Why I am proud to be part of a military family

Rachel Harvey is a long-time member of the True Patriot Love community and has also supported the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto and 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler as a volunteer. Her son, Matt, serves in the Canadian Armed Forces. Recently, as part of our Proud to Be campaign, she told True Patriot Love why she is proud to be in a military family.

I have been the mother of a soldier for almost seven years now.  

It was a surprise for our family when Matt chose to enlist. I remember asking him at the time what was behind this decision, and what he said really resonated with me: he said he wanted to be part of a team, and he wanted to do something that he felt made a difference.

A parent’s pride

Watching our son fully become the person he is now makes me proud, listening to the way he talks about things, listening to the speed and definitiveness with which he can make decisions. He has very good people around him who have recognized this and have helped foster this in him.

Being in a military family changes how you watch the news. Whether your child is home or deployed, when you look at the international news, you think about what the implications might be for Armed Forces members. One thing that people don't understand about military families is the weight we carry that we cannot share with other people; they don't see the things we worry about quietly.  

Families serve, too

As a parent, my service is making sure that Matthew feels strong and confident in the knowledge that his parents feel strong and confident in his skills, his work, and the people around him. He needs to know that we believe that he is going to be okay.

On the lighter side, I have done the Canada Army Run every year since he enlisted. I don't run and I don't enjoy it. I have failed to complete a Couch to 5K program more times than I care to admit, but I have signed up for the Army Run every year to raise funds since he joined. Being able to support the members of the Armed Forces means something different to me because they are our family now, too.

When I think about what that service looks like, the first thing that comes to mind is something my son said: every civilian outranks every member of the Canadian Armed Forces, from the Chief of Defence Staff on down. That spoke to me about how he – and, I am sure, most servicemembers – feel about their responsibility to their job, to Canadians and to protecting our country. 

It is a privilege to be able to support Veterans and those who serve. I’m proud to be part of a military family.