A Commanding Officer’s Respect

Heroes Remember

A Commanding Officer’s Respect

Transcript

Soon after I got to Petawawa, it's another thing too, I received an envelope from my Indian Agency and that used to be known as Miramichi Indian Agency. His name was Shane, I have never forgotten his name. He sent me a form, he said, “You sign this and return it to me immediately.” He said, “There'd be some money for you,” he said, “what this means is that you are enfranchising your status, you're no longer become a native person.” So I was confused as a young man and saying, what am I going to do, should I or shouldn't I? So I thought of my commanding officer. I had to talk to someone, someone that would give me some kind of reasonable advice. A commanding officer is a person that is like a father, family, you see, and if you respect that man, he will respect you, you see. If you don't respect him, he's not going to respect you and this was my point of going to him, you see So I marched right in there and he said, “What can I do for you?” So I explained to him my situation regarding this form I received from the Indian Agency and I said, “I'm looking for advice.” He looked at it and studied it and tore it up and threw it in the basket. He said, “You asked me for my advice," he said, “that's my advice, never sell your status,” he said, “for any money to anybody.” So I marched out of there and the following Friday, inspection day, I was standing there, he came along. “How did you make out with your status?” he said. I said, “I respected your advice" I said, “and I didn't follow through.” He had a big smile on his face and walked on. Then I knew I gained a friend and I knew I gained a fatherhood in that matter, see.

Description

Mr. Simon describes being approached to relinquish his aboriginal status, but being persuaded otherwise by his commanding officer’s respect for his heritage.

Stephen Simon

Stephen Simon, the sixth of ten children, was born in Big Cove, New Brunswick on February 19, 1932. After finishing grade eight on the reserve, he attended school off the reserve where he faced a lot of discrimination. He often fished with his father, who was a police officer at Big Cove. Mr. Simon enlisted at the age of eighteen, took his basic training in Camp Borden, and became a qualified paratrooper on December 22, 1950. After arriving in Korea, he trained as a radio operator, and served in that capacity until the end of his military service. In 1958, Mr. Simon’s skills were highlighted when he served in a top security communications centre.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 2:29
Person Interviewed:: Stephen Simon
War, Conflict or Mission:: Canadian Armed Forces
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Royal Canadian Regiment
Rank:: Sergeant

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A Commanding Officer’s Respect

Heroes Remember