SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- Another veteran in the Maritimes is being denied access to federally-funded care because he completed his war service in a country outside of Canada.

Frank Rusling was a member of the Royal Navy for 10 years, a police officer for another 10, and spent the remaining 30 years of his career as a Canadian Pacific Police Officer.

However, that’s not enough to get the 94-year-old into a veteran’s care facility in Saint John.

“I’m rather surprised about it,” said Frank. “I was always of the understanding that the Canadian Forces and the British Forces were sort of under one umbrella.”

Frank and his wife, Elsie, were under the impression that since he served in the Second World War, and he’s a dual citizen in Canada, that he’d still be able to settle into Ridgewood Veterans Wing.

“It was always assumed that they were veterans, just like the Canadian’s were,” said Elsie. “They were supposed to be part of that, but we found out recently that he’s not eligible for those benefits.”

Elsie takes care of Frank, but she knows she won’t be able to do that for long. The couple says they’re not yet ready to put Frank in a home, but they would like a plan for when that day comes.

Elsie says when he does go, she wants him close by.

“If I had to go a distance to visit him, it would be impossible because I’m 86 myself,” she said. “I thought Ridgewood would be nice and handy, and I could visit often.”

Veterans Affairs says it can’t comment on specific cases due to privacy concerns, but they did send this statement:

“…[A] veteran's citizenship has no bearing on their eligibility for long term care facilities in Canada. While we always work to deliver the support a Veteran needs, it is not always possible to do so in a specific facility of a Veteran's choosing."

That’s the same argument used to deny another war veteran, Petter Blindheim, admittance to Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Hospital in Halifax.

As for the Ruslings, they say they’ll continue to wait, in hopes Ridgewood Veteran’s Wing will be a place Frank can call home when the time comes.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ashley Blackford.