Untrained BMQ Candidate Alleges Abuse by Directing Staff Sergeant

[RedcapCrusader]

Link to article

Military veteran alleges abuse by drill sergeant

By Shirlee Engel 
Global National Ottawa Correspondent
Global News

James Robichaud went from promising military recruit to injured veteran before he could even complete basic training.

The former Canadian Forces private alleges the abuse he endured at the hands of a drill sergeant was so traumatizing, it left him with long term physical and mental injuries, and sabotaged his budding career.

Nearly five years later, he is on 17 different medications and said he still has nightmares.

“Everybody was scared of him. He was very aggressive,” Robichaud told Global News from his home in Trenton, Ont. “We knew we would be in hell when he was in charge of us.”

Robichaud joined the army in 2009, at age 43, after working in the lumber business. He was looking forward to a second career as an intelligence officer, but that all came to an end when he arrived for training at CFB Saint Jean, in Quebec.

He believes the drill sergeant had it in for him right from the start – when he made recruits do push-ups on their knuckles on gravel.

“At one point there was a rock that went into my hand and it was bleeding and I was making noises and I was grunting,” Robichaud said. “He grabbed me and he hit me on the shoulders. I went flat on my belly and he grabbed me by the shoulders and said stop whining like a little girl.”

Robichaud said it escalated from there. When he ripped his Achilles tendon in a fall on black ice, he alleges the drill sergeant made him run the course despite a doctor’s order to stay off his feet.

“I tried to run and I fell again. He told me if I didn’t run he would kill me 21 ways with his hands. And I believed him,” said Robichaud. “He said each time you fall I’m going to have people behind you and each time you do it I’m going to put a charge in your file for disobedience.”

He said he was initially denied medical care or a wheelchair. He complained to chain of command, only to be threatened by his superior yet again.

“He stated that he could do whatever to us and nobody would believe us.”

Robichaud’s physical injuries were so severe, he could not complete the training course and meet the requirements to begin his career as a soldier. His dream was shattered for good when he was medically discharged in 2012.

Veterans Affairs Canada covers his expenses – a recognition his injuries were caused in the military.

“I feel cheated. I feel he took away my career. He took away my health,” says the retired private.

The Department of National Defence refused to discuss Robichaud’s allegations, but did confirm military police conducted an investigation and recommended charges. The Director of Military Prosecutions has yet to decide whether charges will actually be laid so the drill sergeant could face a court martial.

Robichaud’s lawyer Michel Drapeau said the investigation only began after he took on the case in 2012 and wrote a letter to the vice-chief of defence. He still can’t get any answers from the military.

“We as Canadians need to know when a young person goes in and is recruited in the forces he is treated with not only dignity but also safety,” Drapeau said “And when this fails because somebody gets out of hand, the military will take that and do something. Particularly, when they’ve been warned and given evidence – un-contradicted so far – that he has suffered violence at the hands of this superior officer.”

Global News has learned the drill sergeant has since been reassigned to CFB Petawawa. He didn’t respond to an interview request through his commanding officer.

Robichaud’s allegations haven’t been proven, but he said he won’t rest until his alleged abuser is punished. He won’t let his own sons join the military because he’s concerned about the message his story sends to young recruits who may be too afraid to complain.

“I don’t believe in the Canadian system anymore… That that kid could be exposed to same bad dream that I was.”

© Shaw Media, 2014

recceguy - I had to edit the title as there was so much wrong with the original

 

[MilEME09]

veteran? i didnt know you could be called that by dropping out of BMQ

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

In this case, We made two mistakes:

1.  Recruiting this sack of hammers; and

2.  Not booting him sooner.

 

[Edward Campbell]

A few years ago (in response to a Human Rights complaint?) it appeared, to me, that the CF developed a fetish of sorts for recruiting 40 and even 50 year olds. While I can understand the bureaucratic response to political pressure I would have thought hoped that military leaders might have seen things differently.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

A few years ago (in response to a Human Rights complaint?) it appeared, to me, that the CF developed a fetish of sorts for recruiting 40 and even 50 year olds. While I can understand the bureaucratic response to political pressure I would have thought hoped that military leaders might have seen things differently.

Yep and we recruit them when they are well past their best before date.  There are always exceptions to the rule; however, the vast majority of 40+ year old's have no business being anywhere near a military recruiting center, let alone basic training and the field force for that matter.  The military, regardless of occupation or trade, is a young man's game and every 40+ year old we take into the service takes the place of a fresh 19 year old who is almost always going to be more physically capable than that 40 year old. 

If you join the military at age 40+ you have very little time to amass the necessary experience to rise above the rank of Corporal/Captain which now affects succession planning and undermines the strength of the Snr NCO/Officer ranks, this is particularly dangerous for the Snr NCO's as they are the backbone of our army. 

