Master Cpl. Jerri-Ann Starrett has found her home in Canada's military.
"The brotherhood is incredible," said Starrett, a 14-year veteran of the air force who years ago moved from Stellat'en First Nation in Petawawa before ending up on the Island, which she now calls home.
"I'm very proud to be serving in the military. It's very humbling. It makes me appreciate life."
Starrett has a long family history of military service. Most inspirational was her grandfather James Arthur Mould, a British veteran of both the First and Second World Wars.
Her Stellat'en great uncles Freddy, Joe and Fraser Isaac all served in the Second World War, too. Her aunt Evelyn McDermitt joined in 1958 and served in the medical corps, did two tours of Europe for a total of 27 years, eventually retiring a sergeant.
Starrett's niece and nephew are also young Stellat'en recruits.
Nowadays Starrett also works in recruitment with aboriginal communities, where she usually starts with her own story.
"I can only share my own experience. That's all I can do and let them know there are opportunities out there. I've had a really good career," she said.
"I'm a part of a brotherhood and a family that is so large and I want to share to that and express to them that this is made available to them."
In 2001, at age 34 and with two children, she took part in the three-week pre-recruiting training course (PRCT) for aboriginal people.
"We have so many different programs and we don't have the people applying," said Starrett, whose husband later joined the military too, when she was posted in Trenton, Ont. "We would like to have a lot more aboriginal with the Canadian Forces as well as any other trade."
Starrett said she's passionate about getting the word out to aboriginal communities about what military service can mean.
"I think it's really important for the communities to be able to let go of the past and look in the future. There's so many different opportunities for the young people to be able to look at the world in a different view," she said.
