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Calgary Herald

Stampede military display seeing heavy foot traffic in wake of federal funding announcement

Article content The yearly Canadian Armed Forces midway display is seeing extra traffic this Stampede, as attendees line up to climb vehicles, pilot simulations, and ask rank and file service members exactly how they'd spend the billions of dollars in additional military funding recently announced by the federal government. Article content 'I myself have received numerous questions on how we should spend it,' Warrant Officer David McMurtry said. Article content Article content Article content Lieutenant Jafar Faraji, an officer helping with the display's recruitment station, was also asked about it. 'We have some people coming up and saying that they're happy to see the increased funding. From our end, it's kind of above my pay grade,' he said. Article content Article content Captain Patrick Jacques is the officer leading the display this year, and has been helping on the grounds for more than a decade. He said the funding announcements have brought the Canadian Forces into the public eye in a way he has not seen in years. Article content 'Like when Afghanistan started. People are starting to be like, 'oh, we have a military?' and they start to pay more attention to us,' he said. Article content Among those who have stopped by the display, Jacques said he has seen visitors from Germany, Sweden and Japan, along with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chief of Defence Staff Jennie Carignan. Article content Article content 'Most of the days we've had, I would say a handful of good prospects that hopefully make it in,' said Faraji. 'There's one gentleman that I ran into and I tried to do my best, 'Hey, looking for a job?' sort of thing. And he's like, 'Yes, I want to be a logistics officer,'' said Jacques. Article content Article content Those numbers are notable, according to Master Sailor Scott Broderick, because the Stampede isn't meant to be a recruiting event. Article content 'It's more of an outreach. Just to let people know we exist and that there's opportunities here for a career,' he said. 'Let every Canadian know that we do have a navy, even though they don't see it all the time because we only have two main bases. We have one in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and one in Esquimalt, B.C.'