Canadian Armed Forces

Michel Béliveau joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1993. After finishing his training, he deployed to Bosnia as a medical assistant, twice, during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. He then left the force to work as a paramedic for a number of years before re-enrolling in 2001.

Originally from the Québec city area, Major Martin Colbert discovered a liking for the military at a young age when he joined Army Cadets. Appreciating the structure, team spirit and adventures experienced with the Cadets, he made the leap to the CAF in 1984, at the age of 18.

Maryse Carmichael was born in Québec City in 1971. The youngest of four children, she couldn’t help but look up to her older siblings.

“… I thought, if he can do it, I’m pretty sure I can.”

For years after his release from the Canadian military Chief Petty Officer Second Class (Retd) Marty Boudreau’s mental health kept him—literally and figuratively—stuck in the basement.

Martine Roy says she was a “little bit punk” when she joined the Army in the summer of 1983.

“I had really spiky hair, honestly, I didn't know what I was doing,” the Montreal native remembers.

She made daily calls telling her Mom she wanted to come home, that the rules and regulations of military life weren’t for her.

“I was scared. I was saying ‘get me out of here, where am I? They’re crazy,’” she said.

Nevertheless, she persisted—with her basic training and English language training.

His first posting was to central Alberta in the early 1980s, to a communication and radar station (a “Diefenbunker”) in Penhold. His first deployment outside North America came in 1985. while serving with the 1st Canadian Signals Regiment (1CSR) when he deployed to the Golan Heights as part of the UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force).

“Flying into Damascus while looking over the cities you’re flying over,” Charlton says “You would see the surface to air missiles that were surrounding the airport.”

Marc-Daniel was born in Montreal in 1984. He studied at Collège Ahuntsic in Montreal and considered working in a prison, but a colleague who was in the process of joining the Canadian Armed Forces inspired him to enlist. Marc-Daniel joined the infantry when he was 24. The war in Afghanistan was raging, and he felt compelled to do his part. He trained in Saint-Jean and at CFB Valcartier.

“The infantry was demanding. I was motivated by the possibility of deploying quickly.”

For the Canadian Airborne Regiment arriving on their first peacekeeping mission, the outlook was encouraging. “The operational theatre was quiet,” recalls then-Platoon Commander Marc Caron. Then, on July 15^th, everything changed.

Luc Lacasse was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, in 1957. He grew up and went to school there and also took part in the Cub Scout and Scout movements. To help pay for some of his education, Luc joined the militia, with the Fusiliers de Sherbrooke, in 1973.

While in university, Luc spoke with an acquaintance who had just joined the military air force as a pilot. He was also interested in this career path and decided to join the regular forces in 1979.