Jolliffe enjoys being 'part of a family'
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Monday's Remembrance Day service was a special one for Sergeant Trisha Jolliffe, budget coordinator at the Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre in Borden.
The Tillsonburg native, who has been an active member of Canada's armed forces for the past 19 years, was able to join the Monday's service in front of the cenotaph on Broadway under overcast skies.
Jolliffe's introduction to the military lifestyle came at the age of 17 when she joined the reserves, an armored reconnaissance unit, then an engineer's unit.
"My dad wanted me to join -- he thought I needed real discipline," said Jolliffe, smiling. "I wanted to try it – and ended up enjoying it. I loved it so much."
It was the camaraderie she enjoyed most.
"It felt like a family in the unit, right away. And I enjoyed shooting guns, throwing grenades... all the weapons."
She switched from reserves to regular forces after a six-month tour in Bosnia in 2001.
"When I came home, I enjoyed my tour so much that I decided to join full-time. I had a good job (in Bosnia). I was the task force engineer's driver, so I drove all over the country. I loved being able to go out seeing the countryside. Despite the war, it's a beautiful country."
She was posted to Borden, Ont., then Petawawa, where spent nine years.
"In 2006 I did a tour to Afghanistan - six months. Later, they started making the rotations nine months to a year.
"It was scary," she admitted. "I went over with the Canadian Field Hospital. My role was to assist the medical staff with removing personal affects off casualties (soldiers) coming into the hospital. After they went into surgery, I did the administration on that particular incident.
"I think I had been there a month-and-a-half, and the hospital was hit by a rocket in the middle of the night. Showing up the next morning and seeing holes all over... it was kind of like a great big tent (weather haven), and the lights were blown out, holes in the ceiling, holes in everything.
"I would say the rocket attacks were the scariest thing in camp. As well as seeing the injuries on all the soldiers coming in."
Upon returning to Canada, she was in military finance and administration at Petawawa.
"My best stint in Petawawa was with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, an armored unit. Going to the field, on exercise with them, was a lot of fun. Again, part of a family."
Every year she has to 'qualify' her soldier skills, so she still shoots, still throws grenades.
"Technically you're still a soldier first and a tradesman second."
In the summer of 2013 she was posted to Borden, and works at the 'logistics school' – the Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre.
"Training new soldiers in my trade – resource management support clerk. I love it. Still love the camaraderie. And the traveling – it's still possible I could go overseas, and with my trade you could go anywhere... like an embassy."
Jolliffe's younger brother, Sergeant Dallas Suttie, is also in the armed forces, stationed at Petawawa.
"He followed in his sister's footsteps," Jolliffe smiled.