The only 40+ years old that should be serving in the forces are Snr NCO's and Officers that have had 15-20+ years of soldiering under their belt, at that point we are paying them for their experience and knowledge anyways.

 

[expwor]

He believes the drill sergeant had it in for him right from the start – when he made recruits do push-ups on their knuckles on gravel.

Hmmm....had it in for him because the Sgt made recruits(plural) do push ups...
Just from a quick read sounds like this guy feels centred out (and special) although it appears all recruits...if we even believe the allegations, were treated the same.
And how can you be a promising military recruit if you didn't complete basic?
I think he is just leveraging for a lawsuit
A civilian's opinion

Tom

 

[George Wallace]

expwor has some valid points.  The Lawyer, whom many of us know, will grasp at any straw to win his clients case.

soccerplayer131

It is a common mistake of many in the Media to write Intelligence officer when referring to anyone who may be in that Trade (entering that Trade in this case).  They can not differentiate the subtleties between Intelligence "officer" and Intelligence "Operator", equating it to civilian Police officers and Intelligence officers as found in CSIS, having no concepts as to what it means to hold the Queen's Commission.


[EDIT:  Opps.....left out the "not"]

 

[The Bread Guy]

Let's also remember that we only have his side of the story.

 

[chrisf]

What is it with you people? The media never gets their facts straight about the military, unless it supports your circle jerk, them it must be taken as gospel.

Before you all dog-pile of this fellow, based solely on another sensationalist article from the same media that has great difficulty getting any story right when it comes to the military, maybe consider the fact that it wouldn't be the first time we've had issues of abuses in the training system? Its not common, it fact I like to think its very rare, but don't stick your heads in the sand and pretend its impossible.

To be honest, I'm of the opinion that this is probably nothing, but, according to the article, the military police have investigated and recommended that charges be laid, so at very least, someone with more details than we have thinks there's a real issue, and if that's true, it needs to be dealt with.

 

[Brasidas]

What is it with you people? The media never gets their facts straight about the military, unless it supports your circle jerk, them it must be taken as gospel.

Before you all dog-pile of this fellow, based solely on another sensationalist article from the same media that has great difficulty getting any story right when it comes to the military, maybe consider the fact that it wouldn't be the first time we've had issues of abuses in the training system? Its not common, it fact I like to think its very rare, but don't stick your heads in the sand and pretend its impossible.

To be honest, I'm of the opinion that this is probably nothing, but, according to the article, the military police have investigated and recommended that charges be laid, so at very least, someone with more details than we have thinks there's a real issue, and if that's true, it needs to be dealt with.

Agreed. I've come across staff who should have and in some cases were charged and disciplined for their actions.

The media sensationalizing and the possible exagerrations do not mean that significant wrongdoing did not occur. Anybody else know someone who's longterm health was directly compromised by staff?

 

[Gunner98]

No one else had commented on the 'facts' that he joined in 2009 and was medically released in 2012; thereby earning 3 years wages as an untrained recruit who no doubt faced continued belittlement by the CF system.

 

[brihard]

Sounds like a weak recruit whose hiring was a mistake to begin with, but then was not quickly and mercifully cut loose in an expeditious manner when he failed to cut the mustard, developing a victim complex in the process.

 

[NSDreamer]

Shitty reporting sure, but I'm impressed by the hate coming from this thread for this individual who I'm sure no one here has met... If the reporting is poor, it's not the individual lodging the complaint's fault, it's the reporters.
We're constantly reminded innocent until proven guilty on charge threads, but in complaint threads the complaintent is always just a big whinger...

I don't really have an opinion one way or the other on the actual case being questioned, but it's attitudes like this that has made it so damn hard for people to come forward with real complaints when abuse IS occurring.

 

[Stoker]

I have seen a lot of CF members condemn the person in question. He was vetted by recruiting staff so they thought he was fit. If the member was injured while doing basic, then the military has the responsibility to look after him. If he was abused by his instructors then they should be held accountable. I see from his facebook page he was in a wheelchair and VA paid for it, so they must of thought he was injured by the military.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

No one else had commented on the 'facts' that he joined in 2009 and was medically released in 2012; thereby earning 3 years wages as an untrained recruit who no doubt faced continued belittlement by the CF system.

I read the story and I watched the video.  It appears we have a person who came for the pay cheque and got more than he bargained for.  Is it really his fault though? 

If the military recruits him we need to share some of the blame.  It was a mistake getting rid of age limits and it's a mistake holding onto people even after they have proven that they can't hack it.  This guy never had any business putting on a uniform in the first place and it's partially our fault for making him believe he actually could.

