I joined the Canadian Forces in 1984, to become an infantry soldier in the “Royal 22e Régiment” (the Vandoos). After completing Basic Training and Battle School, I was posted to the 3e Battalion R22eR. From the moment I arrived to the Battalion, I volunteered for Basic Para training and a posting to the “Canadian Airborne Regiment”. My wishes were granted and I got posted to 1er Commando in the summer of 1985. I served as a paratrooper for almost 9 years, and had been employed in many different facets of the trade, from platoon signaler, machine gunner, reconnaissance, first aid instructor, jump master and section 2 i/c. I participated in numerous exercises and interesting training, from the Canadian arctic to the jungles of South America. I also obtained the jump wings of the U.S. Army and France Army. And had the chance of participating in two deployments over seas with the Airborne; Cyprus 1986-87 (12B) and Somalia 1992-93 (11C).
My departure from the Regiment in March 1994 happened to be somewhat unusual. In fact, I did something that surprised a lot of my friends. Since I always wanted to see Western Canada I realized that I would have more chances to achieve that dream by changing my Regimental affiliation from the “Vandoos” to the “Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry” (PPCLI). So, I did just that. I feel very privileged to have been officially welcomed to the PPCLI by LCol Kenward, who, at the time, was the Commanding Officer of the Airborne Regiment. I left Petawawa for Calgary, Alberta, where I joined the ranks of the 1 PPCLI. I was in Calgary only one month before shipping out to the Former Yugoslavia, in Croatia for a six months tour with “A” Coy, leaving behind my family who was in totally unknown surroundings.
After the disbandment of the Airborne Regiment, I felt betrayed by the Canadian Government and the Media, so I did something that took a lot of people by surprise. I left the military in the spring of 1995 to try my luck at cabinet making and wood fencing. Well, to make a long story short, in the fall of 1996 I was back on the “Parade Square where I belonged” with “1VP” (1PPCLI). In 1997 the Liberal Government decided to close the base in Calgary and relocate us to Edmonton. Of course the training never stopped and I found myself spending almost half of my life in Wainwright either on training or on courses. I also participated in the deployments to fight the Manitoba floods of 1997 and in Quebec during the ice storm of 1998. May 1998 happened to be a turning point in my life. While on Brigade exercise at CFB Wainwright our section carrier (Grizzly or AVGP), hit a hidden trench at quite a fast speed. This left me in a bad predicament with a couple broken vertebras which ke
pt me out of the action for a year. It was during my recovery that I got encouraged to take the brush and transfer my passion of soldiering to canvas. Shortly after having been deemed medically fit, our Battalion received the order to ship out to Kosovo as part of a NATO mission to sweep the Serbian Army out of the Province. I left Canada as an infantry section 2i/c in “B” Coy (Bull Dog Coy) but was reassigned in theatre to a new function as the Company Ops NCO. This was totally new grounds for me and quite a challenge. After our return home to Edmonton, I received the news that I was to be posted to the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS) in St-Jean, Qc. as a Basic Training Instructor. I left the Battalion in the summer of 2000 to assume my new duties. “A francophone Patricia in the Vandoos land”. During my first year at the school, I was employed as a weapons instructo
r for both the Recruits and Officer Cadets. In 2001 I was reassigned to “C” Coy, as a section commander and In the course of the next 18 months, I will have taught 7 Platoons of recruits, of which I keep, found memories.
During the summer of 2001 all combat arms personnel were given priority to apply for Voluntary Occupational Transfer. So after a few days of reflection I chose to try my luck and apply for the trade of “Imagery Technician”. The answer came a lot sooner than I had anticipated; I guess the fact that I was artistically inclined played in my favor. Regardless, this proved to be drastic change in my life and probably the toughest decision I ever had to make. In November 2002, I left CFLRS and my ranks of Sergeant behind and went on to CFSATE Borden for five months QL3 training to become an Imagery Technician.
At the completion of my training I was transferred to (AETE) Aerospace Engineering Testing Establishment at 4 Wing Cold Lake. Being back to Alberta, was a good opportunity to rediscover the world of horses. Trying to be a horseman myself, at my leisure. So for the short time I was there, I took on Rodeo and Chuck Wagon races photography, plus tried my hand at some horse paintings. It was an exciting time. In September 2004 I went back to Borden to complete my formal training. Again this proved to be a pivotal point in my life. I came to realize that whatever plans we make for ourselves, there is some kind of outside force that sometimes comes and throws you off balance. Fortunately the human spirit is much stronger than we think, and life goes on. So I left Cold Lake behind and was transfered to the place where I started in the military, Valcartier. There I joined a new group, “Army News”. This experience was a blast of fun. I totally enjoyed being a cameraman and following the army in action to cover special stories that were aired on the Army News TV programs and on the web. I even got the chance to put on a parachute again and jump out of a perfectly good airplane, with a camera strapped to my helmet.
I Retired from the Reg Force in February 2006 and moved to Ottawa to start a new life as a Dependant, in order to support my new fiancee in her career and be together . I was employed at CFJIC as a reservist, in the Training section. My main role was to teach video skills to the Imagery Techs depeployed in Afghanistan. In the summer of 2007 we were relocated to CFB Borden where my lady teaches at the Imagery School while I work at PRETC as a Training NCO, teaching basic soldiering skills to young troops as they wait for their QL3 courses.
As far as my art is concerned, my personal military experience and significant war events influence everything that I paint. I do like painting equestrian country scenes for relaxation.
Roger Chabot
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