Celebrate International Women’s Day With CMF Mag

On March 8 communities around the world marked International Women’s Day by hosting events to inspire and recognize women.

This year’s theme is Make it Happen and the team at Canadian Military Family Magazine (CMF Mag) opted to celebrate the day by featuring women in our community, the Canadian military community who are Making It Happen.

We spoke to women who are fiercely proud, loyal, strong and, above all, patriotic. Military member or military spouse they do their best every day to ensure the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is operationally ready and capable.

We kicked off our series of articles with Captain Sarah Rogers a Flight Test Engineer. She works with pilots to improve the capabilities of CAF aircraft. We also featured Paula Ramsay, a military spouse who devotes hundreds of volunteer hours each month to the Caregiver Brigade, an advocacy team supporting those who care for ill and injured military members and veterans.

Where else, but the Canadian Armed Forces does a woman have the opportunity to load and deploy canons? Corporal Kathleen Nyduk took the road less travelled when she became a gunner and that road suits her just fine. Physically and mentally fit Nyduk encourages women to challenge themselves to reach their full potential.

The Canadian military community is rich, diverse and geographically wide yet closely connected. Military spouse, Kim Mills’ blog, She is Fierce unites people across the country by sharing our common military experience in a witty, engaging way readers can relate to.

International Women’s Day prompted CMF Mag to explore some of the non-traditional roles that women take on when they join the military. Like Master Corporal Alexandria Ellins a combat engineer in the Canadian Army who took the road less travelled and loves every minute of her job. She offers some great advice to women considering combat trades.

From the bridge of a ship Lieutenant (N) Nadia Shields describes to us how two short years after graduation she managed a dive team, bridge team, section of junior members and deployed to the Middle East.

Military spouses are faced with the challenge of losing their social support network when they follow the military member on a posting. When Sue Palmer moved from the United Kingdom to Canada she missed the social support of her choir so much she began the Ottawa Canadian Military Wives Choir, now over 50 members strong.

When deployed with HMCS Toronto Ordinary Seaman Robyn Nicholson had the opportunity to play hockey against an all-male Romanian team. Imagine what they thought when she pulled off her hockey helmet after the second period, and they realized they were playing against a woman. It is obvious OS Nicholson enjoys shooting guns and pucks.

Change can be daunting and challenging at the same time, but Corporal Susan Currie never let’s that stop her. Making the decision to join the CAF later in life has opened doors of opportunity she never knew existed. Once again, she is boldly taking a chance by changing careers within the airforce.

Mothers of fallen soldier’s hold, a special place in the hearts of all Canadians and Maureen Eykelenboom, mom of the late Corporal Andrew “Boomer” Eykelenboom is no exception. Working tirelessly for eight years she raised over one million dollars for the Boomer’s Legacy Foundation. In October 2014 she refocused and now plans to participate in the Wounded Warrior Big Battlefield Bike Ride 2015 in Vimy Ridge

CMF Mag salutes these admirable women ‘Making it Happen’ in our military community. We encourage our readers to make every day International Women’s Day, do your part to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.