# I want to hear about where your interest for the military comes from!



## mwbelyea (20 Apr 2018)

Hi everyone! It's good to finally sign up to this forum. I've been following it for a couple years now. Thanks for all your posts!

I've been a reservist with the 2nd Field Artillery in Montreal for the past 17 months. It's awesome. I won't complete my training, because I applied to the reg force and I'll simply start the training over again. 

I'd like to get a feel from this online community. Who of you feel like soldiers? I mean that, since I can remember, the military has been the only job I've ever wanted. I've tried different jobs (I'm 28), but no matter what I do I want to be a soldier.

As a kid growing up in the country outside CFB Gagetown, I spent my days playing soldier. No weather and no cold would stop me from grabbing my pellet gun and heading outside, alone or with friends, for some experiences deep behind enemy lines  ;D

I'd like to hear your stories. I worked as a recruitment officer with my regiment and I always loved hearing about people's backgrounds. Whether you've always felt like a soldier, or if it's something totally new for you, I'm excited to hear about your experiences! 

(Je parle francais, donc s.t.p. repondre en francais si c'est plus pratique)


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## LightFighter (20 Apr 2018)

I enjoy LARP’ing




Also, there is no “34th brigade” but there is a 34 Canadian Brigade Group(34 CBG). As well, your unit would be 2nd Field Regiment, RCA.


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## brihard (20 Apr 2018)

I enjoy camping and shooting guns, and was fortunate enough to cross paths with someone who offered me a paycheck to do things I truly love.


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## mwbelyea (20 Apr 2018)

True Pickle Rick, but we just identify ourselves as being with the 34th Brigade. We also call our regiment 2 Field. This blog isn't official military so I figured I wouldn't bother being formal. That being said, you're correct on both counts. 

I've never LARP'd but good on you for doing it!


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## LightFighter (20 Apr 2018)

mwbelyea said:
			
		

> I've never LARP'd but good on you for doing it!




Every time you’ve been on an ex, you’ve LARP’d, same with all of us.  It was a joke.


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## mariomike (20 Apr 2018)

> I want to hear about where your interest for the military comes from!

I watched, "Nightmare on the Red Ball Run".

The definition of On Time Performance. 

So, soon as I was old enough ( 16 ), I joined the Service Corps! ( militia ).


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## daftandbarmy (21 Apr 2018)

mwbelyea said:
			
		

> Hi everyone! It's good to finally sign up to this forum. I've been following it for a couple years now. Thanks for all your posts!
> 
> I've been a reservist with the 2nd Field Artillery in Montreal for the past 17 months. It's awesome. I won't complete my training, because I applied to the reg force and I'll simply start the training over again.
> 
> ...



I liked it when keen young folks like you came back from various wars/ops and said 'thanks for kicking our asses during those weekend exercises, it helped us keep me/ other people alive on the battlefield', or words to that effect.

So, mainly, it's all about me.


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## OldSolduer (21 Apr 2018)

I was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan near Prince Albert. I spent a shit ton of time hunting squirrels and rabbits in the bush. Winters were bloody harsh. This sure helped during basic training and BIQ as its now known


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## runormal (21 Apr 2018)

I hadn't even thought about the military. I was at my Highschool's University night just for the hell of it. Every presentation was the same boring speech "Our campus has, blah blah." I stumbled across the RMC booth and was blown away by both the recruiter and concept of paid education. I eventually applied and was ultimately declined for my highschool marks. I joined the reserves afterwards and here we are today.


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## mnmjf (30 Aug 2018)

i just like cadpat


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## Gorgo (30 Aug 2018)

It's long ingrained...

