Valleyfield, QC, Canada
Mario Miller
Current Location: Repentigny, QC, Canada
My first peacekeeping tour was with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) stationed in Esquimalt, Victoria, BC in 1988 in Cyprus. Capt. Sylvain Beausejour participated in the parade into the LEDRA PALACE for the ceremony to receive our dignitary LGen Vance and LCol Anderson, Commanding Officer 3rd PPCLI. In the early evening of 15 May 1988, the word went out among the Canadian contingent that Sector One was on fire! A full platoon of soldiers was sent to the Danish UN contingent to fight the fire, while several additional platoons were deployed. After 24 hours, the fire covering more than 50 square kilometres was still out of control. The order was given to deploy the rest of the force.
The helicopter flight of the Danish Army Air Corps and the United Nations provided an invaluable service in locating the hot spots of the fire and directing the water bombing operation. The most notable enemy was the extreme heat combined with the smoke.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in 1964 to prevent any resumption of fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Following the events of 1974, the mission's responsibilities were expanded by the UN Security Council, so UNFICYP remained on the island to monitor the ceasefire lines and the buffer zone through observation posts along the 180 km long and 7 km wide line in rural areas. Only 21 Observation Posts (Ops) remained permanently occupied, three others were occupied during the day only and 19 others periodically. All of these posts were used for overnight accommodation for UNFICYP military personnel, to undertake humanitarian activities and support the mission.
In Yugoslavia in particular, the situation degenerated into ethnic conflict. The UN sent an international peacekeeping force to the Croatian region (Zagreb) in addition to having a base camp for supplies at the Split airport, in my passport this airport was called at the time (MAYBE AIRLINE) where several former Yugoslav republics were in the middle of a civil war. Canadians became a big part of this force. Operation Cavalier 2e R22eR Battle Group''1993 — Battle Group Commander LCol JGP Desjardins, CD, ADC.
We went on a pilgrimage Medjugorje is the place of conversion of the heart. Fr Slavko, Franciscan and Padre Maj. JP Guay and Capt Y. Pichette; told us: "On pilgrimage, try to live humbly. To follow up on the death of a brother in arms Daniel Gunter on 18 June 1993."
The great beauty of the landscape made us see from the road the city Mostar in Bosnia and its oldest bridge of 1566 about 150 km after leaving the airport of Slit. On the way to Gradac town from where we saw some military lodges before taking the road to the town of Visoko, where there was a Serbian and Croatian observation post to continue for more than 200km in five hours of driving along the beautiful mountain. What awaited us for certain on this long journey, sections were deployed to the town of Srebrenica over 200km and 4.5 hours of travel on a rotational basis. The memories of these trips are marked by images of a country ravaged by a conflict often incomprehensible to our typical Canadian consciousness, of seeing razed villages, intransigent belligerents and masses of refugees.
We have other camps around Kiseljak which is a mere 20 minutes away, and our numerous escort patrols for the personnel working on maintenance of vehicles and weapons became an established rotation. With the pace of the vehicles the M113 Tow, Cougars, iltis, and heavy vehicles. We were also present for the Parade with dignitaries from Camp Visoko with Major General JMR Gaudreault on 14 June 1993, Deputy Commander United Nations Protection Force and Contingent Commander. Major-General Macinnis, FORPRONU GCmdt command with Lt-General Morillon a renowned commander (French).
Biography
Mario Miller was born in Valleyfield on May 15, 1966. He has two children: Cindy and Jonathan. He is the proud grandfather of Mia, 12 years old. Now a resident of Repentigny since 2006, Mr. Miller started his career as a cadet at the Corps de Cadets 2637 Falaise Longue-Pointe in 1976. In 1984, at the age of 17, he joined the Fusiliers du Mont-Royal as an infantry reservist. In 1986, Mr. Miller obtained a transfer to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22e Régiment, still in the Infantry and a 1988 transfer to the P.P.C.L.I. Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. During this period, he attended various training courses in Leadership 5B & 6A for the Sergeant Rank, as well as other training in communications, combat vehicles, and land weapons. He then became a weapons technician with the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineering, commonly known as the RCEME.
During his career in the Canadian Army, Mr. Miller participated in various missions: Norway in 1986, Cyprus in 1987, Germany in 1989, Oka Crisis in 1990, Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993. Mr. Miller holds several military decorations from the United Nations for his dedication to Cyprus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Peacekeeping. In 1996, he received an honourable discharge from the Canadian Armed Forces.
He is also decorated by the Allied Volunteer Combatants in Europe as a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2012, he joined the Royal Canadian Legion Terrebonne Heights in Mascouche as an Officer in the position of 3rd Vice President and as Chairman of the Poppy Campaign. He was awarded the 150th Anniversary of Confederation Medal, which was followed, in 2013, by a Certificate of Appreciation for the installation of a certain level security system for a building. In 2017, he became the Legion Service Officer, Branch 120, and was of great service to local veterans. In 2018, he became the 24th President of Legion Branch 120, Terrebonne Heights, and was awarded the Branch Service Medal as well as the President's Medal. He was re-elected for his second term. Since 1995, he has been working for Dormakaba, Canada Inc. and is still the Director of Distribution Development for the province of Québec. We must not forget that throughout these years, family and friends have supported and accompanied him in his endeavours.
Mario repairing a Cougar Armoured Vehicle.
M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier, with Anti-Armour TOW Weapon system.