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PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY August 16 - 31, 2016
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Juan on Juan
by Rosette Correa
Jennifer Ladrillono-Labrador
When you see her profile
picture on Facebook, you would
think she was a super model. Her
lovely almond eyes are set deep
in her Asian features, and her
flare for make-up and fashion
is impeccable. Then, you see a
video of her in camouflage, on
the ground with a friend doing
some patty cake push-ups, and
you start thinking whether the
girl in the profile picture is the
same one doing the push-ups.
When you find out it’s the same
one, you are dumbfounded
and amazed, jealous that she
can rock those push-ups, but
inspired as well, admiring the
strong woman in the video.
She is Jennifer LadrillonoLabrador, a Filipino-Canadian
born and raised in Calgary,
Alberta. Make that Master
Corporal Jennifer LadrillonoLabrador,
combat
specialist
in
the
Canadian
Armed
Forces. We caught
up with her at the
recruitment workshop
of the CAF, and got to
know her better.
RC: Where were
you born? Where were
your parents from?
JLL: I was born
and raised in Calgary,
AB. My mother hails
from San Antonio,
Zambales and my
dad is from metro
Manila. My childhood was spent
in Calgary and well into my
adulthood; in 2014 I moved to
the Greater Vancouver Area to
finish school. I currently reside in
North Vancouver, BC.
RC: What activities did you
do as a young girl? Did any of
it point towards your current
career?
JLL: Growing up, I
participated in a lot in physical
activities such as track and
field, performing arts, and
Tae Kwon Do. Because I was
accustomed to working within a
team environment and keeping
physically fit, it made joining
the Canadian Armed Forces an
asset.
RC: What made you
interested in the military?
JLL: To be honest, I was
never interested in joining the
military because I was afraid of
going to war. I thought joining
the Army meant that once you
were in; you would be shipped
overseas and be expected to
fight on the front-lines.This idea
is a misconception.
I learned more about the
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)
Army Reserves because my
best friend was a member of the
Forces herself. She explained
that you could be a member of
the Forces without having the
obligation in going overseas; this
concept is done by joining the
Army as a Reservist (http://www.
a r m y- a r m e e . f o r c e s .
gc.ca/en/jobs-careers/
reserve.page).
My best friend
is Riza Santos who
was the former Miss
Universe Canada 2013
and a housemate on the
celebrity edition of Pinoy
Big Brother, Season 2.
Riza was a medic
with the 15 Field
Ambulance of Calgary
where she spent a good
portion of her time
training and learning the
values of the CAF. She
was the one who encouraged
and supported me to join the
CAF with the 33rd Engineer
Squadron in Calgary as a Combat
Engineer.
RC: What is your current
rank? What do you do in this
capacity?
JLL: My current rank in
the Army is a Master Corporal
(MCpl). In the Canadian Army,
a MCpl is the most senior of the
four Junior Non-Commissioned
Member ranks. (http://www.
forces.gc.ca/en/honours-historybadges-insignia/rank-army.
page#step7).
My job as a Combat
Engineer includes repairing and
maintaining buildings, roads
and power supplies; employing
explosives for construction and
demolition projects; clearing
minefields; constructing and
breaching trenches, tank traps
and other fortification; water
treatment and water purification
through reverse osmosis and
general support in supporting
the friendly forces to live, fight,
and move across the battlefield
while denying that of the enemy.
The role of my rank in a
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
combat setting is to assist a
Section Commander, usually
a Sergeant (Sgt), as their 2nd
In-Command. I would assist in
leading a section size group of 8
– 10 soldiers through the various
activities I mentioned above.
Sometimes when there isn’t
enough leadership; I will also act
as the Section Commander.
RC: What are the advantages
and disadvantages of being in
this line of career?
JLL: As a female in the
Combat Arms, the advantage
of being a Combat Engineer
and working in the front-lines is
that we bring a totally different
dynamic to the team which is
helpful and inspiring to others.
The disadvantage of being a
Combat Engineer or any frontline career is that the training is
going to be hard. The training
is designed to challenge you
beyond your limits where you
will be challenged physically,
mentally, and emotionally. There
is an upside to this disadvantage;
It is that this training will help you
grow as a person and where you
can learn from your experiences
and be amazed at yourself for
everything you thought you
couldn’t do.
RC: What would you advise
to young people who are inclined
to go into the military?
JLL: For all the young
people who are looking for a
challenge or who are curious to
know what it’s like to be a part of
something greater than us. Join.
Once you join, you will start your
adventure and start to recognize
what the training value the CAF
can give you. I know (speaking
from personal experience) that it
will be challenging; sometimes
exhausting. But, if it was easy,