Attended Robert Land Academy in Wellandport ON (which hosted 2968 Army Cadet Corps) from 1980-84.  Joined the Lincoln and Welland Regiment as an ADM CLK 831 in 1985 and served there for the rest of my Grade 13, plus attended the summer MILCON in Petawawa.  Went into the regular force that fall, had to join as a MED A 711 because no slots open for ADM CLK at the time.  Trained at Borden in 1986, but managed to get shifted over to ADM CLK due to not being able to work in a hospital ward (one corpse in the morgue at CFH Lahr did it for me).  Served two years on HMCS Saguenay after graduating from CFSAL from 1987-88, a year at CLFCSC (now CACSC) in Kingston in 1989 (where I was deployed to RV 89 in Wainwright as an extra to 1 CSR), then did my final year and a half at 1 CSR (now part of CFJSR) before pulling the pin.

Try to stay as up-to-date as I can even these days.


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## my72jeep (30 Aug 2018)

Grandfather, grandmother, 6 uncles, dad, two brothers, and a sister were all military it was the lodigical way to go.


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## Remius (30 Aug 2018)

Rat Patrol. Used to watch that show a lot.   ;D


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## hambley92 (31 Aug 2018)

I just wanted the free soup at 10 o'clock.

Also my sarcasm isn't as welcome in other workplaces.


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## 211RadOp (31 Aug 2018)

Family business.  Father served 37+ years then another 4+ as COTR.  Just received his 3rd bar to the CD.  

Growing up around Old Sweat convinced me that Artillery was not the way to go though.  :nod:


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## observor 69 (31 Aug 2018)

Army cadets, Army reserve, graduated high school.
Just another unemployed Maritimer. 
Saw the light and joined the RCAF.  :nod:


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## ABBound (11 Sep 2018)

My dad served in the British Army, and although he had left by the time I was born, he raised me pretty strictly, always relating it to how he dealt with officers and life on-base. Our family has a pretty storied military past, with my generation being the first one to have nobody serving in the military since prior to World War I.

I also have had an intense interest in aviation since childhood, and my first adult job was at Edmonton Airport.

All of this together kinda led me to this point, and now I'm trying to see if I can get in.


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## Xylric (12 Sep 2018)

To be honest, I'd forgotten that I even *had* the interest for twenty years or so. While I can truthfully say that my interest came from a visit to the Warplane museum in Hamilton when I was a child, combined with some of the stories of my paternal grandfather (as his brother was a tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber during WWII that went MIA in Italy, he lied about his age to enlist, with an eye on going to find him), as well as the fact that my great-great grandfather was a shipwright who helped build not only Royal Navy vessels, he had a hand in some of the initially Canadian-built vessels, when I eventually voiced my interest to my grandfather shortly after my mother's sister married someone who was currently serving (since retired), my grandfather extracted a promise from me.

Knowing what I was like as a child, he knew full well that I would certainly not at all be ready for the obligations when I was eighteen, so he had me promise that I would seek his blessing when I thought I was ready. In the process of making said promise, he laid out precisely what criteria I would need to meet before he would grant it. Unnecessary, I know, but this was a man in whom I had placed total respect - a man who always knew me better than I knew myself. Eventually, I grew out of the interest, focusing on my studies and various projects.

Then my grandmother had a stroke. I had been told at the time that it was a microstroke, but as time went on, we realized that it was much more severe. Papa dedicated himself to looking after my grandmother, just as Nana dedicated herself to looking after him. We spoke of duty and obligation, without a military context, and Papa quietly told me that while I had come far, there were still a few more things I needed to do before he'd give his blessing. By this time, I'd forgotten about the promise I'd made, and despite the fact that Papa had a slow-burning form of dementia at this time, he still understood that I'd never *fully* been able to drop my interest in being a pilot. After all, for once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk with your eyes held skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

My grandmother hung on for several years, long enough to learn that my brother and his wife were expecting their first child - a child they had been praying would come since my brother's wedding in 2011, but shortly thereafter was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor. They gave her radiation treatment to see if they could shrink it, and we strongly suspect that it was this therapy which pushed her into her final decline. Two days before she passed (in October of last year), with the family gathered in her hospital room, my grandfather yelled at my brothers and I for the first time that we could ever recall, as we were getting increasingly agitated about matters, feeding each other's fears. That day, he gave his blessing.