To quote Einstein, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,"

I know it's cliché but the CAF seems to never learn.

What is it with you people? The media never gets their facts straight about the military, unless it supports your circle jerk, them it must be taken as gospel.

Before you all dog-pile of this fellow, based solely on another sensationalist article from the same media that has great difficulty getting any story right when it comes to the military, maybe consider the fact that it wouldn't be the first time we've had issues of abuses in the training system? Its not common, it fact I like to think its very rare, but don't stick your heads in the sand and pretend its impossible.

To be honest, I'm of the opinion that this is probably nothing, but, according to the article, the military police have investigated and recommended that charges be laid, so at very least, someone with more details than we have thinks there's a real issue, and if that's true, it needs to be dealt with.

We've all been "abused" at some point during our military training.  My Infantry DP 1.1 had 138 start the course and 45 finish, yes that's a 32% success rate.  If a normal person was to observe our course I'm sure they would of said we were abused as well OR.... maybe if they knew better they would realize the training was hard for a reason.

As for the MP's investigating and recommending charges, this happens all the time, it doesn't necessarily mean that recommendation will be taken by the JAG.  Nowhere in this article is there any mention on whether the JAG followed through with the recommendation.

 

[ModlrMike]

A few observations:

1. We only have one side of the story;

2. This can not have happened without witnesses;

3. Now that it's in the press there's sure to be an investigation; and

4. We can argue all day about his age, but there's been many 40 year old recruits make it through just fine; so it's not germane to the conversation.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

A few observations:

1. We only have one side of the story;

2. This can not have happened without witnesses;

3. Now that it's in the press there's sure to be an investigation; and

4. We can argue all day about his age, but there's been many 40 year old recruits make it through just fine; so it's not germane to the conversation.

I agree with all your points except #4... it's very germane to the discussion as it ties into numerous other issues facing the CAF at the moment such as, readiness, physical/mental fitness, resilience, recruitment practices, etc....

 

[ModlrMike]

I agree with all your points except #4... it's very germane to the discussion as it ties into numerous other issues facing the CAF at the moment such as, readiness, physical/mental fitness, resilience, recruitment practices, etc....

To counter: one case does not prove the rule.

 

[dapaterson]

Many 40 year olds bring with them experience, skills and competencies that could be effectively leveraged by the CAF - for example, an RCMP Sgt joining as an MPO, a sports medicine doctor joining as a Medical Officer, or a CGA joining as a Log O.  Not everyone joins the combat arms. 

Indeed, if we recruit intelligently, we may be faced with a conundrum - what is the appropriate entry rank for an RCMP Sgt with 15 years experience, coming over as an MPO?  Should she perhaps be made a Major and employed in a position to leverage her knowledge and skills, or should we stick her in Dundurn as a Lt as the head of the detachment there?

 

[Sig_Des]

I don't often post anymore, but this one gets me going a bit.

I'm going to try to not judge either the complainant or the Instructor, but the institution and the system.

1. The Complainant has an injury attributed to military service. I think we can all agree to that point. He's getting a VAC pension, he was medically released. The article doesn't specify WHAT injury his release was attributed to. He was NOT injured BY the military, he was injured during military service.

2. MP Investigation and charge recommendation: We do not know what the recommended charges were. And honestly, I'm pretty hesitant to use this as a proof of abuse. I've heard the horror stories from friends who are there of how recruits are coddled, and instructors at CFLRS are vilified. Swear in front of recruits, extras. Cross your arms in front of recruits, you're being threatening, extras.

3. There is a fine line between abuse, and let's call it enthusiastic method of instruction. If I tell people who have had nothing to do with the military some of the (now) amusing or tougher things that staff along my career have performed, said to me, made me do, implied, described, threatened upon me, they are horrified. Because to them it's something that is so far out of their comfort zone, that they don't recognize the requirement for it. Which is fine, they don't need to deal with what we do. My issue is that now, as an institution with more corporate interest in not looking bad and protecting the feelings of new members, we are taking away from the training value that prepares military members for the exigencies of service that nobody else will ever have to deal with.

This is from Ranger Up, a company founded and operated by Veterans (the real kind, not the kind that doesn't finish Basic), and I feel it's appropriate to share.

In Short, people have no idea what sacrifice looks like anymore, then when they're given the tiniest window into the military world and they see kids reaching physical exhaustion, getting yelled at, getting emotionally brought down, they just see cruelty. They don't see the value, because they don't know what we know.

That toughness is earned.
It has to be earned.

(Full poster is attached)

Now, this instructor may very well have pushed the envelope, he could have broken rules, he could have been a hard-ass. But my personal opinion, based off of what's presented, and my personal experience, I'm leaning towards the belief that this guy just couldn't hack it.