16 GEORGIANVIEW 2024 PRINT EDITION
MILITARY-CONNECTED COLLEGE
Switch from military to
student life took time
When Jesse Pustai (class of 2023) made the switch from
being in the military to being a civilian and student
at Georgian College, he, like many members of the
Canadian Armed Forces didn't readily talk about his
background.
"We don't advertise that we're in the military," he
explains. "When you see American military going
for runs or marching, they'll sing songs and we,
as Canadians, don't do that typically. We're quiet
professionals."
Jesse served six years with the 2nd Battalion Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, spending part of his
|
Taking part in an
exercise in Alberta
before deployment.
career in a position called Lav 6.0 Gunner. He may have
left the military, but the military never left him, and he
craved a similar camaraderie and connection when
choosing a college to take firefighting and play rugby, a
sport he's passionate about.
He found what he was looking for, first in Georgian's
rugby team and then in the Pre-service Firefighter
Education and Training program. The feeling that
Grizzlies coach John Daggett gave him in his initial
correspondence clicked for Jesse.
"I picked up on his vibe that it was very much a tight-knit
team with the players who returned to play and the new
