# Joining the CF -a family tradition?



## Veteran`s son (11 Dec 2003)

Hello everyone:

I am wondering if many of you joined/will join the CF due to the service of a family member initially?

If I do become a CF member someday, one reason would be out of respect to my father and his 31 years of military service to Canada!

Another reason is that, to me, joining the Canadian Forces would be an honour and a privilege.


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## winchable (11 Dec 2003)

I joined the service initially because of my fathers service.
Alot of people do join because of family members‘ previous service.


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## muskrat89 (11 Dec 2003)

My Grandfather served my Regiment as a Gun Sergeant. My father was the RSM when I joined. I was a TSM, headed (I think) for BSM, when I got out. My mother was a Finance Officer. My brother joined after me, and made it to Bombardier. All in 3 Field Regiment


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## winchable (11 Dec 2003)

Its absolutely natural for kids to want to tow the family line, my family service history stretches back to the royal marines and desert rats. 
How much longer till you can enlist, veterans son?


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## DP (11 Dec 2003)

I‘ve been seriously considering joing the Army, and yes it does have something to do with my father‘s service in the CF.  Not so much that I feel pressured to carry on the tradition, but just to hear him speak of his service days, was enough to make me look into it in the first place. The pride he has of his time in the Forces is quite inspiring. Though he was not in the Army, but in the Navy...not sure why my mind automatically went to the army, but the stories are inspiring just the same.


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## jutes85 (11 Dec 2003)

My father did not serve in the CF, but rather in the Red Army in Russia. He is now a electrical engineer. I‘m kinda following in his steps by applying into the forces as an Avionics Tech.


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## Veteran`s son (11 Dec 2003)

Che

I hope to reapply to the CF when I complete my diploma program at Community College and work for a year as well.


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## winchable (11 Dec 2003)

You should go reserve now, get your feet wet.
Best decision anyone could make if they were at school of any kind.
What is your diploma prog. if you don‘t mind me asking?


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## spacelord (12 Dec 2003)

When my little brother has long, messy hair, I like to tell him "you are a embarassment to this family and it‘s proud military tradition".  It‘s funny because I am the only one in recent history has been in the military.


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## JasonH (12 Dec 2003)

Hmmm lets see, as far as I know my Grampa was a Drill Instructer.  And his brother, great uncle, was a gunner in one of the Flying Fortress‘s.  My great uncle was shot down over holland though and was killed by the SS when he and 3 other crew-men tried to escape the wreckage, 1 was killed in the crash   .  

My Grampa never did forgive himself that he stayed while his brother went oversea‘s because the only thing that was stopping him was his poor eyesite I‘m told.

When I moved back to my hometown in ontario for a year I lived just down the road from them and I‘d go visit and see how they were doing.  My grandma kept his military portaits, medals, helmet (Not his helmet, but just for a reminder of years past helmets ya‘know).  Ever since I thought wow, I wanna join the army.  That was 7 yrs ago, my grampa.. Garnet Waklin, passed away in Sept 2000 at the age of 82.  He was married for nearly 30 years.  God rest your soul RIP


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## BD1 (12 Dec 2003)

Both my grandfathers were in Service. 
My Paternal grandfather altered his birth certificate to get into WW1- then again made himself younger to get into WW2. Lived to be 96 yrs old, more or less as we ended up not really being sure of his age. 
My Maternal grandfather as well served in WW2 and survived Dieppe. He would never talk about it though. 
It probably does foster a sense of tradition and honor   :warstory:


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## D-n-A (12 Dec 2003)

> Originally posted by spacelord:
> [qb] When my little brother has long, messy hair, I like to tell him "you are a embarassment to this family and it‘s proud military tradition".  It‘s funny because I am the only one in recent history has been in the military. [/qb]


haha, that reminds me of one Simpsons episode


back to the topic, my main reason for joining the CF, was wanting to serve in the army, always wanted to be since I was a kid, probly influenced since my father was in the US Army before, an I‘ve had a lot of family members serve in the military(canadian, british, and american (that i know of))


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## Pte. Bloggins (13 Dec 2003)

Nope! Parents immigrated to this wonderful country of ours so I thought I‘d start a new tradition


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## Korus (13 Dec 2003)

My grandparents where in the Polish Underground, and my parents did the mandatory service in old country. I was born here, and I‘m the first and only to join the Canadian Forces...


