12°c Overcast
18°c Cloudy with sunny breaks
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Letter of the day: In defence of soldiers
Cpl. Ryan Elrick is lifted off the Canadian Forces Airbus in Edmonton in 2006 after losing his legs in Afghanistan.
Send a Letter to the Editor
-
The Free Press welcomes letters from readers
To send a letter for consideration on our Letters page: Fill out our online form at the link above, or Email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or Fax (204) 697-7412, or Mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.
Re: the editorial Military forgets flexibility (June 22). As your chief of the defence staff, I am personally responsible for the sons and daughters of Canada serving in the Canadian Forces and I am fully committed to treating wounded-in-action personnel with respect, fairness and compassion.
"Universality of Service" is an important principle that means all Forces members are sailors, soldiers and airmen and women first and must be capable of performing any duty that may be assigned to them. This allows Canada to maintain the combat-capable force it requires for our security. The Universality of Service principle is reflected in the National Defence Act and explicitly incorporated into the Canadian Human Rights Act.
We will ensure our men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much receive the very best medical treatment and support possible. Furthermore, I have directed that no service person who has been wounded in Afghanistan be released, unless they have personally initiated the release process themselves. I can also assure you the Canadian Forces provide all wounded-in-action personnel the necessary time and support needed to recover from their wounds. We will also assist them in seeking additional opportunities to transition with confidence to the next phase of their lives.
Gen. Walt Natynczyk
Canadian Forces
I am a big supporter of the Canadian Forces and proud of the job that's being done by the grunts in the field in Afghanistan that should make all Canadians proud. But the bureaucratic officers in DND's treatment of Cpl. Ryan Elrick is nothing but shameful.
Cpl. Elrick voluntarily served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and lost both legs. We owe it to him to allow him to continue to serve Canada in a limited way. I recall an American general named Fred Franks, who lost a leg in the Vietnam War, led the famed U.S. Army VII corps in the first Gulf War and easily destroyed or captured 14 Iraqi divisions. If Franks could do his job, I'm sure Cpl. Elrick can continue to do his job as an intelligence analyst behind the desk.
Ed Bustarde
Winnipeg
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 25, 2011 A19
More Letters to the Editor
- Back to Top
- Return to Letters to the Editor
More Letters to the Editor
(1 of 12 articles for this week)
Foxes in the henhouse
05/18/2013 1:00 AM 0
Poll
Most Popular Letters to the Editor
- Have your say
- Foxes in the henhouse
- Living in their own world
- Stadium should be emulated
- Cyclists don't feel safe on road
- Hands off CBC, Mr. Harper
- Cost of fighting too high
- Cuts don't work in long run
- Outside the NDP Green Zone
- Have Your Say
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.