Local Indigenous veterans share their experiences

By Lethbridge Herald on November 6, 2025.

Alexandra Noad
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Indigenous people have always fought to protect their land, but Indigenous Soldiers returning home after serving in the First and Second World had their status taken away and were not given the same recognition their white peers did.

Because Indigenous veterans were often overlooked, in 1994 in Winnipeg Manitoba, the first Indigenous Remembrance Day was recognized on Nov. 8 to honour their service, resilience and leadership, while also recognizing the unique challenges they face during and after military service.

On Wednesday, Kendrick Fox (Naatoiipiksi-Holy Hitter) and Tricia Willows (Niiookskasokaatsiim-Three Holy Roots), who are both Blackfoot veterans attending the University of Lethbridge, had the opportunity to share their experiences and were honoured with blankets and an honour song.

Fox chose to pursue infantry, after reading about Indigenous warriors as a teenager and decided that joining the army would help him transition from boyhood to manhood, just as his ancestors did.

In July 2000, after graduating High School, Fox took a bus up to Edmonton where he joined the Indigenous Bold Eagle Training Corps, where he completed his basic training.

Immediately after completing basic training, he joined the Tommy Prince Infantry Initiative, a program named after the most decorated Indigenous soldier and aims to increase Indigenous recruitment into the infantry.

When he graduated infantry training, he had a month off, before returning to Winnipeg. Just two days after returning-this time as a fully trained soldier, they were informed America was under attack and two planes had struck the World Trade Centre.

The 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, was short 125 soldiers at the time so they reached out the battalion Fox was at.

Since Fox graduated at the top of his class, he was called out to serve and trained in Florida, before arriving in Afghanistan at the end of March.

Fox served in the military until 2003.

While he has dealt with PTSD from serving in the army, Fox says through connecting with his culture, he has been able to find peace.

“On one hand you have warfare, but you also need peace and within the culture you practice that peace and harmony…I understand it a lot more now in the spiritual aspect of you’re able to see both life and death.”

Willows served as a combat medic for the United States Army, completing basic training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina following which she completed combat medic training in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

During the last Row March, news of the World Trade Centre attack broke out. Because Willows was Canadian, she was unable to make a call home for a couple days. When she finally was able to call home, her mother was confident she would make it home.

Willows was able to go home for a short time, but was stationed in South Korea in October, where she would serve for 11 months.

She returned state-side for six months in Fort Polk Louisiana, following which she was deployed to Arifjan, Kuwait for three months.

Willows completed her four-year contract in Fort Polk Louisiana with the HHC 115th Field Hospital.

Coming from a lineage of veterans, from both sides of her family, Willows says she feels she was able to honour those who came before her by serving in the army.

“I feel that (by) joining I was really able to honour the people that joined before me and carrying on that warrior history.”

The Blood Tribe will be hosting their 31st Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11 to honour tribe members who have served.