N.A.T.O. - 60TH ANNIVERSARY
April 4- 2009
N.A.T.O. VETERANS ORGANIZATION
60TH ANNIVERSARY
Hello, and welcome everyone: My name is Gerry Bryan.
I would like to take a moment to THANK the representatives of the Federal and Provincial Governments, the City of Brantford and Brant County Mayors, plus the R C Legion branches and other Veterans Associations, Our guest speaker, who will speak to you shortly. Sea, Army and Air Cadets, and numerous Guest that are attending this event,
The 60th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO.
Sixty years ago today, April 4th, 1949.Twelve nations signed a Treaty called NATO and CANADA was one of those Nations.
This was the beginning of the cold war era, with NATO troops positioned in Western Europe, as a deterrent to any threat from the Russian zone to the east
Most flare up disputes around the world fell under the responsibilities of the United Nation and assigned to the Peace Keeping Forces of the World.
All the while Canadian and other NATO forces were positioned through out the Western Zone in Europe. In the early Sixties all military branches of the service were put on special alert during the Cuban crises between United States, Soviet Union and Cuba, on the verge of a Nuclear war, what could have been the threat of world war three. NATO’s military sea, land and air forces, were in something similar to a Peacekeeping Stance, although it was never recognized as such, by any of the United Nation member countries.
Shortly after Canada’s NATO Force mandate in Afghanistan changed to a combat operation, a group of five ex service members who had served under the NATO Flag that live in the Fredericton New Brunswick Area decided it was time that a NATO Veterans Organization should be established.
What started as a small branch of 10 members in Fredericton in March 2006 has blossomed to 840 plus Veterans to date and is still growing, with members both men and women through out the world in Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, New Zealand, Switzerland and United States.
In Canada there are now SIX branches, Br.1-HQ- Fredericton, NB. Br.2-Greater Toronto, Br.3- Ottawa/Gatineau, Br.4- St Julien Quebec, Br.5- Cambridge Area, Br.6- Manitoba Area, and a new Br.7 on the verge of being formed in Alberta.
The Cambridge Area branch 5 was established July 29- 2008 with the required mandatory member head count of 10, to start a branch. Our numbers have grown to 30 members, of which two are women. Excluding HQ, this branch has the second largest branch membership in Canada.
Our Veterans have served on Navy, Army and Air Force assignments, around the world.
Most are also active members of Military Associations in one of three branches of the Armed Forces, and or the Royal Canadian Legion Branches in areas where they reside, such as, Brantford, Cambridge, Dundas, Fergus, Guelph, Kitchener, Mount Hope and Waterloo.
All our members have access to application forms, if you wish to join the organization and our branch 5.
I invite you to have a look at our webpage, NATO Veterans Organization, where you will find a NATO Poster along with information of who we are
And what we are about, plus the Aims and Objectives of the Organization.
In closing, I would like to thank the organizers who are responsible for to-days event, for with out them this ceremony would not be taking place.
Our branch 5 members, Vice President Ron McNulty and Don Spiece and the Naval Club Galley Volunteers.
Finally, I’ll ask all of you during today’s silence to please remember the 587 NATO Armed Forces, and their 926 dependents, buried in Europe during the cold war. Also the 116 Military Forces, One Diplomat & Three Civilian Aid workers killed in Afghanistan, that are fresh in our minds.
I thank you for your patience, "Pacem et Libertas", Peace and Liberty. Thank you again for attending and enjoy the rest of your day.
