U of R grads who served in the military talk about their experiences
Posted: November 10, 2015 6:00 a.m.
Retired Army Reservists Walter Martin (left), and Murray Allan shared their stories of being in the Canadian military. Photo courtesy of Trevor Hopkin - U of R Photography.
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As we pause to mark Remembrance Day on November 11, some veterans shared their experiences at a public discussion at the Archer Library.
Murray Allan attended Regina Campus of the University of Saskatchewan in the 1960s and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science before joining the Canadian military. His military career took him across Canada, as well as Afghanistan, Germany and Yugoslavia.
He was pleased to share his stories and remind younger people about the importance of Remembrance Day.
“It’s keeping that torch held high for all of those who did not come back from World War I and World War II,” explains Murray. “It’s my job, having served more recently, to keep that torch held high so that we always remember the sacrifices and service to this country.”
Also speaking at the event was Walter Martin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Regina and was an Army Reservist and a veteran of the Bosnia and Afghanistan conflicts.
He says Remembrance Day means different things to different people.
“We focus on remembering the sacrifices of our soldiers who went overseas to fight for freedom and gave up their lives,” Walter says. “There are other things to remember as well, though, such as the sacrifices of people who came back with wounds - both physical and mental. Also, we remember the contributions that a lot of these people made after they returned to Canada.”
Walter later returned to the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina and earned his master’s in public administration.
Both Murray and Walter told the audience that it’s important to become more knowledgeable about Canada’s military role – by reading books or talking to veterans.