Impact of Wearing the Canadian Uniform

Heroes Remember

Impact of Wearing the Canadian Uniform

Transcript

We would get briefings about the majority of the population being muslim, for example, and the different attitudes and the way they carried on their business and stuff especially different variations from what we might be used to. They helped provide us that kind of insight so that when we did hit the ground it was more a sense of awe for just how closely the training we were being provided matched the reality to the situation. It was excellent. The most clear impact of wearing this uniform came with the children. There was no hesitation about coming forward to us to look for some candy or something of that nature and likewise, the candy was already being held out to them and stuff like that. Other items for school, for example, we would help to provide as best we could when we went around on our patrols and stuff. There was no apprehension or animosity. The community welcomed us as much as any other vehicle that would have been going down the road or any other passerby. I can't say there was any indifference but they seemed quite glad that we were there. In that respect, the time that I had gone there was near the end of the tours for the CF in Bosnia so a lot of work had already been done in terms of building up that kind of relationship and that kind of stability and we were largely there just to ensure that the police were getting up to speed and that the security situation had reached a certain acceptable level that people would be safe and we hardly encountered anything that would contradict that. So I can't say largely riding on the laurels of other people's work but we certainly tried to maintain what had been done already and I believe it was largely, if not completely, successful.

Description

Mr. Roberts recalls the positive impact that the uniform had on the local children and the overall improved environment the Canadian military fostered.

Allan Roberts

Mr. Allan Roberts was born March 11, 1974 in Ottawa, Ontario. Always having the desire to be part of the Canadian Forces Mr. Roberts chose to join the Infantry Reserve Unit in Trenton, Ontario. During his time in the reserves, Mr. Roberts was given the opportunity to become part of the army and accept a deployment position to Bosnia. This experience allowed him to put his training to task and work on par with the Royal Canadian Dragoons holding rank of Master Corporal taking on the daily occupation of patrol and convoy escort. After Mr. Roberrt's deployment to Bosnia, he was once again accepted to deploy to Afghanistan under the same rank and occupation but in a more intense level of service and different cultural environment. After his deployment was complete, Mr. Roberts returned to Ottawa, Ontario. Mr. Roberts is now retired from the military

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:: February 10, 2009
Duration:: 2:14
Person Interviewed:: Allan Roberts
War, Conflict or Mission:: Canadian Armed Forces
Location/Theatre:: Bosnia
Branch:: Army
Rank:: Master-Corporal
Occupation:: Infantry

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Date modified:: 2019-04-03