Corporal Kevin John Rodgers was my father. Although I never had the opportunity to know him, his service, sacrifice, and legacy have shaped my life in countless ways.
My dad began his military journey with the Cameron Highlanders Cadet Corps of Ottawa in 1967 before joining the 28th Service Battalion (Reserve) in 1972. In 1976, he enlisted in the Regular Force as a Motor Vehicle Operator and was posted to the Land Engineering Test Establishment (LETE) in Orléans, Ontario. It was there that he made the ultimate sacrifice while serving Canada, leaving behind my mother, Joanne (née Short), and me, just seven months old.
His legacy did not end with his passing. In 1987, LETE honoured his service by naming its newly completed facility the Corporal Kevin John Rodgers Building. When that dedication was lost following the closure of LETE, our family worked with the RCMP to restore it. On May 11, 2004, the building was officially rededicated as the K. J. Rodgers Building, ensuring that his name and sacrifice would never be forgotten.
Today, more than four decades later, my father’s legacy continues. My son, proudly named Kevin after the grandfather he never had the chance to meet, now serves in the Canadian Armed Forces. Three generations, united by service to Canada, stand as a testament to the values my father lived by and gave his life to defend.
I could not be prouder to be his daughter, or to watch his grandson carry that legacy forward.