"National Indigenous Veterans Day is very important to many Indigenous people and their tribes", said Kendrick. "Going all the way back to the World Wars, it wasn't mandatory for Indigenous people to join the military. There was no conscription of Indigenous people to join the military, however, with the Treaty signed, they knew that they had a responsibility to defend the country because the Treaty did mean something. As well, keeping with their ancestors, those that did enlist felt it was their duty to step up and protect their families, their country, and the land they call home."
Kendrick Fox of the Blood Tribe joined the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 17 in the summer of 2000. He joined the Bold Eagle program and finished his Army Reserve QL2 Basic Training that same summer. In the fall of 2000, Kendrick joined the Tommy Prince Program aimed at recruitment of Indigenous soldiers for the Canadian Armed Forces. He finished top candidate of his class for the Regular Force Basic Training and went into QL3 Infantry Battle School at the Western Area Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta. He graduated top 3rd in his class. Kendrick was posted to the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the Kapyong Barracks. On his second day of being on base, 9/11 struck the world and Kendrick made the cut along with 100+ soldiers of the 2nd Battalion to join the 3PPCLI Battle Group and were placed on 48 hours-notice to move. Kendrick served in Afghanistan from March 7th, 2002 to July 28th, 2002. Kendrick was released from the Canadian Armed Forces on November 24th, 2003.
"Joining the military, my whole goal was to see battle and battle pretty much happened day two of being a soldier," he said. "One of my main motivators to join the military was reading historical Indigenous books in high school that talked about the importance laid on young Indigenous men to train for battle and how being sent on your first raid or war party at 16 was their transition from boyhood to manhood. I wanted to do that and since I couldn't go on a traditional raid or war party against an enemy of the Blackfoot, because that's obviously against the law, the next best thing was to join the military and get my battle honours."
To Kendrick, honouring Indigenous Veterans Day annually is another step towards the long road that is truth and reconciliation in Canada.
"To me, Indigenous Veterans Day is that recognition of serving your country against the difficulties that the relationship that Indigenous people and the rest of Canada have had throughout the colonization, yet they still show up when the country needs them. There are Indigenous Veterans that went to residential schools but still stepped up to aid their country in times of need because, even though their lands and families were being taken away from them, it was their country too. They are, in my opinion, the living proof of reconciliation."