Debbie Eisan, Dreams Fulfilled

NOTE TO EDITORS: Following is a feature in honour of Remembrance Day prepared by the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

Chief Petty Officer Debbie Eisan's career has taken her from waitress in a small northern Ontario town to the winner of an Aboriginal Women of Excellence Award.

A 30-year member of the Canadian Forces, Debbie Eisan left her Ojibway family in Batchewana First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., to join the army. During basic training at Cornwallis, in far-away Nova Scotia, daily letters from her mother and calls home helped her deal with homesickness.

But a promotion brought a transfer to HMCS Iroquois. Although she wore an army uniform, Debbie fell in love with the sea. She left the army for the navy, and three years later was promoted to chief storesman.

Working on board ship allowed Chief Petty Officer Eisan to fulfill her dream of going overseas. She participated in closing-out operations in Rwanda. While in Germany at Christmas as part of NATO's 50th anniversary celebrations, she and her shipmates helped raise funds for a children's hospital.

After Sept. 11, 2001, she was posted to recruiting.

Her role as the Canadian Forces national aboriginal recruiting advisor keeps Chief Petty Officer Eisan in contact with young people. She also mentors Grade 9 girls through Techsploration, a program designed to encourage girls to learn about and experience the kinds of occupations women normally don't choose.

Debbie introduces women to the role of the military first, then to non-traditional trades such as marine engineering or vehicle technician. She says that a career and life in the military is a positive and gratifying experience.

Chief Petty Officer Eisan recognizes the many contributions women made to war efforts during the Second World War, when more than 45,000 Canadian women served both at home and overseas.

"During the Second World War, women did everything back home so the men could go overseas," she says. "There isn't enough recognition for the women who did all those jobs and kept their families going at the same time."

She believes that part of her role in introducing women to the possibilities of life in the military is to prove to them that one can be part of the military and have a successful home life. She also says that, as a member of the Canadian Forces, she is able to comfortably maintain her identity as an Ojibway Anishinaabebee kwi (native woman).

Chief Petty Officer Eisan attributes her success to her husband and two children, the support of family and from the Military Family Resource Centre when she is away from home.

Chief Petty Officer Eisan and her husband found that their jobs often take them in different directions, so they have joined the Halifax Regional Municipality search and rescue team where they volunteer together. She also volunteers with the Abilities Foundation.

This is the Year of the Veteran in Canada, commemorating the end of the Second World War and acknowledging the contribution and sacrifices of the thousands of people who defended democracy 60 years ago.

The Advisory Council on the Status of Women honours and thanks women for their contributions in times of war and of peace.