By Nico Smies

New studies from the Canadian military show that about 13% of all personnel posted to Afghanistan suffered from mental and emotional problems within five years of returning. And in one instance, almost a quarter of soldiers serving with a New Brunswick-based unit which saw heavy combat returned home to confront such issues. The study defined mental health problems as conditions that “are characterized by alterations in an individual’s thoughts, mood and/or behaviour that are a source of significant distress and impaired functioning.”

Continuing on Related Senator Pamela Wallin: Canada’s leap of faith in Afghanistan Stephen Harper: Canada’s Afghanistan mission still has ‘significant risks’ Overall, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was documented post-deployment in 8% of Canadian soldiers who served between 2001 and Commodore Hans Jung, surgeon general for the Canadian Forces, said the study was conducted as a five-year followup to quell any suggestion that any findings would not account for delayed onset conditions. The overall mental health rate is in line with other allies, Jung said, noting that given the circumstances of Afghanistan, such statistics would be difficult to avoid.

KUWAIT CITY - Canadian special forces trainers will likely be advised to stay away from the front in northern Iraq after major Kurdish operations as it appears battle fatigue among peshmerga fighters was the likely cause of last month's friendly fire incident, the country's top military commander said Sunday. Gen. Tom Lawson, the chief of defence staff, made the remarks following a speech by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the fighter base in Kuwait which launches many of the U.S.-led coalition's attacks on the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

Shaharyar Ansari served in the Pakistan Navy for 18 years before immigrating to Canada in After working for a few years at different jobs, he decided to come back to his love of being in uniform and joined the Royal Canadian Navy at the age of 50 in Though some people may be concerned about going through basic training later in life, Shaharyar was not afraid since he had already served in his home country. He never looked back at his decision to join the Canadian Navy, “though I have not served a long tenure, I have enjoyed every moment of my service.” A naval engineer, Shayaryar describes his career in the Forces as a very positive one. He enjoys a good salary and support for his family. He is now pleased to say that his son is currently following in his footsteps, as he is preparing to join the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Naval Lieutenant Ansari enjoys taking the time to speak to individuals new to Canada about job opportunities in the Canadian Armed Forces. He believes that a uniformed career in the Forces is rewarding and encourages others to join and give back to a country that provides freedom and great opportunities to better oneself. Find out what Engineers do in the Navy. Learn more about diversity in the Forces. See what is required to join the Military.

When the most senior military brass from more than 100 countries gather for a historic summit you might expect Canada’s top soldier to join them. Especially when the entire point of the gathering is to modernize and reinvigorate a Canadian idea for the age of threats like the Islamic State militant group, being there moves beyond expectation into the realm of mandatory. Yet examine the images from UN headquarters in New York on Friday, where the planet’s military leaders gathered in unprecedented numbers in a major drive to rewire peacekeeping for the 21st century, and Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Tom Lawson, is not in the picture. He wasn’t there. As everyone knows, the Canadian Forces are not in the blue helmet business anymore. From a peak of 3,300 Canadians deployed to honour Lester B. Pearson’s Nobel Prize-winning concept of UN peacekeeping, only a token 90 serve today — 30 soldiers and 60 police officers. Our army, once a leader in protecting civilians trapped by conflict, now is wired pretty much exclusively for war.