Chuck Kyler is an Army veteran.
He was born in High River, Alberta and grew up in Delta. At age 17, he enrolled in the Canadian Army in Vancouver for three years of service.
Initially, he trained and served in Ontario as a heavy duty field track mechanic before he was shipped off to keep the peace in the Gaza Strip for one year.
In those days, there were no towns or houses built as yet in this area between Egypt and Israel, so Canadian soldiers and United Nation troops patrolled the desert at temperatures of up to 49 C (120 F) during the day and down to 15.5 C (60 F) at night.
It was a brutal climate, especially for those who were not used to it, Chuck says.
Chuck was subsequently sent to Germany, where he signed up for an additional three years and remained there for most of that time, securing the East/West border during this Cold War era as part of the NATO troops stationed throughout Europe. While there, he married a German girl, had two children and eventually they returned to Canada to raise their family.
After initially moving to Calgary to complete his six years of service, Chuck took on various jobs in North Vancouver and Quesnel before finally settling in Gateway where he still resides today.
While the Army had trained him as a group 3 track, group 2 wheel field mechanic, his qualifications were not accepted outside of the Armed Forces. So, he joined the training program at the West Fraser sawmill (then called the Weldwood sawmill) on Exeter Road in 100 Mile House to become a certified heavy duty mechanic.
In his spare time, Chuck enjoys camping, fishing and hunting. He also coached youth hockey in 100 Mile House for 12 years.
He never had any formal training; in fact, he never even learned to skate – yet, even today, with those “kids” living all over British Columbia, he says they still fondly remember their hockey coach.
Doris E Rufli is the Forest Grove correspondent.
