Vanguard Magazine

34 JUNE/JULY 2022 www.vanguardcanada.com THE LAST WORD tor suggested that might not be the best choice, and so I selected seated volleyball. I also picked rowing and cycling as I figured I could train almost year-round in our mod- erate climate. We attended our first competition in February for the 2020 Marine Corps Tri- als in Camp Pendleton San Diego, which was supposed to be a dry run. I competed in cycling, rowing and seated volleyball and was happy with my fitness. But – as we all know – the world had other plans. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put everything on hold as we all went into isolation. During that time, I suffered a painful undiagnosed hernia that prevented me from training. I was finally able to get it repaired in December 2021 and after a 6-week recovery period I was able to gently get back on the bike and rower to start my training again. I would have about three months of preparation time to get ready for the 2022 Invictus Games The Hague, which was not ideal, but I was going to give it my best shot. I am lucky enough to work for WithY- ouWithMe, a company that supports vet- erans by upskilling them in technology and placing them into digital employment. Here in Canada, WithYouWithMe has the largest pool of security-cleared digital talent in the country, many of whom are veterans – and they walk the talk in sup- porting veterans not only in finding mean- ingful careers, but also in taking leave to support veteran causes. For me, this meant being granted time away from work so I could compete in the Invictus Games and represent Canada again. I arrived in The Hague with my family before the Games kicked off and knew im- mediately, we were in for a special event. There were IG22 signs everywhere, volun- teers to guide and help us and the Dutch were ready for us in all respects. I quickly realized that with 500 competitors, 1500 friends and family and 3000 volunteers – it was going to be an event like nothing I had experienced in my life. I was able to compete in the seated volleyball tourna- ment, and I completed my rowing com- petitions. But unfortunately, I contracted COVID-19 midway through the Games and spent the second half in quarantine in my hotel. Despite my early end to the Games, I can tell you it was an amazing experience. It is hard to feel sorry for yourself, when you are surrounded by other members of part- ner militaries or my fellow Team Canada teammates, that have overcome their own health, illness, adversity, and personal chal- lenges to get to the Games. We met with members of the Ukrainian Team and talked about the loss of four of their teammates in previous weeks, and how important it was for them to attend the Games despite the atrocities of war back in their homeland. They showed the true spirit of Invictus (which means un- conquered). They may be in the fight of their lives, but they still chose to demon- strate their spirit on the world stage. It wasn't all fierce competitions. For example, we were treated to a wonder- ful breakfast with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and with Princess Margarite of the Netherlands. We got to celebrate the differences and similarities between the 18 different nations and compete in a series of sporting battles with our friends and colleagues. We even got to tour around and sightsee in The Hague – a place where there are more bikes than there are hu- mans! If I could pass along one piece of advice for anyone in the CAF that has been ill or injured during their service, it would be this: there are so many opportunities and avenues out there for you to explore post- service. Firstly, take a look into WithYouWithMe which was founded initially to help veter- ans transition out of service. We use psy- chometric testing to identify people with the aptitude to thrive in tech-based roles and then build their skills to be employ- ment-ready through accredited digital skills training. If you have the aptitude and attitude that's right for a digital career, we can train you to be proficient in approx. 140 hours. Then we work with many of Canada's biggest employers – including CAF – to place you into a new digital ca- reer. And having this sense of purpose is so important. So I recommend for anyone in military – serving or veteran – to get onto the WithYouWithMe platform and take the test. The whole end-to-end program is completely free for anyone in Defence, and you would be amazed at the opportu- nities that lie ahead. Secondly, look at joining Soldier On and attend one of the many events available in your area. Who knows, you could be lucky enough to get on the next #TeamCanada Invictus Games list. Using sports and competition for re- covery and rehabilitation makes sense but seeing it in action on the big stage at the 2022 Invictus Games was a powerful mo- tivator. Whether it's working for a veteran- friendly company like WithYouWithMe or competing in a veteran-friendly event like the Invictus Games, the importance of set- ting goals, feeling valued and contributing to a new mission is so important to our well-being. The words "thank you" don't seem quite enough to express my deep grati- tude for the work that goes on behind the scenes, the generosity of the sponsors (Soldier On, True Patriot Love Founda- tion, ATCO, BMO, Ultra, Tim Hortons, Under Armour), and the support my vet- eran-focused employer WithYouWithMe has shown me on this journey.

• Cover