teenLook #6 - November 2019 - Arizona Skeoch

Mac spent nearly four decades of
his life devoted to and serving his
country in the Canadian Military.
On various home-based operations
across Canada, as well as participating
in numerous overseas United
Nations (UN) Peacekeeping missions
that took him to the Sinai Desert
(now Palestine) Germany and Yugoslavia.
In 1987, Mac participated as an
exchange instructor in England.
There he trained English soldiers as
a demolitions instructor for three
years.
Along with Mac, he was fortunate
to have his wife accompany him for
most of his overseas deployments.
The two met in Chilliwack, BC and
were married in 1969. They have
been side by side ever since, having
just celebrated fifty years of marriage
this past July.
A unique opportunity for Mac was
during the mid-eighties at the Canadian
Forces Base Shilo, Manitoba.
The sprawling Manitoba base was
used primarily for tank training.
More than 4,000 German soldiers
have come to Shilo each year since
1974, and for 25 years, the German
Military conducted heavy weapon
operational exercises. They had
roughly sixty Leopard tanks on base.
Mac was on staff maintaining the
training fields.
A German Leopard2 tank
during Military Excersises
Photo / Shemback / 1986
In 1997, Upon retiring from the Regular
Forces, Mac transferred to the Primary
Reserve Force for an additional two and
a half years.
“I am a proud holder of the
Order of Military Merit (MMM),
the Canada Decoration with 2
bars, the Order of Alberta and
other Service Medals, which
are on the left side of my
blazer.”
PHOTO / James Goodwin
28 \ teenlook.ca \ MAC