I guess it is sort of a badge of honour - how many bases we've been on, but I also think that the more bases we've each been transfered too has made our lives that much more difficult (unstable) as an adult. That's just my thoughts on the brats that I know and have communicated with over the years. My base list - Vancouver, Goose Bay, Langar - England, Kingston, Trenton, Mountainview - ON, Zweibrucken - Germany, AFCENT - Holland, Foymount & Winnipeg. Cheers...

Hi Dave,

Thanks for bringing this up. I agree with you. The first ten years of my life I lived on bases in the Moncton and Montreal areas, then two Vancouver bases, then France in two different towns and, finally, in Clinton -- our final year being the difficult year right after the difficult event, which I still have trouble talking about. Seven moves in ten years is perhaps why (up until the past 12 years) I moved waaaaaay too much as a young adult. Perhaps this felt normally abnormal to me. I got very used to change despite the pain of losing close friends and teachers, and the familiar smells and sights and sounds of our childhood.

It's probably a lot more complicated than just repeating the instability because it felt familiar. Some of us learned at very young ages to build walls around our hearts . . . not get too close because we'd had more than our share of loss? The older I get the more I think about these effect of multiple transfers.

well you have me beaten by about 4 st sylvestre, gypsumville , val d'or,afcent, borden,lahr, cold lake here. When were you at afcent?

Try this

St Jean PQ, Clinton On, Goose Bay Lab, Chatham NB, Zweibrucken W Germ, Decimomannu Sardinia Italy, Beausejour MB, Uplands (Ottawa S) ON, Cold Lake AB, Cornwallis NS, Borden ON, Petawawa ON, Calgary AB, Esquimalt BC (there 3 times), Daniel's Head Bermuda, Baden-Soellingen Germany, Comox BC (there twice), and Trenton ON. And my dad had 9 postings before I was born lol............

I was lucky I guess. We were in Fingal during WW ll which I barely remember then we were in Borden for 7 years believe it or not then to St. Jean for 2 (my dad went on the Emergency Force to Suez )then Moose Jaw for 3 and onto Marville for 3. My parents stayed for another year but I was 20 by that time and wanted some more Canadian life. I married out of the Armed Forces but have still managed to move all over Ontario. I think moving gets in your blood but when you're getting old (as I am)you miss having roots and life long friends.

I am starting to understand the thing about lifelong friends and so on...and by the way...I missed fontainebleau france from the list [


10 years from now ppl will identify some sindrome from being a military brat

hi Wayne, I have decided that we were at afcent at the same time and I kind of remember you.


contact me as I am trying to track a few ppl down too

Well, I was born in Nova Scotia so I start my journey in Greenwood, then Val D'or, Lamacaza, North Bay, Borden....then my dad reitred in 1977.
My other siblings have lived in New Brunswick, France then Nova Scotia and journeyed with me

Hi I have decided we were likely at Borden at the same time

here is a little exerpt from my Dad's web page that says a little about why we have built walls around our hearts and we have no LIFELONG friends or roots as other "normal" kids have when they grew up.
""Al and Doreen met in Calgary, Alberta(AB) and married on Dec. 29/53 in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan(SK). They lived in Calgary, until 1954, then Ottawa, and Aylmer, Ontario(ON). In 1955 they were transferred to Moose Jaw SK with the RCAF. Both of their children were born in Moose Jaw, Wendy in 1956 and Kevin in 1959.
In 1959, we all sailed over the pond to Langar, England until 1961, then ferried over the channel to Marville, France. From 1961 to 1963 we lived in Belguim where Wendy started school just over the border in France about 20 miles away. We came back to Canada in 1963 to CFB Penhold in Red Deer AB. and bought our first house. Kevin started kindergarden there. Our next home was at CFB Moise in Sept-Iles, Quebec(PQ) from 1967 to 1969. Next was a transfer to North Bay, ON from 1969 to 1973, where Wendy got married. In the summer of 1973 we convoyed to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba(MB), where Al retired from the Air Force in 1977.""
And that is no where near as many places as some of you transferred to. It definitely had a profound effect on most of us Brats. It makes you different. I would not wish it on anyone and that is why my son will not have to do that. Yes, so we saw a big chunk of Canada and some of Europe, but most of what I remember is hearing that Dad got transferred and hating that my friends will be lost forever. I rebelled in North Bay and got into a lot of trouble and so did my Dad because of it too. I feel terrible about what I did but now I know why I did it. My sister didn't fair too well either.
This web site is an awesome discovery for me and it appears to be losing support from it's members. We can at least try to reconnect with some of those old friends and remember the good times. The novelty will probably wear off for me too, but while it lasts I hope to hear from a few people that read this and my other posts to this forum.

Like everyone else here, I to moved numerous times in my life. This carried on throughout my adult years too. Is it bred in me to do so? Hmm, I've often wondered. Sometimes we only lived in a place for 1 year. Starting school was usually limited to one year as in Val D'or, I went to kindergarden then Lamacaza also comes to mind as I was in grade one there then went to North Bay for grade 2 (1972). then moved to Borden for grades 3-6 (1973-1977). Borden was the longest place I lived before my dad retired.

Hi: I was born in Belleville, lived at Trenton, out to Calgary, back to Trenton, on to Rockcliffe, then Uplands, then my dad went to headquarters so we stayed put then. I don't think it has affected me too much - I miss my friends though but in recent years have gotten back in touch after 40+ years. Thank goodness for the net making it easier to reconnect and keep in touch. Marlene

I was born at Greenwood, NS in 55. After a few years dad left the Air Force, he came back a two years later stationed at Portage Le Prairie (Off Base) Dad was on course at Borden I believe, moved on to Trenton (Off Base), Bagotville in 67, Summerside in 71 and Winnipeg in 73 Dad retired here. I've moved on to the West Coast.

So is that why I am such a gypsy?
My Dad joined rcaf in Aylmer we moved to Wpg, posted to Zweibrucken 3wing(loved it there)been back 2 x
back to wpg(same street too-Cornwall Blvd.)then my Dad
died(38 yrs old)and my Mom 's family from Ont.so that is where we ended up.I have many fond memories but to bad I did not keep in communications.We lived off base
in Germany,so I and my brother have at least met Tante Elli und Oncle Kurt and their children in 2001.