Pride of Being a Veteran

Heroes Remember

Pride of Being a Veteran

Transcript

It took me a couple of years to actually go and do a Veteran’s day ceremony again because I had, I had my own issues of, it’s tough to be injured whether you’re dealing with a mental health issue or otherwise. And for me as a soldier, you’re not supposed to get injured. Whether you break your leg jumping out of an aircraft or whether you’re suffering some type of mental health issue from experiences overseas, it’s just not supposed to happen. So there was a certain amount of shame that I carried with myself that I became injured, but that was only, that was only a couple of years and now over the last couple of years I’ve really kind of come into my own that I’m a Veteran. I think I might go and get myself one of those Veterans license plates, you know, and hold my head high and get a poppy tattoo and you know, and kind of, cause these poppy days and the older generation of the World War Two folks, they’re moving on and who is going to take over? You know, flying the flag of Veterans ... it’s me. It’s my generation. It’s our turn to step up and that sense of pride now that, you know, I’m a Veteran.

Description

Mr. MacDonald expresses his reluctance to participate in Remembrance Day yet how his service reinforced his pride of being a Veteran.

Ross MacDonald

Mr. Ross MacDonald was born April 4, 1967 in Peterborough, Ontario. His parents immigrated from the United Kingdom to Canada in 1960. After graduating from high school, Ross tried the college life, but because of his interest in the outdoors and strong involvement in sports he decided to join the army. At age 20, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces in Petawawa, Ontario joining 3 Royal Canadian Regiment. As part of his training, Mr. MacDonald travelled and lived in Germany for two years. In 1992, Mr. MacDonald joined 3 RCR November Company Group on a tour to Sarajevo to provide humanitarian aid and supplies to the besieged city. Because of his service, Mr. MacDonald was awarded the Commander-in-Chief Commendation. Due to medical release, Mr. MacDonald left the military, but continued to work with the soldiers needing support under the OSSIS program, a government position he holds today.

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