BATTLEFORD — Veteran Ron Falcon was wearing the first poppy pinned at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 9 in Battleford last Friday when he said, “It’s a good move” to have joined the Legion.
“They [the country and legion] treat you good,” said Falcon.
“If you can do that [joining the Legion], it's a good move… Because you settle down,” he said.
Ron Falcon spent 50 years of his life between the service of Canada and the Legion. “I was a leading seaman [in Digby, Nova Scotia]. While on the two ships, we travelled to 20 countries,” he wrote in a handwritten note.
Before returning to Battleford to be closer to home, Falcon had led the Legion in Maidstone for nine years after requesting his release.
“I just liked it. My dad was 65 years old so I'm just kind of following his boots.”
Each year, the local legion pauses to honour the sacrifices of those who fought and died for their country. This year starts with a poppy-pinning ceremony.
“I chose Ron as he is one of our older veterans who has been part of the legion for many years. To date, there are only a couple that have that many years… He is always there to help still,” wrote Legion Branch #9 President Paula Zadko-Kulyk in an email.
The Legion started selling wreaths and set up donation boxes for a fresh poppy season that same morning.
“We have new ones [members] that move in and but the remainder of us, we just know, this is that time of year,” said Zadko-Kulyk of the poppy season.
“It's like Christmas. It's just a given. And it becomes not about us. It becomes about the veterans, past and present,” she said.
Afghanistan veteran Brian Picard just came back home last Christmas.
During his time in Afghanistan serving in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1985 until his retirement in 2011, achieving the rank of Master Warrant Officer and serving as Company Sergeant Major of a service battalion with 320 personnel; Picard faced 67 attacks, primarily from rockets and mortars.
The rockets were often fired from 11 kilometres away, leading to unpredictable landings, which he referred to as "rocket bingo."
“The coalition forces didn't waste their time in Afghanistan. We didn't get the gains we wanted, but there were certainly gains there,” Picard said as he referred to the coalition’s efforts in education, particularly aimed at women.
Picard is happy to bring his stories back to the Battlefords.
“I don't think I'm legendary. I'm certainly part of a group who was legendary.
“We have to bring in the veterans that are walking amongst us and recognize them, even though they're not dead buried and in a grave, there are still veterans amongst us.
Picard stressed the need to bring the light to the younger generation that there's more than just First and Second World Wars in the poppy campaign.
“We have to make the poppy campaign bigger and more enlightening, from World War One to all the conflicts that even exist today, that everybody who's a veteran in those conflicts needs to be recognized.”
Back in the room, one of the younger veterans present for the season's first poppy pinning was Craig Stewart, who returned home to Battleford last year after long service in Halifax.
“My family has a history of them in the military,” he said.
Stewart shared the unique bond with his relatives, some of whom fought on opposing sides during World War II, noting the complex tapestry of military service in his family: “We then fought against each other, but we're still family, and so [I’m] honouring them as well.”
As he prepares for the poppy campaign, Stewart carries not only flags but also the memories of those who came before him.
“When you go down Main Street, all the banners, a lot of the family here is, that's their family hanging. So it's just a memorable time of year for them because they have direct connections to veterans. It's not somebody out of Ontario, they’re veterans who are here part of this Legion. So I think that's a big thing to see their family members hanging on the banners to be able to come to the service. And it's a small town. I've been here since I was seven years old. So, you know, everybody knows everybody.
“I'm excited [about the poppy campaign], and I think we've started making some good changes, hopefully enough to bring in the younger generations now, as everybody's starting to get older,” Zadko-Kulyk said.
