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While serving as a Civilian Director at the National Defence College (NDC), Kingston , in 1989, I had an experience that has stayed with me through the years.

I was having lunch in the Fort Frontenac mess with the Commandant, MGen Frank Norman. It was just a typical quick break – sandwiches, soup, and coffee – before the afternoon lectures and syndicate discussions. We were deep in a policy thrash or possibly a curriculum debate that seemed to be quite important.

All of a sudden, I noticed General Norman looking over my shoulder. His face had lit up in a way I had not seen before in all the time we had spent together.

“Hello my Young Warrior!” he said in a booming welcome as a young, fit, keen-eyed officer headed towards our table.

It was of course a regular occurrence for visiting officers to stop in and say hello – the General had been Commandant at the Royal Military College (RMC), whose campus was just across the river from the Fort, where young men and women achieve both university degrees as well as commissions in the Canadian Forces (CF). He clearly had a great bond with many, a bond that could not include me as a civilian. The closest experience I had to this sense of bonding was with my Canadian Bobsled Team mates, due most definitely to the shared danger and the need to rely on one another, no matter what.

During the introductions, with great pride and respect, he again referred to this officer as “A Warrior”. I had not ever heard this term used out loud, in real life.

What was he talking about I wondered; it seemed to me to be a little over the top. It was also puzzling in that none of the approximately seventy Col/Capt (N) and general officer colleagues I had spent the last two years with had ever uttered this word.

But, hold on, there was one exception – a USAF F16 fighter pilot who was true to the bold aggressive, indeed arrogant, image of the ‘fighter jock’. He talked in war fighting terms but he was the exception.

The Oxford Shorter Dictionary provides these definitions for warrior: “one whose occupation is warfare; a fighting man, now used in a rhetorical way to apply to the fighting men and heroes of past ages and of uncivilized peoples”.

At that time, just at the end of the Cold War and the pending fall of the Berlin wall, the role of the CF had been marginalized and the missions undertaken were mainly peacekeeping. It was a time when uniformed personnel were being relegated by Canadian politicians to non-lethal activities and indeed, for Canadians generally, the CF had in the eyes on many almost ceased to be a fighting force and our proud history as fierce fighters in every theatre of combat was not talked about as a source of pride. We had become or were becoming a constabulary as several military historians and analysts had written.

When the officer begged off after a brief chat, Gen Norman still beaming explained that this was a special one, one of the true breed who would make his mark as a leader and a fighter. One of those who will go into harms way for his mates, his regiment, his Country.

I think this was the first time I realized what the profession of arms and the call to be a professional soldier is all about. Not all who wear the uniform have the opportunity to demonstrate what they are made of, but given the chance, they selflessly rise to the occasion.

This brings me to LtGen Rick Hillier. In an earlier post I wrote that Rick was the first officer I had heard use the word “kill;” in public referring to his (then) upcoming command mission in Afghanistan .

Today he delivered a speech to the Empire Club in Toronto . He referred to his job as CF Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) as the greatest job in the world because it is all about the people he is privileged to represent. Men and women who volunteer to serve this country asking only for the support of their fellow citizens.

In yet another first (at least in my memory of watching a succession of CDS since the mid-80s) he chose to use the podium time to introduce three CF personnel who had performed outstanding feats of bravery, showing dedication and character in the face of great personal danger. One was a SAR tech, one a soldier in Afghanistan . He then noted that he had just signed the CF annual promotion list and he then personally gave effect to one promotion on the spot, by ‘making up’ a Col (by changing the shoulder rank slip on) to the rank of general officer.

Let me assure you, all ranks and officers take note of these actions that do speak louder than any words.

In highlighting these individuals, members of the CF family, Gen Hillier showed us what military leadership means – he puts it all out for those in uniform (including the Reserves and the civilian component of the Department of National Defence) and calls on all Canadians to recognize these men and women as “the credentials of our Nation”.

Coming a day after the Afghan Mission “take note” session in the House of Commons, he also took the opportunity to clearly state that the reason we are in this difficult mission is in support of the best Canadian values; providing help when needed and offering security, safety and hope to those in danger . A clear and strong message that I trust is not lost on our MPs.

Unfortunately, the CBC announcer speaking in summary after the presentation just did not get it. The best she could muster up was to suggest that, “he is a good salesman”

Sorry, wrong.

He is first and foremost a Warrior and a Leader in a military tradition that goes back to the mists of time.

LtGen Hillier was not the young officer I met that day, but he could have been. And the CF has many more like him.

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