What happens when a Canadian soldier is killed in actionJames Macgowan, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Article LinkAfter an injury is sustained in battle, the soldier is evacuated to a medical facility for treatment. If the injury is fatal, a doctor confirms the death and the soldier's family is notified.
A public announcement follows, then a military ramp ceremony takes place as the soldier's body is loaded into a transport plane for the flight back to Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
Once there, the body is sent to Toronto for examination by a coroner, after which it is released to the family for funeral and burial.
All of a soldier's personal property is returned to next of kin. Military-issued equipment such as combat uniforms, weapons and helmets are returned to the Canadian Forces to be re-used if possible.
While all this is happening, various support groups are made available to the families of the dead soldier.
There is H.O.P.E (Helping Others by Providing Empathy), a joint Canadian Forces-Veterans Affairs Canada initiative founded by a group of Canadian Forces veterans.
It is comprised of volunteer spouses or parents of soldiers killed in action.
The Member Assistance Program provides crisis counselling 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world. Also available is the Canadian Forces' Pastoral Outreach Program, which is staffed by multi-faith chaplains, that can "provide a swift response and high-quality care in various crisis situations."
In addition to these services, an assisting officer is made available to the family 24 hours a day to answer questions about regulations and entitlements, such as how much of the funeral and burial will be paid for by the government.
Currently, this amount stands at $13,005 (not including GST and PST) and is adjusted each April 1 to cover inflation.
The amount covers such things as a casket or urn; funeral director fees and services (i.e. registration and documentation, embalmer's professional services, use of the funeral home); limousine and hearse rental; the rental of a church or different facility, including seating attendants; interment or scattering of ashes.
The cemetery plot and a special casket, if necessary, are paid for as well, as is all transportation of the soldier's remains.
Once the service is over, a temporary wooden burial marker is provided indicating "the service number, rank, initials, surname, branch or regiment, date of death, and age of the deceased member."
If a permanent Department of National Defence headstone is not desired, a maximum of $2,300 will be put toward the creation of a private headstone.
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