Mississauga was a small suburb that has grown into a major metropolis. I went to high school, full of mixed people, different cultures, backgrounds, just like me. You know, I was born in Pakistan.

I’m Captain Farhan Saqib. I’m a supporter at CANSOFCOM.

As a young guy, growing up, I wanted to join the military because I was adventurous, I was looking for a challenge. My family was very supportive from day 1.

A lot of my friends didn’t really view the military as being an inclusive organization and didn’t truly understand what the military means.

Prior to joining the Canadian Armed Forces, I didn’t see much of Canada. My first posting was to Edmonton and I did courses in Saint-Jean, Quebec, Gagetown, New Brunswick, never heard of these places.

I was on a course in France. You’re constantly packing, moving, unpacking, always being in that unfamiliar territory.

I’m a Logistics Officer. What we do is… We deal with sustainment within our elements so whether that’s transport, supply, finance, HR and a variety of other aspects.

In my previous job, you know, I never really found myself sitting across the table with personnel who were much senior in rank and status. I really got to project my creativity and my ideas are valued.

A third of the Canadian workforce is going to be comprised of migrants, talent that we need to bring to the Canadian Armed Forces.

When I first told my friends that I was interested in joining the military, they had a lot of misconceptions, but over time, they have seen all the success I’ve had in my career here and their thinking has definitely changed, and I’m confident that one day, when I take this uniform off, I know I’ll have accomplished something very meaningful.