While I had applied shortly after my grandmother finished the radiation treatment, it was because I had grown aware of the fact that something in the back of my head pushed me towards it. When I told my grandfather that I had already applied when he held the promise fulfilled, his simple response was to point to the window at the sky, and told me his favorite da Vinci quote:

For once you have tasted flight.....

I knew then that it was the right call to make the attempt. I may have given other reasons elsewhere, but that's because my grandfather passed away December 1st of last year, and it was still far too raw for me to tell the above story. I seek to join to do what my grandfather never did.


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## commander-cb (12 Sep 2018)

My interest lies somewhere between;
- I sometimes feel like killing more people
- Just want a steady job. 

Also, as the years roll on it becomes progressively harder to maintain fitness.

it would, theoretically, be "nice" to be forced into a fitness program.


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## mariomike (12 Sep 2018)

Xylric said:
			
		

> (as his brother was a tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber during WWII that went MIA in Italy,



That's interesting. My uncle was in the RCAF. The entire 7-man crew ( Lancaster ) went MIA in eastern France six weeks after D-Day.

If you don't mind me asking, did your relative survive the war?


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## FSTO (12 Sep 2018)

Born and raised on a farm in SW MB. Watched TV shows like Rat Patrol and Hogan's Hero's and movies like The Great Escape, Where Eagles Dare, The Longest Day. Read all the Patrick O'Brian books.


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## Journeyman (12 Sep 2018)

I didn't have to have an interest in the military.

I came home one day and announced that I'd quit high school;  my dad threw my in the car and dumped me at the Recruiters, saying "make your own way home."  Five weeks later I was in Cornwallis (recruiting timelines were apparently magical back then  )

Best decision I never made.


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## Xylric (12 Sep 2018)

mariomike said:
			
		

> That's interesting. My uncle was in the RCAF. The entire 7-man crew ( Lancaster ) went MIA in eastern France six weeks after D-Day.
> 
> If you don't mind me asking, did your relative survive the war?



For another 55 years or so. He went MIA because he was injured, transferred to a hospital, and it took three months for the paperwork to catch up.  :rofl:


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## mariomike (12 Sep 2018)

That's good news. He was one of the lucky ones.


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## Xylric (12 Sep 2018)

mariomike said:
			
		

> That's good news. He was one of the lucky ones.



Yes, he was, but it still meant that my grandfather at 17 had to read the telegram about his going missing to his mother. He cited that telegram as the reason he eventually became a pacifist (and the reason why he went to enlist).

The funny thing is, essentially the only reason why he got caught is that the recruiting station he went to.... was manned by the principal of his high school.


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## SquidMeister (22 Oct 2018)

I've always been interested in military history, video games, novels, all that jazz, and I've always had an inkling that I would be interested in joining the military, but in my school years I was completely out of shape.  In the last year I have shed a bunch of weight and with me not being sure what I want to do with my life, the military seems like a good option now.  Serve my country and find out where I want to go in life and all that jazz.


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## Navy_newbie0696 (8 Dec 2021)

I too, was always in awe of the military life, going way back to when I was playing FPS-multiplayer games like CoD, Starwars Battlefront and Killzone on the PS2 at my relatives house, when I was a wittle lad. This shifted over to games on the computer like Combat Arms, Red Crucible, ARMA, Arctic Combat, etc. After high-school, the most recent games I recall playing is World of Tanks and War Thunder.

But all that virtual fun aside, I wanted to pursue a career in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that would help me develop as a person, and to learn as much as I can from my future instructors, and my colleagues throughout my career in the CAF. I am blessed to be born and raised in such a peaceful nation as Canada and want to give back by serving this country as a sailor. The salary, benefits and pension also is a plus beside the experience and learning. It will help support buying a house, a future family when/if I plan to marry and have kids, and finance their education ... the generic happily ever after story I guess. 😂

I was also told that I am the first member of my family, enlisting in the military. I hope to make my family proud with this career. I was born and raised in Toronto with a younger sister. My parents and majority of my family are from Vietnam. 

