Indigenous veterans event honours those who served

By Glenn Miller for the LETHBRIDGE HERALD on January 4, 2025.

Submitted photo - Clarence Wolf Leg, who served with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, at centre, speaks with local military historian Glenn Miller, at left, and Kent Griffiths, curator from the Calgary Highlanders military museum, at right, during a recent dinner and education seminar at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club which was held to honour Indigenous veterans.

The Honoring Traditions and Reconciliation Society honoured its veterans from the Blackfoot Confederacy during a dinner and education seminar at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club recently. 

The dinner brought together veterans young and old to provide some updates on changes to services since they left the Canadian Armed Forces and to also educate them on some of the benefits that are available to them through Veterans Affairs Canada and other services. One of the goals was to establish a baseline of veterans in the area and start the process of helping to support teachers with educational products such as stories and pictures to enhance Remembrance material leading up to Nov. 8, Indigenous Day, and other Remembrance Day activities.

Some veterans were unable to attend but sent their regrets and look forward to a future event. Tom Soop of the Blood Tribe, currently living in Regina, served in both the U.S. Marines and the Princess Patricia Canadian Infantry. Bob Crane of the Siksika nation recently retired from the Canadian Armed Forces.

Funding for the dinner was provided by the Veterans Affairs Canada Community Partnership Program. The dinner was also sponsored by the Canadian War Brides and Family Association, Max Gibb of the Rocky Mountain Turf Club in sponsoring books Warrior and Nations by Jean Miso for Veterans and Glenn Miller.

Local military historian Glenn Miller was emcee for the event starting with the grand entry with veterans carrying the flags of the Confederacy followed by some traditional dancers. After the grand entry, Elder Lambert Fox of the Blood Tribe conducted a prayer. Miller introduced David Thomas from Veteran Affairs Canada who is a member of the Indigenous Veterans Team. Their mandate is to conduct outreach to Indigenous Veterans across Canada to help them explain what Veterans Affairs Canada can provide for them. They also seek input in how VAC can help improve delivery of services. This was done through a prerecorded video greeting.

Miller gave a presentation on some of his research of the Blackfoot Confederacy veterans he has put together. He also shared the importance of museums at the local, provincial and national level which may hold other content of past veterans that the families may not be aware. Andrew Chernevych of the Galt Museum and Archives explained some of his services he provided from the archives.

Kent Griffiths, curator from the Calgary Highlanders military museum, gave an introduction from his museum. As a director of the Organization of Military Museums of Canada, he spoke about how they can help build relationships and assist in providing information of past veterans.Griffiths is also a president of a Legion Branch and explained how funding may be provided through the poppy fund in establishing monuments on the reserves.

Miller provided background and information on the Indigenous Veterans Initiative of the Last Post Fund, identifying veterans who may be in unmarked graves for more than five years. Miller recently had installed a traditional military marker for Teddy Brave Rock, a Blood Tribe member and Second World War veteran. Miller conducted a small dedication service with family members in the fall. Previously, Miller also conducted another dedication service for three stones in Siksika. Clarence Wolfleg, an elder and veteran in attendance for the dinner, spoke about the work the volunteer researcher does in locating and submitting names of unmarked graves of Veterans. As part of the imitative a traditional name is also engraved. He also shared some experiences his father received after return from the war.

The dinner was a success and a great start to reaching the goals of passing the torch of Remembrance from current Veterans to the next generation.

Miller is also looking for veterans to participate in the Grand Entries Guard of Honour for the International Peace Pow Wow being held February 22-23rd. If you are a Veteran and are interested in participating in the grand entry, contact Glenn Miller at 403-360-6076.