To mark Canadian Armed Forces Day, we sat down with Greg, a former Reservist in Calgary who has been with the company since 2005, to talk about his impressive military career and perspectives on working at General Dynamics.

Greg, can you share a bit about your military career? 

I joined the Reserves in 1989 as an armoured reconnaissance crewman, and in 1993 deployed to Croatia with the Second Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). When I came home back to my Reserve unit, I was in the armoured capacity as a gunner—and then our unit switched back to reconnaissance in the early 2000s. After Croatia, I was also active in domestic operations like fighting forest fires in BC, helping out with floods and things like that. So I was still a member of The King’s Own Calgary Regiment when I joined General Dynamics in 2005. I released in 2016. 

What is your current role at General Dynamics?

I’m the corporate security manager for Calgary, responsible for the security of all programs in Calgary with a special focus on the  programs that have anything to do with classified, NATO, COMSEC, etc. information, and I also oversee the Controlled Goods Program. I manage all these programs in Calgary with a small team.

What led you to choose to work for GD? 

I always liked the idea of working in protection. Throughout my time in the Reserves, I also managed corporate security for another international company, was a licensed private investigator for years, and even worked with armoured car services when I was in my early 20s. I had a lot of friends from my Reserve unit who were working at GD in Calgary—and General Dynamics was looking for a security manager in 2005. I thought it sounded like it might be right up my alley. And it was. It worked out pretty well!

Are there specific benefits GD provides to Reservists/those in military?

Yes! Our military leave policy has always been outstanding—the best I’ve ever heard of. I remember doing my interview with General Dynamics in 2005, when the VP said to me, “Since you’re a Sergeant in the Reserves, do you plan on deploying?” I thought the appropriate answer in a job interview would be, “No sir, I hope to make a career out of this job and stay here for a number of years.” So I told him that I had no intention of deploying and he responded, “Well, we understand there can be obligations, so please know we are completely supportive of that.” That kind of took me by surprise!

Why did that surprise you? 

I’ve got plenty of friends who work in different industries, and a lot of them have to take time off without pay. In fact, that's what I used to have to do at my own job before I started with GD—if I went on a course or was helping during the floods or whatever, I would have to use vacation time to do it. But GD doesn't do that—they support the service when they go away, which I always thought was pretty cool. I did sometimes go on courses that might require a month away, and the company would essentially do a salary top-off, ensuring I’d make the same amount of money that I would have made had I been at General Dynamics full-time.

Did you have the opportunity to deploy overseas while at General Dynamics?

Right around the time I joined General Dynamics, I had the opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan—but I ultimately decided not to go. It was probably the hardest decision I ever made, especially when so many of my friends were going. Plus, when the US gets attacked, to me that’s like Canada getting attacked, as they’re our closest ally. But by the time I had a chance to be deployed, I was a new father with a young son, and I didn’t think it was necessarily the right thing for my family—especially for him—if something were to happen to me.

I struggled a lot with my decision for many years, losing close friends in battle and thinking that maybe if I had been there in Afghanistan with them, that would have made a difference. But at the end of the day, I think I made the right decision—and my son still has a dad.

What do you like best about working for General Dynamics? 

Having spent 27 years cumulatively as both a Reservist and in the Regular Force, I’m obviously drawn to patriotism and duty. Working for General Dynamics allows me to still be part of that “bigger picture” without having to deploy and risk my son growing up without a father.

But also, the overall mission for General Dynamics is the same as when you work in the service: it’s about security, whether that’s national security or national defence. It's our job as a team to provide our military and allied militaries the tools they need to be successful in their operations, and to come home safely. I take my job very seriously in ensuring that the right people only see information they're supposed to see, and that ability to safeguard things contributes to the success of the entire program.

Canadian Armed Forces Day is on the first Sunday every year in June.  What does this day mean to you? 

From a soldier’s point of view, it's a day of reflection for me. I mean, I often think about the buddies that I lost—not just on Remembrance Day or on days like Canadian Armed Forces Day. But also, it’s another day to reflect and take pride in knowing I participated.

How can Canadians commemorate Canadian Armed Forces Day themselves?

Since Afghanistan, there’s been a lot more support and momentum for the military in Canada. However, we’ve had peacekeeping missions all over the world for years that many Canadians never even know about. I’d appreciate civilians just maybe giving a minute or two to think a bit about what the military means to them—maybe even see what some local units have planned in terms of activities on Canadian Armed Forces Day!