My future plans in the CAF is to serve the full 25+ years in the Navy, and hopefully reach RAdm rank before I retire. Idk how realistic that goal will be, but ik I will have to work my arse off to earn it!


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## Dhillongs (31 Jan 2022)

Father was Indian Air Force 15yrs , grandfather was a police officer under British in India posted to Hong Kong, runs in the family to do something similar I suppose, no one talked me into it but I lived in Edmonton during my school would see soldiers everyday at griesbach so something must have clicked joined up and came right back to Edmonton.


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## GreyWarden (1 Aug 2022)

I guess I've felt the calling since a young age. I never did cadets though. Some video games may have inspired the idea, despite knowing they're nothing like what actually happens. I think it's the nature, the structure that appealed to me as well. The mentality of some passionate individuals, whether real or fictional. I remember being in kindergarten or Grade 1, just learning about Remembrance Day and what it's about, it stuck to me, and I felt an urge every year to pay my respects, but I also felt like I wanted to give back when I got older. When I was very young, I use to see the ads on TV all the time about signing up. Years and years later there was an aboriginal summer program that can give you a taste of military life, and even get you BMQ qualified.
 I did the summer program "Bold Eagle" in 2021, I did attempt it in 2017 but was sent home for a sprained ankle. So this was me finishing something I wanted to start. Since then I have struggled a bit in terms of self esteem and self doubt, after continuously pissing my platoon mates off at times for my setbacks which I took a little personal. I want to do better I just don't know where to start? I got ADHD so it caused me some setbacks but I don't want it to define me. I am wishing to get evaluated for any possible learning differences and perhaps do some cognitive training to amp myself up so I can feel more confident in my decision and my abilities. I've always been quite hard on myself. I just want to do well.
Sorry for rambling - that's another ADHD trait!


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## btrudy (1 Aug 2022)

Not too complicated really. I didn't want to get stuck in the trap of being in the oil and gas industry and having to deal with massive layoffs every time there's an industry downswing. The military offered rock solid job stability with some decent benefits including the best pension in the country.


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## Colin Parkinson (1 Aug 2022)

Growing up with lot's veterans from WWII and shows like Combat, World at war, Stalg 13 and Rat Patrol. Plus model building really directed me into tanks. I gave a hour long presentation to my grade 8 class on the development of AFV's. Problem was I did it in  monotone voice and even the teacher was struggling to stay awake


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## Skysix (1 Aug 2022)

I visited behind the curtain as far as the Urals / north of the Black Sea in '81 and later read the translated version of Helene Carrere d'Encausse's 1978 book "l'empire éclaté" while backpacking and avoiding attention during Reforger 82. It took almost 2 years to get my security clearance and join up as a Combat Engineer, but I never had any doubts why it was necessary. Sadly, it is again. 

While in I got cross-trained as a MSE-Op and Medic (was a civilian ground/flight ACP/CCP). Got out after 14 years in the reserves as a mission specialist atached to an RCAF SQN to finish nursing school. Time passes and now I am a contractor for the US Army Reserve doing Medevacs on a large training base.


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## rmc_wannabe (1 Aug 2022)

I was in Cadets from about age 12 onward and it was my escape from shitty situations. I squeaked through high-school and it was a one way ticket out of my ghetto ass neighbourhood. 

16 years later, best decision I ever made. I'd probably be in jail, homeless, or dead if I didn't join.


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## OldSolduer (1 Aug 2022)

rmc_wannabe said:


> I was in Cadets from about age 12 onward and it was my escape from shitty situations. I squeaked through high-school and it was a one way ticket out of my ghetto ass neighbourhood.
> 
> 16 years later, best decision I ever made. I'd probably be in jail, homeless, or dead if I didn't join.



