My VAC Account
My VAC AccountChief Warrant Officer (CWO) Claude “Ollie” Cromwell (Retired) was born in Digby, Nova Scotia, and moved to Montréal as a young teenager. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1979 and began a long career in military logistics. If our men and women in uniform are not effectively supported with the required resources, they cannot fulfill their duties—a fact that makes the logistical trades vital.
Veterans Affairs Canada gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Kathy Grant and Sarah Onyango for their support in the development of the department’s commemorative resources on the military service of Black Canadians.
“I knew I wanted to be a soldier when I was just 4 years old,” says Wendy Jocko, Chief of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation. “We were living in Petawawa at the time and I noticed a soldier at a store across from my home. I looked at him and I thought to myself, that’s what I’m going to do when I grow up.”
“...throughout the history of my family, we have had a long association with military service.”
Terri Orser was introduced to the military during the summer of 1980. She was at a baseball tournament when one of her teammates mentioned she’d seen an ad for youth employment with the military. She ended up enlisting. “I said I’ll just try it out. So I did and I loved it, fell in love with it right away”.
Sergeant Stephen Thomas attended Birchmount Collegiate in Scarborough where his interest in the CAF sparked following a wrestling match. “I had defeated my opponent, who was much larger, and after our match he told me ‘you can’t do what I do.’ Turns out he was part of the Army reserves at the time. So, I joined the Forces on a dare.”
As a young Quebecois, Simon Mailloux’s desire to join the military and serve his country was amplified by his experience in the Air Cadets. “I loved my time in the Cadets. It made me even more certain that I loved this world and that I wanted to make a career out of it.” That was the beginning of a great adventure filled with many challenges and triumphs.
Robert Thibeau enlisted in 1972 as a Private with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). In 1978, he was deployed to Cyprus as the Section Commander to look after operational standards and resolve issues as they arose. He returned to his home base in Calgary and promoted to Sergeant in 1979. He rose to the rank of Master Warrant Officer, all while completing his high school diploma.
Warrant Officer Robert McDougall (Ret’d) describes his entry into the CAF as a comedy of errors. In the fall of 1982, he joined a close friend who was on his way to enlist. As they pulled up to the Recruiting Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, McDougall was dragged into the presentation and testing. “I told them I’m good, I’m going to college. But I listened just to preserve the peace. Turns out the recruiters were very convincing.”
When he decided to join the CAF in September 1984, Marc Bergeron had already completed his diploma of college studies (DEC) in photography. He craved adrenaline and adventure: "I’m always on the move. I can never sit still."
In 1984, Marc was 23, and had almost reached the maximum age (at the time) for joining. Because he already had his DEC, he became a photographer straight away at the Halifax naval base without having to take training for a trade.
To help her choose a career, one of Lyna Gravel’s high school teachers talked to her about the program that would allow her to study oceanography in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The program was offered jointly with the Royal Roads Military College in British Columbia and the University of Victoria.
