Full-time students, part-time soldiers

Robert Smith, a social sciences student and private with Hamilton's Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders, comes from a long line of soldiers. Two of his grandparents served – one with
Canada, the other with Britain – and his father served with Australia.

Nearly two years after deciding to follow in their footsteps, Smith says he's happy to
have made the choice to join the Argylls as a reservist and balance his military life with his
academics.

“It's a job with meaning, and I'm getting great experience,” he said.

Corporal Jazz Kersell, a computer science student also with the Argylls, agrees that
the part-time job feels much more significant than others he has held.

“It's an absolute honour to serve,” he said.

Both students say that the skills they've learned serving as reservists have been
invaluable on campus. From time-management to organization skills, the two agree that
working with the Canadian Forces has changed the way they approach their education.

“In basic training, you're taught to get used to stressful situations,” said Kersell. “So
you really learn to push through some tough spots.”

In addition to meeting a basic level of physical fitness, reservists learn safety,
navigation and patrol skills, weapons systems and train for domestic disasters.

The students' line of work has been placed in the spotlight lately, leading up to
Remembrance Day.

“It can be strange to think that the entire country is thinking about what we do,” said
Kersell.

“We definitely feel support when we see people wearing the poppy,” said Smith. “We're
students, but we take our work very seriously.”

McMaster's Remembrance Day service will take place today at 10:45 a.m. in
Convocation Hall, Room 213, University Hall.