Family Network in the Military

Heroes Remember

Family Network in the Military

Transcript

One of the things I learned in the military, that family is very important and when I say family I’m not talking about my wife and my children and that thing but I’m talking about the family in the military, you know, that’s very important. When I first got out of the forces I found it really difficult to step back into civilian life because that network of family was no longer there, so that’s one of the things I guess and having said that too, my family is very important to me and I’m talking about my wife and children and my grand-children. They are very important to me but I think that’s where I first learned about family, in the forces. I think that’s the way I see it. The military also learned me to stand up for I guess my rights and I’m not trying to pull the lawyer stuff but to be a man and stand up. I guess when I went into the military too and I never touched on this and I don’t want to make this sound male chauvinist but when I went into the forces to not succeed and get through the military boot camp, I would have been something less than a man and that’s the way I was brought up and I firmly believed that, you know, I couldn’t understand anybody that couldn’t make it, however, so I guess that’s basically it in a nutshell, they taught me to be a man, they taught me what family meant and you know be able to survive.

Description

Mr. Beyea shares his opinion on the value of family within the military and the positive outcome it brings to one’s life.

Robert Beyea

Mr. Robert Beyea was born in Saint John, New Brunswick December 14, 1942. After obtaining his education, he was very anxious to join the military. Initially his preference was to become a sailor, however, with no vacancies and little patience, Mr. Beyea decided to join the army. In 1961, he became part of the Royal Dragoons Regiment and obtained basic training in Camp Borden, Ontario. Mr. Beyea chose the trade of tank driver and gunner and continued on to become an instructor training new recruits. Holding rank of corporal, he travelled to Cyprus in 1964 and was part of the first contingent to travel there on behalf of the Canadian military. Mr. Beyea later retired from the army and speaks to youth about his feelings on the importance of service in the military. Mr. Beyea now resides in Fredericton, New Brunswick with his family.

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