Medals Mean Something

I just want to say to the children right now, respect the soldiers, the Veterans and those guys that wear the medals on their shirt. They don't wear them just for decoration, it means something to them and respect those guys. I mean on the 11th of November when we have those parades, I'm just saying to the children, please go, go there and talk to those people. It's so nice when you have a young kid come up to you and say, “Oh, what do those medals mean, what are they?” And, “Oh, you were there” and try to, you know, explain to them that yeah, we did it because we wanted to do it. I was not forced to go there. Nobody forced me to join the armed forces. I did it on my own, I wanted because I want to go. I want to travel. And for children today, you know, please respect, respect those, the Veterans. I respect the Veterans, I mean all those guys that served during the war, in the Second World War and those guys, I mean, they didn't go there, volunteered, they went because they had to and thank God, that's why we have a beautiful country today, because of those guys.

Mr. Desmeules expresses the importance of engaging the youth about the service provided by our Veterans and the significance of their medals.

Mike Desmeules

Mr. Desmeules was born in 1950 in Jean Pierre, Quebec. With little work in his hometown community, Mr. Desmeules decided to join the armed forces, considering it as an opportunity to travel. At 18 years of age Mr. Desmeules initially joined the Navy taking up the service occupation of administrative clerk. With this occupation being very generic to all branches of service, Mr. Desmeules later joined with the army and in 1975 accepted an opportunity to travel to Egypt with the Signal Regiment. In 1995, Mr. Desmeules accepted a posting to Rwanda, again in the administrative field of occupation. Upon return to Canada, Mr. Desmeules made the switch back to navy service and retired when 30 years of service was achieved. Mr. Desmeules and his family took up residence in Prince Edward Island, Canada.