by Sandi Knight
(former CFPSA summer student, Ottawa)

Recently, I told a friend that I was invited to attend a wedding reception at the mess. "The mess," she said, “what’s that?” I explained that the mess is a place where the military builds morale among its personnel and their families; a restaurant/nightspot that functions as the social centre for Canada’s forces. "Have you ever been to a mess?" she asked. Laughingly, I replied, "I grew up in a mess!"

Sandi and her dad in 1980

As a child, I remember standing in the window of the Warrant Officers and Sergeants’ Mess watching Santa Claus rappel from a helicopter. He landed with ease and had gifts for all. For me, the mess was a special place. I put on my favourite dress to go there; I watched my parents laugh and dance there; I made memories there.

When I started working at the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) for the summer, I learned of the many services it offers military members and their families. True, the CFPSA was not officially established until 1995. However, many of the services it provides fixed their roots long ago. As a child, I never really thought about it. However, I now recognize how these services—services such as the mess— not only touched my life, but shaped it.

Take CANEX for example. CANEX is where I went with my weekly allowance. Every weekend my younger brother and I would hop on our bikes—our two dollars in hand— and head off to buy a “treat.” Little did we know that the money we spent helped build the facilities in which we figure skated and played hockey.

Another CFPSA service that impacted my life, albeit indirectly, was deployment support. When I was 18, my father was stationed in Rwanda. My family and I had little contact with him. We relied on letter writing and looked forward to the few phone calls that we received. It was a challenging time; however, I took comfort in small things.

Photo: Lyndon Goveas

On one occasion, for example, my father ended a phone call by saying that he was going to watch the movie "Speed". This statement was something that I could relate to; my dad was going to watch a Keanu Reeves movie; for the next two hours he would be okay. At the time, I didn't know that my father's movie watching was the result of a service now provided by PSP's deployment support. Now that I do, I not only feel better about my dad's time in Africa, I know that, as my brother gets ready to leave for Bosnia, he will be well taken care of.

CFPSA programs and services are essential to the military community. I can personally attest to the fact that they provide military family members with a great place to spend their allowance. They also enable you to be part of a group; they keep you fit; and they comfort you when needed. The CFPSA truly succeeds in "Serving Those Who Serve" - even if, as a child, you don't realize it.