HILL, KELVIN ‘KEL’
Kelvin is a 42 year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. Kelvin joined Army Cadets while attending Parry Sound High School and in 1963 joined the Grey and Simcoe Foresters (26th Armoured Regiment). In 1969, Kelvin joined the Regular Forces and took his basic training at Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis in Course 6932. From there he went on to Land Environmental Training and Trade Qualification 2 Armoured in the Combat Arms School at Canadian Forces Base Borden. His first posting was to the Fort Garry Horse in Canadian Forces Base Calgary and in 1970 was ‘rebadged’ to Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). In 1973, Kelvin was selected for the University Training Plan – Men and attended College Militaire Royal de St Jean where he earned his degree and a commission. After 8 tours of duty, Kelvin retired from the regular force in June of 2000, but stayed in the Supplemental Reserve until 2010. It was during this time that he returned to his roots and was called up to the Cadet Instructors Cadre serving with 295 MacPherson Air Cadet Squadron. He retired from the Canadian Forces entirely in 2010.
During his time in the Service, Kelvin participated in UN Peacekeeping efforts in Cyprus in the 1972 and in Nicaragua in 1990. In addition to activities that are commonly considered part of an armoured regiment’s routine, Kelvin also received training and subsequently was an instructor at CFNBCS (the Canadian Forces Nuclear, Biological and Chemical School) where he taught ‘hands-on’ courses related to operating in a contaminated environments. He was later chief instructor of CFNBCS at Camp Borden.
Kelvin Hill, graduation photo - College Militaire Royal de St Jean
