Debbie Dompierre defies the age Barrier

When most women in their late 50s are looking forward to CPP and perhaps OAP and days of leisure. This woman, Mother, Grandmother has completed her basic training in Camp Borden Ontario.

This to me Symbolises the true dedication of some Canadians to our Military and indeed to our Military Family. At the age of 56 years, this Proud Canadian is about to serve her country. Her family must be so proud of her. I for one Canadian and a Veteran SALUTE her. This is the story from the Vancouver Sun.

VICTORIA — A 56-year-old British Columbia grandmother has become the oldest reservist to graduate from basic training with the Canadian Forces, beating 20-somethings in the gruelling training process.

Debbie Dompierre, an accountant and bookkeeper, decided to join the military when she couldn't find a job after moving back to Victoria in 2008.

Her husband is in the Royal Canadian Navy and the family was posted back to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt after several years in Ottawa.

Dompierre, a mother of four with four grandchildren, had found age discrimination an issue in landing a full-time job in her profession.

She applied to the Canadian Forces in spring 2010 and waited it out, working at Walmart and beginning intensive weight training and long-distance running daily to get into shape. Dompierre passed the written tests, but was rejected after a physical revealed a hearing disability in her left ear.

"I wasn't taking no for an answer," she said.

Dompierre had an operation that improved her hearing enough for her to be accepted the second time around, last October.

She was sworn in Feb. 3 and joined HMCS Malahat, a Victoria-based reserve division. In June, she started her nine-week training course at Canadian Forces Base Borden, training during a heat wave in southern Ontario in temperatures of nearly 50 C.

Dompierre, who stands five feet even, found herself surrounded by buff young men and women.

She was one of only three people older than 25 in the training camp. Five in their early 20s threw in the towel, but Dompierre was determined to keep going.

"It's just as hard as it looks on TV," she said, describing the obstacle courses, strength tests, rappelling drills and weapons training. "There's drill sergeants. They do yell all the time, they scream in your face."

Dompierre said she didn't get any breaks on account of being more seasoned than the rest.

"Sometimes, I think they expected more from me," she said.

But she said she never felt uncomfortable or looked down upon, and met some lifelong friends during training.

Dompierre celebrated her 56th birthday on Aug. 3, three weeks before she graduated as an ordinary seaman.

"One of the instructors said, 'Is it true it's your 56th birthday?' I said, 'Yes' and she said, 'Wow, that's very impressive,'" Dompierre recalls.

So impressive that Dompierre scored high enough on her physical test — 137 when she needed a 75 — that she's exempt from the test next year.

Dompierre said she couldn't have gone through the training without the support of her husband, Eric Meredith, 46, who recently retired as a chief petty officer 2nd class at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. Her oldest son served in Canada's navy for five years and her stepson is also a leading seaman in the Royal Canadian Navy.

"It's like I'm starting all over again and doing something I've always dreamt of, but never thought possible," Dompierre said.

She will try to get a contract position as a resource management support clerk at CFB Esquimalt and hopes to go on deployment.

"I've been a military mom and wife for 15 years, so I've always been very proud of the military. So now it's my turn."

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/year+Grandma+joins+Canadian+Forces/5380380/story.html#ixzz1Xb90N200

BRAVO ZULU Deb ! ! ! !

Please give a thought to our serving personeel and their families members of Canada's Invisible army. www.invisiblearmycanada.ca

Nil Sine Labore

Robby