War veterans from the Gulf War gathered in Halifax on Saturday to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the end of the armed conflict.
On August 24, 1990, three Canadian warships departed Halifax for the Persian Gulf. “What is most striking is the little time they had to prepare for war: it was three weeks,” emphasized Lisa Sheffar, the commemorative program manager for Veterans Affairs Canada.
Over the following months, over 4,000 Canadians were deployed to push back Iraqi invading forces from Kuwait. 35 years ago, the coalition’s ground offensive ended, an operation that began four days earlier, on February 24, 1991.
To mark the occasion, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Gulf War Veterans Group of Canada organized a special commemoration event. “We brought together 25 veterans from across the country who were appointed as representatives: women, men, Navy, and Air Force. We gathered them here in Halifax for three days of commemorations,” explained Ms. Sheffar.
This war marked a first in Canadian military history: women were called to combat alongside their male colleagues in all professions. According to Lisa Sheffar, this is an important moment in the history of Canadian female military personnel.
Former naval combat operator Sylvia Glavin still vividly remembers the events. “It’s as if it happened in two seconds!” she exclaimed. At the time, she didn’t hesitate to volunteer when the opportunity arose. “The army opened combat positions to women and I said, ‘Oh, that’s for me!'”
Events and commemorations took place over three days and concluded with official ceremonies on Saturday morning.
