Gatineau, Quebec
After a tremendous career in the Canadian Armed Forces as a parachutist with the Canadian Airborne Regiment, Mr. Jules Drouin is now in business serving the military community of the National Capital Region with medal preparations and supplying military regimental supplies.
He has served a role in several organizations that honour Veterans, past and present, including the Royal Canadian Legion for over 48 years, the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping for 26 years, and the NATO Veterans Association for nine years. He has been a member of the Airborne Regiment Association of Canada since 1974, and he is a member of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
He was a major contributor to the research and development of 408 Squadron Museum and instrumental in the recovery of an original Lancaster Bomber fuselage, which was donated to the Museum for the Squadron’s 40th anniversary reunion. He played a leading role in researching and compiling of wartime history of the Squadron, such as sorties, crews shot down, Squadron decorations, as well as the names of those killed in action and those taken as prisoners of war.
Mr. Drouin was the organizer for the annual Paratrooper Memorial Service in Petawawa from 1995 to 2010. Over the years he has helped with the annual Poppy Campaign and volunteered in successful fundraisers for the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre and Ste. Anne’s Hospital.
As a lifelong member of the Airborne Regiment Association National Executive, he formed the Ottawa chapter in 2001 by locating former members of the regiment to join the new chapter and working hard to obtain its charter. He organized many of the Association’s events, most notably the ceremony for the 35th anniversary of the Turkish invasion in Cyprus.
Mr. Drouin has represented the Airborne Association over the past 10 years as their representative for the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Beechwood National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.