Cam Pomeroy’s Desire to Serve

 Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent

Cam Pomeroy wanted to join the Canadian Forces from an early age because he came from a military family.  Both his mother and father served during World War II.  “My father was in the Canadian Army, while my mother served in the Navy as a Wren.  All my uncles served during World War II, as well.  I grew up with my father telling all about his service, and I always wanted to do something that not everybody did.” 

Pomeroy enlisted in the Army in 1984. His training, together, took a total time of about two years. 

His trade in the Army was Infantry.  His first posting was to the Canadian Airborne Regiment.  While there, he served within the regiment, in 3 Commando, and the RECCE platoon, which at the time was the most elite unit in the Canadian Army.  While in the regiment, Pomeroy trained in various locations across Canada, the US, and Germany, and he served on the UN mission to Somalia.  “I was then posted to the Canadian Airborne Center, where we taught all different phases of parachuting, as well as equipment loads for air drops.  I left the Airborne center for 3 PPCLI.  While there, I served on a UN tour of duty in the Balkans.  My final posting was to Ottawa, to JTF2, where I served all over the world in covert missions.  After 911, I served four separate tours in Afghanistan.  Our primary role over there was acting on intelligence reports and performing kill or capture missions on senior Taliban leaders.  I retired medically in November 2002.” 

Pomeroy went on to express that the highlights of his service would have to be the lifelong brothers that he has from it, as well as getting to see some parts of the world that very few get to see.  “The major challenges that my service has created for me have to be the long-term physical injuries that I now have to live with each day, as well as I developed PTSD from being exposed to severe mental trauma while deployed on tours in very violent and dangerous places in the world.  I have been asked several times if it was worth it, and I'll reply as such: “I wasn't looking for riches or money or medals. I was doing what I thought was important in protecting our country and the peace that we enjoy. And you'd be surprised at what a simple thank you means to me."