It's been thirty years achieving his wings, and Captain Michel Besnard finally earned them last Friday. It was the 3CFFTS graduation in Southport. Besnard was unable to go through the training required to earn his wings several years ago due to extremely bad eyesight. but technology in the medical field changed and he had laser surgery that allowed him to continue.

Capt. Michel BesnardBesnard is 47-years old now, and first enlisted back in 1987 after high school. Following years of service work, having won six medals, he was proud to see his lifelong dream fulfilled.

"I came back here in 2014 in my Phase One," says Besnard. "I continued on to do my Phase Two in Southport and was accepted for Phase Three Helicopter which I completed today. Now I'm posted to a squadron for the next two years. That's the operational training unit in Gagetown, NB, for the Griffon (helicopter)."

He says it feels great after all of this time. Besnard says he encourages anyone to continue the hard work required, and never let go of your dreams and you'll achieve them.

Besnard also won the Portage la Prairie Award presented by Mayor Irvine Ferris.

Mayor Irvine Ferris presenting Besnard with Portage la Prairie Award"It was good. I've always felt that as a military member, it's always important to be involved in the community and to volunteer. This is something I strived to do from the time I was here. It's not just something that makes you feel good, yourself, but it's also an example for the young kids coming through here. A lot of the young students weren't born when I joined. So, I try to instill in them the example to do community work and do work before self. Every time an opportunity came up, I always volunteered. I guess they recognized that and it was nice to be recognized."

He describes some of the six medals on his chest.

"Some of them came from peace-keeping. I have a medal from Cyprus. Then there are associated medals for peacekeeping. I have a medal here for Operation Polo. That was the operation following the 911 attacks," adds Besnard.

 

Wings pinned to Besnard's uniform