Wojciechowski, Sharon E.: my Air Force recollections (November 14, 2006)
Rank: Flying Officer.
ABSTRACT: Flying Officer Sharon E. Wojciechowski Sharon Wojciechowski was born in 1942 and joined the military first in 1964, and then again in 1972. She took her second discharge in 1977, and served as a Flying Officer and nursing captain in the air force. She served in Ottawa and Centralia Trenton. -she discusses the reasons that led her to join the military, and mentions that the recruiting agents had come before her graduation. She also talks about the sense of adventure that came with joining the military, and that her duties were mainly peacekeeping. She came from a large family, and says that her family was somewhat taken aback at her decision. -she discusses the type of patients that she worked with, and that she enjoyed her time in the forces. -compares her time in the military to the state of the present military, and says that she found the expectations of her to be quite reasonable at the time. -discusses what would happen to women who wished to get marred - states that they took their discharge, and that although it could be seen now as having been discrimination, it was accepted at the time. -interview turns back to discussion of basic training, and that she turned to cardiac work in nursing because her father was having heart troubles. -discusses that she felt that there was always something challenging, but that she knew people everywhere she went. However, states that after her marriage, she was worried about getting posted on her own, and that she and her husband had to decide whose career was more important. -states that she would do it again if given the chance, and that nurses were given the chance to further their education. -discusses team effort, and how important it is. -discusses uniforms. -discusses male nurses and what became of them in the nursing profession. - states what her pay was, and talks about the advent of nursing unions. -discusses opportunities for promotion, and how nurses were given the chance to travel. -discusses equipment and training in Trenton. Conversation turns to how much learning on the job there was, and how there was always something to learn. -discusses the opportunities that existed for female nurses during her time in the service, and then goes on to discuss changes in the service, such as the acceptance of marred people. Also notes that male nurses did not get commission during her time in the service, and that there was quite a bit of discrimination against men. -discusses her family's opinion on her joining the services. -discusses what nurses should and should not do, and the fact that were nurses were seen as ladies who did not do certain things. Says that she cannot remember what would happen to nurses who misbehaved, and that no one was "drummed out". -discusses her position in society relative to that of a civilian woman. -discusses the importance of bilingualism and what happened when the bilingual policy was implemented. -closes by saying that she would do it again, and that "it's a career that some people would not enjoy."
Interviewer: Jones, Taryn
Interviewee: Wojciechowski, Sharon E.
An interview/narrative of Flying Officer Sharon E. Wojciechowski's experiences whilst serving in the Canadian Forces. Interview took place on November 14, 2006.
- In Collection:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 45.41117, -75.69812
- One original audio cassette in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- WSE_485
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- January 18, 2013
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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