HMCS Queen Charlotte swears in first permanent resident under new CAF rules
Victoria Walton | CBC News | Posted: March 10, 2023 10:00 AM | Last Updated: March 10, 2023
Sufian Chowdhury is only the second permanent resident to join the Naval Reserve
Sufian Chowdhury first came to Canada ten years ago as a student. Now, he's running his own business and serving the country as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves.
"From the childhood I always had that passion to enrol in [the] military," said Chowdhury, who's originally from Bangladesh.
"And also since 2013 I'm here in Canada, I want to give back to my country and so that's why I joined."
On Wednesday, Chowdhury was sworn into the Canadian Armed Forces as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. He's the second person to do so who's a permanent resident — not a Canadian Citizen.
"I always had an interest in military since my childhood," Chowdhury said. "My father put me in boarding schools so that I can get into the military."
Easing the requirements
The CAF regulations changed in Dec. 2022 to allow permanent residents to join. Military officials said the change will have an impact on inclusivity as well as enrolment numbers.
"We are recruiting in all respects. This is just one avenue to try and alleviate some of those crunches," said Lieutenant Commander John MacDonald, commanding officer of HMCS Queen Charlotte.
MacDonald also hopes that it inspires more immigrants and new Canadians to join the Forces.
"It's really about taking down some barriers and walls," he said.
"We're supposed to represent the community in which we serve, and they're part of the community. If they want to serve, there shouldn't be any barrier preventing them from serving."
'I feel like home [on] P.E.I.'
Chowdhury came to Canada in 2013 to study electronics at Seneca College in Toronto. He and his wife then moved to P.E.I. in 2018.
"Since then I have been loving it, my wife loving it, so I feel like home [on] P.E.I.," Chowdhury said.
It was an easy decision to enrol in the military once the regulations were changed, Chowdhury said. In doing so, he said he hopes to gain new skills.
"The discipline, and another thing is the leadership, how the military gives the leadership skills," he said.
After applying in January, Chowdhury was told it could be a six-month wait. But less than two months later, he was undergoing physical fitness training and an aptitude test.
He was surprised to find out he was among the first permanent residents to apply.
"I was like wow, I never thought about it," he said. "I thought everybody is applying."
Part-time, for now
Chowdhury will work as a financial services administrator part-time as a reservist. He wants to continue working in electronics repair and as an educational assistant with the Public Schools Branch.
"I want to stay [in] reserve for now because the reason being is flexible. For the regular force you have to have that commitment to just there," he said.
"Right now I just want to have both my civilian life and also my military life so that I can keep going."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Chowdhury's new colleagues cheered as he was welcomed into the fold. MacDonald said he's part of the family now.
"We want to enrol everybody in front of the entire ship's company because we look at it as joining the family," he said.
Chowdhury will begin basic training in Quebec this summer. HMCS Queen Charlotte is also processing several other applications from permanent residents, so more swearing-in ceremonies are expected soon.