Sergeant Coogan Wilson is a nominated for the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for his passion for Canadian military heritage and his work engaging with youth.
Sgt Wilson has devoted much of his time connecting with World War II Veterans and their families in a variety of capacities. He has conducted archival research and assisted over 70 families connect with their military lineage to make them aware of their loved ones' contributions to Canada and the world abroad. He is a constant presence at local schools, cadet corps, associations and seniors residences where he makes presentations on the service and sacrifice of Veterans.
Sgt Wilson took the initiative to create a virtual museum to honour the memory of the legendary 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. He spent countless hours interviewing Veterans and their families to develop biographies. He sourced artifacts, travelled to the battlefields France and the Netherlands and photographed all he could for content of the museum. He worked with a web designer to build the site and enabled it to be viewed in 100 languages which brings the stories of the battalion to the world.