How Long Have You Served in the CF?

[Lance Wiebe]

So, at the time I voted, (99 voters), about half have there CD.  That's quite a bit of experience!

I served 27+ years reg, plus 4 years Reserve, BTW.

 

[Rifleman62]

Judging from the replies, should this not be in the Military History forum??

 

[Blackadder1916]

Now.. 13 years later and a remuster... I'm a Lt with just a CD.

There is no dishonour in that.  There are many who have served with distinction, even on OPs who did not get any gongs.  We don't get to decide who goes and what counts for medal recognition.  But...I do know that anyone who has earned a CD has put in some hard miles. 

I was also at one time a Lt with a CD, but in my MOC that was once common.  In another thread I related a story about the CD that agrees with you.  Here's a little bit of that story.
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/47050/post-409156.html#msg409156

...but he replied first by drawing her attention to the one medal we had in common, the Canadian Forces Decoration.  I was surprised when he told her it was the one that he was most proud to wear.  The lady asked why.  His reply impressed me and later that evening I wrote an account of what he said, maybe not verbatim, because we had imbibed several beverages, but close enough for government work.

He said.  “ It’s easy to be a soldier when everyone is or wants to be a soldier; when being in uniform is the normal thing to do.  The true measure of a man is his commitment to serving his country when there is little chance of excitement, or glory or getting medals.  This medal (he indicated his CD) shows people that we pledged a significant portion of our lives to serving our country when few others would, doing things that we didn't necessarily want to do and that were not very glamorous.  These (he indicated his 4 or 5 wartime medals) I got for spending 3 years in uniform doing what most guys my age were doing. Was it hard work and dangerous? Yes. But mostly I had a lot of fun doing it.”

 

[retread]

I like that and I have heard similar things from other vets myself. 

 

[captjtq]

Joined in June 1997... still at 'er  >

JTQ

 

[Dankai]

7 years 

 

[geo]

Hmmm......
When I joined, in 1970, I was telling myself and friends that I was only going in for a little while...............

WOW!

 

[a78jumper]

15 Jun 77- 01 Jan 97 Reg Force
01 Jan 97-22 Sep 97 Sup Reservce
22 Sep 97-01 Jan 03 Primary Reserve
01 Jan 03-present Sup Reserve

Came to more than 22 years all told given I finally got my clasp last year.

 

[Pte_Martin]

21 Nov 02-- 30 March 06    Primary res
30 March06--- present      Reg Force

 

[Tewkster]

20 years done in just over 2 months and still going strong.

 

[vonGarvin]

Primary Reserve from Nov 84 to Sep 89
Reg force from Sep 89 to present.

 

[Patrolman]

Well today is the day. A major milestone in my career. Ten years complete,one whole decade,3,650 days of service to Canada.WOW!Tomorrow will be the start of a  new decade for me. Let us hope it is as good as the first ten,and to top it all off today is my sons 1st birthday.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

17 years last July...hopefully 25 more to go!

 

[krustyrl]

November 9th 2006 is my last day on my IE contract.  20 years in and it feels good.! 

 

[vonGarvin]

I just realised that I'm due for my bar to the CD this month!  UGH.  WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?  Last thing I remember I was in the armouries in Belleville, and Capt. "Skip" S. motioned to me with my long hair and said "You're next, Susie".  Wang Chung hadn't yet happened, though "WHAM!" was still an item!

 

[Doughboy]

I'm just a young pup here.... just finishing my first 3 years in the reserves.  However in the meantime, I am 1 month away from graduating from University and as soon as I'm done I'm going Regs.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

I just realised that I'm due for my bar to the CD this month!  UGH.  WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?  Last thing I remember I was in the armouries in Belleville, and Capt. "Skip" S. motioned to me with my long hair and said "You're next, Susie".  Wang Chung hadn't yet happened, though "WHAM!" was still an item!

Are you openly admitting you listened to WHAM! VG??

Doesn't that have RRRRRRRRRRRRRR screeching effects on your career in itself?  ;D

 

[Paul Gagnon]

I joined the reserves at the ripe old age of 16 and put in for release just shy of 9 years in.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I just realised that I'm due for my bar to the CD this month!  UGH.  WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?  Last thing I remember I was in the armouries in Belleville, and Capt. "Skip" S. motioned to me with my long hair and said "You're next, Susie".  Wang Chung hadn't yet happened, though "WHAM!" was still an item!

Well you now belong to the "real old boys" club now  ;D

 

[geo]

hehe.... nah, still a young pup.... need a 2nd clasp to be a member of the "real old boys
" club