By Kayla Bruch

Veterans and public show respect on Remembrance Day

Nov 11, 2014 | 3:44 PM

Hundreds of people paid their respects during the Prince Albert Armoury Remembrance Day ceremony on Tuesday.

During the memorial service, Wait for Me Daddy was brought up in remembrance of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and kind words were said about Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. 

Christopher Martin was in attendance, as part of the ANAVETS Air Cadets Squadron 38 for the Canadian Legion. Martin also proudly mentioned is gliding scholarship. He is only 16, but he has been thinking about joining the army ever since he was a kid, playing with toy airplanes.

“I plan on becoming a fighter pilot in the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Martin. “I feel that through cadets I’ve learned quite a bit.”

Martin said both of his grandfathers fought in the First World War and that’s why he joined the air cadets in the first place. He said you have to be determined and hard working to become a fighter pilot because it can be a hard road.

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“It’s not something that you just wake up and say you’re going to do,” Martin said. “You want to get something, you gotta work for it.”

Saskatchewan Penitentiary Correctional Officer (CX-2) Lawrence Hurford had some good advice for young people who may be thinking about joining the forces.

“I would tell them to complete their Grade 12, go to school and keep your nose clean out of drugs,”Hurford said. “If you ever join the forces just keep quiet and learn, keep your eyes open and pay attention to everything.”

Hurford also served during the Korean War where he said he learned how to take care of himself and how to work with other soldiers. During the ceremony Hurford was thinking about past veterans.

“I appreciate all the people that joined prior to 1914, died in 1914, got wounded in 14 and then in 1939 went to war again and I appreciate all those people that joined and got wounded in that service,” he said.

Lorena Cook, 13, joined the Cadets 390 program in Prince Albert with her cousin. For Cook, war is her life.

“That’s my future, to join the forces, “she said. ” I know I’m going to learn out of it and I’m trying to pass it on to my little sister.”

Floyd LaVallee has been part of the Army, Navy, Air Force Veterans Unit 222 in Prince Albert for 40 years.  He has also been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch-2 for 16 years.

“I was on the executive for 30 years, 10 of which I was president and the legion I’ve only been just an ordinary member,” he said.

LaVallee said if he was just a bit older, he probably would have gone and fought overseas instead of joining the executive.

“I was just born when the Second World War was on and too young to go to Korea, but I would have liked to if I was old enough,” he said.

Several members of the LaVallee family have spent time at war.

“I have a brother that spent five years in the Navy and I have a daughter that spent ten years in the air force,” and that’s not all. LaVallee said he has a son who was in the army for 23 years.

When asked if he inspired his children to join, he said they decided to join on their own. LaVallee said Remembrance Day gives us time to think about the people who gave their lives.

“[We] really appreciate what they did for us, we are free now and it’s just, we gotta thank them so dearly, [for] what they’ve done and sacrificed for us.”

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter:@KaylaBruch1