As Canada enters its fourth full year of fighting in southern Afghanistan, new figures prepared for the Defence Department show the number of wounded soldiers has climbed to over 360.
The estimate is contained in an annual statistical review compiled for the army and obtained by The Canadian Press.
It represents the total number of troops wounded since the latest Canadian mission began in the winter of 2006 and does not include those hurt battling the Taliban in Kandahar and Kabul between 2002 and 2005.
Those who've lost limbs or suffered horrible shrapnel wounds outnumber soldiers killed in action by a margin of three-to-one. As of Sunday, 106 Canadian soliders have died in the conflict.
The statistical breakdown shows 2006 was -- by far -- the worst year for casualties with 180 wounded in various engagements including Operation Medusa, the largest battle involving Canadian units since the Korean War over half a century prior.
In 2007, the wounded figure dropped to 84 as Canadian soldiers and commanders became accustomed to the unpredictable style of a vicious guerilla war.
The 2008 number was estimated to total around 95 by the time the year ends.
The three-year overview does not include a breakdown of how many soldiers have been returned home on compassionate grounds, including those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. However, a senate committee report released last summer estimated that figure to be 395.
Combat deaths gain more attention than wounded survivors
In early December, the country surpassed the psychological milestone of 100 deaths and over the last few weeks six additional soldiers have lost their lives in roadside bomb attacks.
It is the combat deaths and somber repatriations that glean the most public attention, while those who survive with bodies that have been punctured, deformed and burned receive little mention outside of the military.
"We've learned some hard lessons over the last few years," said Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the country's top military commander, in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.
Whether they've been shot in a firefight, stepped on a booby trap or had their vehicles blown up by a roadside bomb, the seriously wounded are evacuated to the military hospital at Kandahar Airfield.
The worst cases, once stabilized, are flown to the U.S. Army hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, considered by the military to be one of the best trauma centres in the world.
Long and often painful rehabilitation happens in Canada, where the soldiers are brought to a civilian hospital close to their base -- or homes if they are reservists.
Natynczyk said the military sees no distinction between wounded regular force soldiers and the part-time reservists who make up an increasing number in each rotation of the Kandahar battle group.
"We will care for our people across the board," the chief of defence staff said.
Ontario Liberal MP Dan McTeague, an advocate for wounded soldiers, said the figures "have started to cast a pretty tall shadow" and will no doubt increase substantially between now and 2011, the scheduled end of Canada's combat commitment in Afghanistan.
"It means a lot and has a big impact for the communities that have received these wounded heros," he said.
But there continues to be an unacceptable difference between regular soldiers and reservists when it comes to compensation for their injuries, said McTeague, who has raised the issue repeatedly in the House of Commons.
And despite numerous complaints, McTeague said the transition care between National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada for injured troops leaving the military remains unacceptable.
"It's a true disservice," he said.
Senate report seeks reforms
The Senate security and defence committee examined the care wounded receive in an interim report earlier this year and found that treatment provided on the battlefield and in Europe was "top notch."
But the committee said there are glaring inadequacies once injured troops are home, including a variation in trauma care, depending upon the province where they're located.
The report recommended the National Defence department either reach an all-province agreement for state-of-the-art treatment of wounded returnees or resume treatment itself, something the military stopped many years ago because of the cost.
While critical care may not be different between regular and reserve soldiers, their post-injury compensation does vary, the senate committee also complained.
Reservists, who make up over 20 per cent of the 2,500 troops deployed in Kandahar, do not receive the same benefits as members of the regular force. For example, some who lose a limb under the current system receive less than half the compensation of a career soldier.
Natynczyk said he's ordered the military's establishment to improve the tracking of injured reservists.
In addition, he said the Forces is working to establish joint support service centres at each of its major bases across the country with staff whose mission is to assist "wounded warriors so they can get better and return to work."
For more information, visit CTV Ottawa's special report: Soldiers' Stories
