CORPORAL RACHEL PRING, 18 FROM EAST MOUNTAIN
To me, personally, because pretty much my entire family is in the military, it’s about family. I’m in the military, my younger brother’s in the military, my father’s in the military and my mother is in the military.
I found out over the summer that my great uncle – my grandfather’s brother – was also in the military. He served in the First and Second World Wars, lied about his age both times and actually served in this unit, so to me it’s about being proud of who you are and who your ancestors were and what they did and how they served. It’s about the pride of the past.
I don’t know where my great uncle served in the First World War but in the Second World War he was with the Amherst Company of the Nova Scotia Highlanders and he actually ended up going to France.
I’m sad, but at the same time I’m proud that we are in such a state of readiness today. The Canadian Armed Forces as a whole are ready for anything and we’re ready to help anyone in any type of conflict.