photo of Maj. David Preaux and his machine gun-toting four-year-old son Patrick

[GAP]

This famous photo of Maj. David Preaux and his machine gun-toting four-year-old son Patrick at a CFB Shilo family event stirred huge controversy almost 20 years ago.

Now, Patrick is a captain in the Forces and his father is in Afghanistan.

Front Page - Winnipeg Free Press

 

[c1984ml]

Spouse of member here.

We were at that Family Day (that isn't Dave by the way) and I really don't remember the controversy.  Just goes to show how out of the loop we were in the boonies of Shilo!!      I do remember how much my kids enjoyed Family Day - they were some of the best ones we ever attended!   They loved seeing what their dad did when he left the house and they loved being part of his day.  A bit of a shame that budget constraints/political correctness changed them to a "prettier" thing.

 

[GAP]

I do not remember the controversy either....maybe only is some reporter's mind so they had something to put on the front page of the Free Press.

It was a time when kids and guns was not a death knell for society and we were supposed to ask ourselves where we had gone wrong....

good to hear from you, puts the picture into perspective.

 

[sigtech]

Hell 20 years ago , it wasn't any big deal to be brought up around guns and own one at a young age. Hell my father bought me my first shotgun at the age of 10. If you grew up with it back then it wasn't any big deal.

Now well there is another issue for another thread on a different day

 

[exgunnertdo]

The NCO in the pic is a MBdr from 26 Fd Regt.  Capt (now Maj) Preaux was the RSSO at 26 Fd at the time.

 

[mummiebear5]

Is this the same Major David Preaux that was in Gagetown in the mid 90's?  Married with 4 kids?  If so, I would like to get in contact with his wife as I used to clean their PMQ on a regular basis way back when.

 

[1feral1]

A family day, a few bursts of 7.62mm blank, ear protection, whats the big deal?

We have family days here too, and yes F88's, sometimes Minimis with blanks also. All for the family to see and give a go (kids and adults under extreme supervision).

My ex even fired a 105mm Hamel gun, a proof rd, known as a 'brick', live solid shot, but not HE.

Seems the press even 20 yrs back can still try to manipulate things their way.


Cheers,


Wes

 

[retiredgrunt45]

We had the dog and pony shows for the families all the time. My daughter 7 yrs old at the time shot a few blank rounds from a C-6 in Baden We had the dog and pony shows, every summer just before the big air shows on the base.

The kids got to see what daddy or mommy did. Great fun.