I’m glad you’re here. 👍🏻


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## applesoranges (3 Aug 2022)

Not sure exactly how it started,  my granddad was a WWII Veteran (yes, I'm older now, in my 40s).  I grew up in a very disciplined and regulated environment.  Came to Canada,  became a nurse.  Was hoping to be existing in a professional environment, working with disciplined people because patients' lives are at stake.  No way,  in Canada you can't even tell a colleague they are late or doing substandard job without being called a bully... I've never been late to work,  never. I am hoping to find a place that holds people to the highest standards.  It seems like CAF might be the place. I do realize I might be wrong. But I want to find out and to become a nurse with CAF. I can't tell I'm excited about shooting things like others here, but I could if I need to. If I have free time and want to watch a movie,  I would usually choose something about Middle East conflicts,  if available. When traveling I'd only go to military museums or old ships/submarines.  Photos of the medics and nurses being transported in a Globemaster make my heart beat faster. Hopefully CAF and I would benefit from each other.


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## daftandbarmy (3 Aug 2022)

applesoranges said:


> Not sure exactly how it started,  my granddad was a WWII Veteran (yes, I'm older now, in my 40s).  I grew up in a very disciplined and regulated environment.  Came to Canada,  became a nurse.  Was hoping to be existing in a professional environment, working with disciplined people because patients' lives are at stake.  No way,  in Canada you can't even tell a colleague they are late or doing substandard job without being called a bully... I've never been late to work,  never. I am hoping to find a place that holds people to the highest standards.  It seems like CAF might be the place. I do realize I might be wrong. But I want to find out and to become a nurse with CAF. I can't tell I'm excited about shooting things like others here, but I could if I need to. If I have free time and want to watch a movie,  I would usually choose something about Middle East conflicts,  if available. When traveling I'd only go to military museums or old ships/submarines.  Photos of the medics and nurses being transported in a Globemaster make my heart beat faster. Hopefully CAF and I would benefit from each other.



No worries. Nurses don't shoot people in the CAF. Unless they're protecting patients apparently, which is slightly ironic


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## OldSolduer (3 Aug 2022)

applesoranges said:


> Not sure exactly how it started,  my granddad was a WWII Veteran (yes, I'm older now, in my 40s).  I grew up in a very disciplined and regulated environment.  Came to Canada,  became a nurse.  Was hoping to be existing in a professional environment, working with disciplined people because patients' lives are at stake.  No way,  in Canada you can't even tell a colleague they are late or doing substandard job without being called a bully... I've never been late to work,  never. I am hoping to find a place that holds people to the highest standards.  It seems like CAF might be the place. I do realize I might be wrong. But I want to find out and to become a nurse with CAF. I can't tell I'm excited about shooting things like others here, but I could if I need to. If I have free time and want to watch a movie,  I would usually choose something about Middle East conflicts,  if available. When traveling I'd only go to military museums or old ships/submarines.  Photos of the medics and nurses being transported in a Globemaster make my heart beat faster. Hopefully CAF and I would benefit from each other.


Welcome to our world. Good luck in your future endeavours.


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## torg003 (4 Aug 2022)

All the uncles on my mother's side (from Red Deer) served in the war (all made it back).  Uncle by marriage (to my mother's youngest sister) was in the RCN and served in the North Atlantic (as well as later in the Mediterranean).  Actually had a distant cousin (also from RD) who was in the Dieppe raid, and after, a German concentration camp (he made it back too).  My father was in the army during the war, but wasn't sent overseas . He had to wait until he was old enough to join and by the time he finished his 18 month training, the war was over.  Right after the war, he played a couple of years for the Calgary Stampeders, but had to leave that to support his mother (and younger brother) when his father died suddenly.  Later he became a pipefitter.  I guess there wasn't a lot of work (before the oil boom), so he joined the RCAF.  He was in for 20 years and earned a CD.  Right smack in the middle of this service the whole unification of the armed forces happened.  I remember him coming home from work one day wearing a completely different uniform and was quite surprised.  Didn't like the green colour, but thought the gold SGT stripes with the maple leaf above it looked kinda cool. Joined RC Air Cadets but wasn't in that long.  My brother stayed longer and made LAC.  He also go to go to Cadet Camp in Greenwood, NS.  Even though I got a little bored of cadets, all the other things I mentioned helped me maintain a life long interest in the Canadian military.  That's why I like to come here.  Cheers.


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