Ashton Redding was only a teenage boy when he took the plunge and donned his green army uniform for the first time.
Three years later, 19-year-old Redding and his fellow soldiers threw open their base’s doors to the local public, showing them how to work everything from radio sets to a massive grenade launcher at the Canadian Army Reserve Open House in Truro on Sept. 29.
“What made me join the reserves? Well, I was 16 years old, still in school, wanted a part-time job, wanted to have some fun and learn some skills,” said Redding. “I’ve loved it ever since.”
Redding is a member of The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), who are seeking to recruit nearly 100 new soldiers as local reservists. New recruits can learn skills such as outdoor survival and training on weapons such as the standard C7 assault rifle and 50-calibre machine guns.
The open house was a chance for family members to see first-hand what their loved ones do for a living – and Redding’s younger sisters Skylar Frizzell and Stella Parker came to see their big brother. Joining them was their mother Angelina Frizzell.
As soldiers helped Skylar cock the 50-calibre machine gun – no mean feat on a heavy weapon – Angelina described what Redding’s army service meant to her.
“As long as we’re doing things together it’s happy. Military-wise as a mom it’s a little more nerve-wracking but that’s just being a mom, it doesn’t matter what it is,” said Frizzell. “[Redding’s sisters] like to see what their brother’s doing, they’re always asking questions and he’s always good at teaching them, so why not bring them down and they can see it first-hand?”
Such first-hand experience also meant visitors could get in some target practice on an indoor virtual shooting range. Rifles were hooked up to a computer screen displaying pop-up targets, allowing people to fire simulated shots at on-screen targets, not unlike a video game.
Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Todd, commanding officer of The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), was keen for people in Colchester County to enjoy such-hands-on experience with his 200 or so soldiers.
For him, a career in the reserves does not just mean a little extra money his pocket, but valuable skills for life.
“I joined almost 32 years ago and the army helped me find my confidence. I’m a schoolteacher in my full-time job today and I probably wouldn’t be a schoolteacher if it wasn’t for my experience and training in the reserves. The reserves offer a variety of skills and training that are not only great for personal development and growth, but the skills are often transferrable to civilian jobs as well,” said Todd.
For those new recruits wishing to sign up, Todd said that he aims to build a platoon of 38 soldiers by 2021, who can deploy with regular forces overseas. Highlanders reservists have already served in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Latvia.
Similar such open houses were held at the Highlanders’ other armouries in Pictou and Springhill. It formed part of a national open house held at reserve bases across Canada.
