One of Canada's top soldiers is back in Canada and trying hard to adjust to normal life after a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan.
Maj.-Gen. Tim Grant, who served as commander of Canada's troops in Kandahar, visited the Canada AM studio on Friday to talk about his experience -- and his next challenge.
"I did have some great holiday, some great time off but it took me about three weeks to actually realize how tired I was and to start to get over that," he said.
"But my bosses were very kind and considerate. They gave me enough time to re-adjust before they put me back to work."
Back on Canadian soil, Grant will be taking on the role of deputy commander for all Canadian troops deployed overseas, performing roles in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa and Haiti.
Though he's excited about the new challenge, Grant is still trying to process everything he experienced in Afghanistan.
One thing is certain, he said, progress is being made.
"There's no doubt in my mind that we're making great progress. I look at it not day-to-day in the headlines but what it was like when I arrived last fall and what it's like when I left."
The comparison is dramatic he said. When he first arrived, he inherited a war zone that was depopulated, heavily damaged and still tightly held by the Taliban.
"When I left, there were 6,000 families that had gone back in. Farmers had resettled, their lives were back to normal. The Afghan police and the army were playing a much greater role in security. I think we've done wonderful things."
That progress can be measured, he said, by observing an Afghan battalion that has been trained by Canadian troops. He said troops began training the battalion last year, and the group is now helping to lead battles against the Taliban.
"So they've made great progress and the fact is Canadians are great trainers. They can make tremendous capability improvement in the Afghan army and in the Afghan police and that's what we're turning our focus to now."
A new report from Auditor General Sheila Frasier says the military is falling short of meeting the mental health needs of soldiers returning home, and a rising number are dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Grant said this is unacceptable and the military is working to solve the problem.
"Any soldier that falls through the cracks is a failure for us. There's no doubt in my mind," Grant said.
"Lots of folks over there have suffered and been exposed to some really traumatic things. We do have programs in place and those programs are improving daily, weekly. We're trying to make sure that, whether it's a mental injury or a physical injury, that those soldiers get exactly the kind of care they need in a timely manner."
Under a new program, he said, all soldiers who return home after a deployment will attend a mental health clinic before receiving a clean bill of health. That includes Grant.
"We try and make sure that every single person is tracked and that they're all given the help if they need it."