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## 311 (13 Dec 2003)

My grandfather was royal navy, dad was Canadian navy.. I thought i‘d break the mold and stay on land.


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## Cpl. Williamson (13 Dec 2003)

Three Of My uncles Were In The Engineers Under The 3rd C.T.C 

Btw If Anyone Has Any Webpages On The 3rd CTC Id Love To See Them As My Futile Research Hasnt Turned Up Most And I Still have There Id Discs


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## iamcanadian3885 (14 Dec 2003)

I did research into my great-uncle for a school project in highschool.  I found out he was part of the First Special Service Force (Devil‘s Brigade) as a Sergeant, in WW2.  He was killed in Italy in 1944.  Before that, two of my great grandfathers all took part in the first world war.  All of this wanted me to restart the military tradition in my family.  So basically its had a great influence on my choices


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## odanak (14 Dec 2003)

Check out my link, and it will answer your question

   http://www.angelfire.com/biz/GaryQuann/page4.html  



> Originally posted by Veteran‘s son:
> [qb] Hello everyone:
> 
> I am wondering if many of you joined/will join the CF due to the service of a family member initially?
> ...


web page


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## sauve (17 Dec 2003)

My sisters husaband seversin with the infintry. Me i do not know if it is a family tradition but since i was seven years old i always wanted to join the army. i do not know why or anything like that i thinkl it is maybe in the blood or something.


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## Spartan (17 Dec 2003)

Great uncle was either a corvette commander... or in charge of a bunch of corvettes... not sure on the full detail.

grandpa was part of the volunteer fire watch (the people who told the fire dept where the bombs were being dropped) just outside of london *  i think that was the location...*

Me, I want to join up since ever.... its just one of those things that appeal to me....
*that and I don‘t want to do anything else.


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## patt (17 Dec 2003)

my grandfather (dads side) was in the resreves durin WWII and he was on the beaches of Normandy, i never got to met him he died of a heart attack around like 1970‘s than currently my father is in the military (24 years of service) with the Mech tech trade. my brother (3 years service) is with 1RCHA in shilo than in 2 years its my turn to help my country


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## Veteran`s son (17 Dec 2003)

My grandfather and father served(WW1,WW2 and Korea respectively) and I am very proud of their military service to Canada.    
Perhaps I, too, will serve in the CF(Reserves) when I complete my Community College education!
I am still young (37 years old) and you can join until you are 52 years old, correct?


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## patt (17 Dec 2003)

i herd 55 plus it also depends on what ur trade PT requirements are and if you can do them


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## Troopasaurus (17 Dec 2003)

Well my family military service goes back a long long long long ways. All the way back to the American revolution fighting for the loyalists   .
and well most wars the Canada has been in someone in my family was there, my grandpa was in WW2 as an aircraft mechanic for 419 Sqn till his crew was shot down on a mission over Germany. On my Mom‘s side of the family we have tailgunner‘s and a member of 2 Commando. So i would say it makes me kinda proud of my history right to the fact that my relitive that fought in the American revolution joined up on my birthday.    . But overall ive always wanted to join the military even before i knew about most of that history so it is just another reason to join.


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## chrisf (17 Dec 2003)

Is it a family tradition?

I never felt any pressure to join the forces from my family, nor am I "in the army", rather, I‘m a comm reservist.

That being said, I had a large number of uncles who served in the first and second world wars, and both my parents had military service.

While it had nothing to do with tradition, I did hear many, many.... many stories about the military growing up, and it definitly affected my decision to enroll.


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## btk_joker (18 Dec 2003)

My great grandpappy fought in WW1 and WW2 as a Captain with the Perth Regiment. My grandmother has his uniform, medals, etc... which are going to be passed on to me because Im the only other one to join the CF. Bryan C Lightfoot passed away in 1991.


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