Georgian proud of retired veterans who call the college home

Georgian acknowledges the sacrifices made by all the brave men and women in our Canadian military as we celebrate Remembrance Day. We will remember.

TONY RUSK

Retired Sergeant Tony Rusk joined the military in 1988. He spent most of his career in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps with posts to Germany, Gagetown, Meaford and Afghanistan.

Once he enlisted and finished his basic training, Tony did a bit of everything from driving tanks as a gunner and loader, supporting training in the armoured school in Meaford as well as supporting officer training courses.

When he retired in 2008, he stayed active as a reservist in Meaford and eventually retired from that in 2012. He needed to find something to do.

“My wife just didn’t just want me sitting around the house,” he laughs. “I was only 46 so it was too early to spend my time watching television.”

His last tour, to Afghanistan, was intense. He was a crew commander in a reconnaissance vehicle and did a lot of convoy escorts, traffic control points and surveillance.

When Tony returned home, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He says it was a very difficult time in his life and he credits his wife Corrina for her support in getting him through.

It was suggested to Tony that going back to school would be helpful, so he started with a construction techniques course at the Owen Sound Campus. While it was a great program and a way to see if he could handle the stress, Tony realized he really didn’t want to build houses.

He decided to try the Cabinetmaking Techniques program at the Barrie Campus and really enjoyed it.

Tony liked the personal discipline of going to school and says it fit with what he learned in the military. “You have to show up,” he says. “Be somewhere. Be on time. Do the job. And at the end of the day you have that satisfaction that you’ve accomplished something. That’s what I got out of my program.”

Working with cabinetmaking helped Tony with his concentration and made him more confident in his ability to make things.

“Before I would just dabble. I have a workshop at home and I would make small things,” he says. “Now I have a better understanding of certain tools and everything they are capable of doing.”

Tony says the faculty were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable – especially in the way they teach. “They always find the right way to explain things if you don’t understand a process – and in the case of cabinetmaking which is so hands-on, they know how to demonstrate something if you’re having issues with a particular technique.”

Tony graduated this past October and is looking forward to starting his own business – making cabinets as well as furniture.

“Making benches, stools, chairs and tables might seem mundane to some people but I find the planning and the actual construction very interesting. This will be my second career and keep me busy,” he says.

Read an inspiring story about another Cabinetmaking graduate, J.R. Smith, an infantry veteran and owner of Frontline Cabinetry. J.R. is using his experience to give other former soldiers the chance to learn a trade when they leave the military.

JOHN MERSEREAU

When Corporal John Mersereau, 54, retired from the military after 24 years of service as a technician in the aircraft sector, he decided he wanted to further his advancement in the aviation industry – something he’s very passionate about. He obtained his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence and in 2017, relocated from Picton to enrol in Georgian’s Aviation Management program.

During his military service, John worked as both an airframe/aviation technician and aircraft structural repair technician. While he spent time at many different bases in Canada throughout his military service, one of his favourite jobs after leaving the force was maintaining the flight program aircraft at the First Nation’s Technical Institute (FNTI) aviation program in Deseronto.

John has found some of the technology-based schooling a bit of a challenge for him but the discipline and time management skills he acquired while in the military are serving him well as a mature student. He adds that learning to work with young people has been an interesting experience for him so far. “Georgian is definitely providing me with a better understanding of the younger generations,” he chuckles.

In his spare time, John is completing his private pilot’s licence at Future Air located at the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport. He hopes to achieve his commercial floatplane pilot endorsement. After he graduates in 2020, he would like to leverage the management skills he picks up at Georgian into a management position back at FNTI.

He’s looking forward to his first co-op term and hopes to do it at the Collingwood Airport. “I think I would learn more at a local airport where I’ll have an opportunity to do more than just one job,” he says.

JOHN FISHER

Retired Major John Fisher is an outstanding example of a lifelong learner. With 11 postsecondary programs lining his extensive resumé – including three from Georgian – he loves to learn new things.

The Mechanical Engineering Technology and Justice and Public Safety alumnus recently graduated from Georgian’s Museum and Gallery Studies graduate certificate program. He spent his internship semester at The Tank Museum located at the British Army’s Bovington Camp in Dorset, England, with the main responsibility of reorganizing and enhancing the medals collection of the Royal Armoured Corps exhibited in the Memorial Room. John visited the museum back in 1981 and the experience truly resonated with him and planted the seed for his internship.

“I had to completely remount and secure all of the medals displayed in the 49 drawers of the five cabinets,” he says.

While the task took weeks of meticulous work, he already had an extensive knowledge of orders, decorations and medals, as well as medal mounting techniques, gained during his military service. He completed 28 drawers of the 49 during the 14-week internship.

John stays connected with Georgian. He has taught at the Orillia Campus and, just recently, spoke to current students in the Museum and Gallery Studies program about his experience.

John’s family has a rich history in the military. He joined the Grey and Simcoe Foresters (G&SF) in 1974, representing the fourth generation of Fishers in uniform. He has held an impressive variety of roles, including G&SF deputy commanding officer and base operations officer AT Canadian Forces Base Borden and co-ordinator of programs at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto. He retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in March 2017.

His other accolades include:

• receiving the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals
• receiving a NATO service medal
• receiving a Georgian College Distinguished Alumni Award

When he returned to Canada, John continued his role as the vice-chair of the Base Borden Military Museum and Archives.

“I continue to be a resource for local police agencies on questions of historical significance of seized firearms,” says John.  “These artefacts are then often transferred to museums, instead of being destroyed.” He adds that The Tank Museum was an incredible place to work in all respects. “It was absolutely amazing.”

Are you a dependent or spouse of a serving member of the Canadian Forces entering any postsecondary program at Georgian? You could quality for an Operation Hero scholarship. Find out more.