Photo supplied.
Andrew Kim leading training exercises on the airfield.
Greetings From Kosovo: Former Millbrook Resident Describes the Start of a Career with the Canadian Armed Forces.
Andrew Kim and his siblings Eugene and Audery grew up in Millbrook where his parents owned and operated Mister Convenience for many years. A typical teenager who played football for Holy Cross in his high school years, this son of Korean immigrants Min and Young Kim was eager to find his own path in their adopted country while honouring his Korean background. After graduating, he chose a career in the Canadian Armed Forces. Below he describes his journey in that organization.
Photo supplied.
Andrew Kim with proud parents at Millbrook Remembrance Day, 2016.
A Career Across the Nation and Across the Globe
By Major Andrew Kim, Canadian Joint Operations Command, Pristina, Kosovo
After I finished high school in 2010, I enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) through the Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP) as a Logistics Officer. The promise of a free post-secondary education, salary, benefits and pensionable time were all selling points for this entry program. One of the key draws at that time was the appeal of the adventure and calling to serve our country while travelling the world. Another factor came from my upbringing. My parents are South Korean immigrants to Canada who became naturalized citizens, and they instilled in me at an early age the core value of the importance and respect for military service. This also explains why many Canadian Koreans are currently serving or have served in the CAF.
After the completion of my undergraduate studies at the Royal Military College of Canada, I was commissioned as an Officer, promoted to Second Lieutenant and posted to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg in December 2015. From there I relocated to Borden, where I completed my occupational-specific training as a Logistics Officer with a specialty in Transport. Next came a promotion to Lieutenant and deployment to Kuwait on Operation IMPACT with the Air Task Force – Iraq (ATF-I).
This first deployment provided me with a great opportunity to learn both about deployed operations within a Canadian context, and with respect to other countries. The ATF-I at that time was providing tactical airlift and air-to-air refueling support and was beginning to transition to the current capacity-building role that is a part of Canada’s whole-of-government approach to the Middle East. During this deployment, I worked as the Air Task Force Liaison Officer for transiting sustainment flights and as the Operations Officer for the Mission Support Element of the ATF-I. I was promoted to Captain before returning to Canada in September 2018. Upon my return, I received further training as a Movements Officer in Borden, as well as a Mobile Air Movements Section Officer (MAMS O) in Trenton.
Shortly after, I moved closer to him through a post to CFB Trenton in September 2019 as a Mobile Air Movement Section where I remain today. In this section I am able to pursue my dream of travelling the world, because the mandate of this Squadron is to support flying and airlift activity on operations domestically and abroad. For example, I have participated in a Tactical Air Transport (TAT) Exercise with the United States Air Force as well as helping the Jamaican Defense Force for future Humanitarian and Disaster Relief efforts in a training capacity. Although the ongoing pandemic has limited opportunities somewhat, this assignment has enabled me to learn a lot and provided many meaningful friendships and memories as the Squadron has remained busy in providing uninterrupted support to flying operations.
Today, I am deployed overseas once more on Operation KOBOLD in Kosovo. Prior to this deployment, I was promoted in an acting capacity to Major so that I could fulfill my duties in a joint, multinational setting as a member of the CAF contribution to the NATO peacekeeping mission with the Kosovo Force (KFOR). This is a tremendous opportunity to learn and develop relationships with some of the other troop contributing nations. The reception by the local population has been overwhelmingly positive, and has truly made an impression on the troops currently deployed here.
This NATO mission began under the authority of the United Nations (UN Security Council Resolution 1244). NATO has been leading a peace support operation in Kosovo since June 1999 in support of wider international efforts to build peace and stability in the area. KFOR’s mission is to contribute to a safe and secure environment, to support and coordinate the international humanitarian effort and civil presence, to support the development of a stable, democratic, multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo, and to support the development of the Kosovo Security Force. There are currently 28 countries contributing to this mission, and the Canadian Contingent is currently on its 25th Rotation of Operation KOBOLD. Details regarding this particular NATO mission are available at https://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor.
This assignment is expected to wind up this spring. I look forward to reuniting with my family, friends, and puppy, and is anticipating a posting to a new Unit and position.
Has this experience worked the way I expected? I have to admit, I had no idea what I was signing up for when I first enrolled with the CAF. I had visited the website, spoken to some people, and had heard stories from my dad about his mandatory military service in South Korea. What I have come to learn about the CAF though is that there are several different ways to enroll, and that no two experiences are the same regardless of where you start. Moving around and being deployed may not interest everyone, so joining the Reserves is an option for those who wish to serve while staying in one geographic location. Ultimately though, I consider myself very fortunate due to the friends and relationships I have formed with my colleagues throughout my career so far. The CAF has enabled me to pursue post-secondary education and has set me up to continue post-graduate studies while working. The deployments have let me travel all over the world and experience a great deal. But this is not a career for everyone. There is so much out there in the world for us all to discover and pursue our own passions. For those who enjoy working in a team setting, are flexible and able to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, then joining the CAF could be a good fit. Thank you for your interest in my story, and I wish you all a fantastic 2022.
