Regina, Saskatchewan
Brad Hrycyna is a Veteran who has continued to serve his community extensively. He has been involved with the Last Post Fund, the Saskatchewan War Memorial, and the Royal United Services Institute of Regina as the President, directing more than 10 intensive projects that aim to educate the public and commemorate Veterans.
Brad served in both the Regular and Reserve Forces for 37 years. For the past 10 years, he has volunteered on the Board of Governors for the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, been a media spokesperson in Regina for the Last Post Fund, and has been the Secretary and a long-term committee member for the Saskatchewan War Memorial.
Brad is also part of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) of Regina, where he has been a member since 1983, and the President since 2014. After infrastructure planning occurred in 2014, he rejuvenated the organization with a focus on Veterans and has worked on numerous projects. This has included serving as the initial project developer, leading the teams, developing self-directed teams for ongoing projects, ensuring constant contact with dozens of military units and political/civic leaders, all while maintaining relationships with organizations such as The Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans Affairs Canada.
Brad has improved RUSI’s connection with the community in various ways throughout his presidency. In its daily operations, Brad has worked to personally recruit community, business, and civic leaders as new members to the organization, as well as guiding RUSI toward a new role that focuses on commemoration by honouring the Canadian Armed Forces and its members past and present.
Brad directs the planning of two annual formal mess dinners, bringing together the military and civilian communities to commemorate the Signing of the Armistice and Victory in Europe (V-E) Day. In 2018, he also engaged the Princess Patricia Drum Line for the 100th anniversary of the Armistice at the Queensbury Centre in Regina.
He developed and planned the “Wall of Honour” to commemorate 15 recipients of the Victoria Cross, whose residences in Saskatchewan can be documented, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Heritage Conservation Branch and Government House. This project included the funding of a plaque erected in 1995 at the Legislative building. A commemorative ceremony, including unique and individual pop-up banners, is held there annually to remind the community of their local Canadian heroes.
Brad has developed “The Pedestal Project” to help educate the average citizen about the Regina Cenotaph. This memorial has not had major additions to it since the 1930s, and Brad thought that visitors should be able to learn of the events that shaped Canadian military history and those who served. He has planned and coordinated the unveiling ceremonies for 12 pedestals thus far installed, and has ensured that funding is in place for the installation of another 16 pedestals by the end of 2023. These pedestals are dedicated to military engagements such as the South African War, the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Dieppe Raid, Indigenous Veterans, and more. He has worked with the Saskatchewan Archives to utilize QR codes that will link the pedestals to the Archives, including audio files from interviews with Veterans.
In 2022, Brad aimed to engage the civilian community through the Decoration Day Sentries initiative, wherein civilians would stand alongside military sentries at the Regina Cenotaph. The event was a success, with over 90 civilian participants, and is now being considered to become an annual event. He is also working to share this concept with other organizations in the hopes that other Canadian cities will participate in a similar event. Brad has been dedicated to serving Canada and Canadians for decades, and continues to do so through his work with numerous organizations.