bilinskis was selected to be a part of Operation Harmony where soldiers of 3 RCR November Company travelled to Sarajevo for the purpose of providing humanitarian aid and reopening of the airport. For this service, Mr. Bilinkis was awarded with recognition Commander-In-Chief Commendation for his participation in this effort. After discharge from the Canadian Forces, Mr. Bilinskis moved to Ontario where he resides with his wife and family.

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