Master Seaman (MS.) Kanwar Nijjer

Master Seaman (MS) Kanwar Nijjer immigrated to Canada at the age of 15 from India. As a member of the Sikh community, he feels that within his culture the military is considered an honourable profession. There is a long standing history of Sikh members who served in the British military in World Wars I and II. MS Nijjer wanted to serve his country and has been doing so by serving in the Canadian Armed Forces for the past twenty-one years.

When you are on a ship with a group of people that you work with every day, you become a big family

At first, MS Nijjer had concerns about acceptance in the Forces as a Sikh. He discovered that the Forces is a welcoming organization, one where he has never experienced negative reactions while in uniform. In fact, on one occasion while he was in his military attire, members of the public mistook him for Indian royalty!

MS Nijjer began his military career as a Naval Acoustics Operator. He spent a lot of time on ships at sea, where he came to enjoy the comradery amongst shipmates. “When you are on a ship with a group of people that you work with every day, you become a big family,” recalled MS Nijjer. During his time at sea, he also enjoyed the opportunity to travel and experience other cultures.

Later in his career, MS Nijjer became a Resource Management Support clerk. In 2007, he worked as a Processing Supervisor at a recruiting centre and really enjoyed this position. “I liked talking to our perse population and to young adults about the benefits of a career in the Forces,” said Nijjer.

MS Nijjer believes his service in the Forces has made his family stronger. “When you are away on training or an exercise you greatly miss your loved ones. When you come home, you appreciate the time with family and make more of an effort to spend quality time with them,” said Nijjer. Throughout his career, MS Nijjer’s family has always been supportive.

MS Nijjer feels that joining the military was the best decision he could have made. He has established life-long friendships, and has had a life full of adventure and rewarding experiences. A paid education, professional training and participation in military exercises have all made his time in the Forces very worthwhile.