Beyond Service: Gerry Blais (Ottawa)

After 36 years with the military, seven ribbons, and three rosettes, joining Commissionaires was natural for Gerry Blais. In fact, he credits his career in the military as being the reason he joined the Federation.

Gerry, who joined our Ottawa Division in 2016, stressed two things when he spoke with us.

First, ribbon bars do not showcase domestic responsibilities, commitment and service. This includes the role of the military in assisting during emergencies like ice storms and floods on Canadian soil.

Second, and more critically, is the importance of family support and patience during a military career. Gerry noted it is “the amount of family support that allows the individual to earn the ribbons on their chest.”

Gerry is currently the Supervisor of Section 16, which mostly services Department of National Defence buildings in the National Capital Region. He supervises many of the younger commissionaires, and cherishes the mentoring role in which he finds himself. He hopes that sharing stories from his career will inspire his team in the direction they choose to live their lives.

Thank you for your service, Gerry.