Sapper Jennifer Labrador, a reservist with the Canadian Military Engineers in Calgary, places a Canadian flag on the grave of a fallen soldier at a military cemetery in Calgary in this 2008 photo. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press).
Who’s that Soldier?
As the Last Post Fund unfurls our new banner, many will be curious about the identity of the kneeling soldier. She is MCpl Jenny Labrador, and here’s what she had to say about that eloquent moment, so poignantly captured in this photo:
- “Did I know that Jeff was taking a photo of me? No, I actually did not. In fact, when Jeff captured that image of me, I was frustrated. I was frustrated because I was trying to pierce our Canadian flag into the ground that was completely frozen. When you look closely at my face in the photo, you can see that I am smirking slightly only because I was thinking about how embarrassing it would be if I couldn’t get the flag to stand upright. I eventually got it to stay in place, I paid my respect to the unknown Soldier I chose to commemorate, and fell back into ranks.”
Today, MCpl Jenny Labrador is a qualified Combat Engineer and holds the rank of Master Corporal, with aspirations to become Sergeant qualified. MCpl Labrador occupies the position of HR Supervisor at the 39 Canadian Brigade Group HQ in Vancouver. In her off-hours she also volunteers as a Troop Warrant Officer within 39 Combat Engineer Regiment in North Vancouver. Outside of the military, Jenny is an HR professional. In addition to her military and career obligations, she still finds time to sing, play the piano, and to play in an all-women’s competitive flag football league. She is truly a multi-talented woman and a shining example of the bright young soldiers in today’s Canadian Armed Forces.
Last Post Fund is grateful to MCpl Jenny Labrador and to photographer Jeff McIntosh for allowing the use of her image. This image will be displayed on the Last Post Fund banner and kiosks, which are used as an essential support for our counselors and representatives attending events, providing key information about our programs and services.
Recent statistics on diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces:
- 15.7 % of the regular force are women
- 7.2 % are visible minorities
- Indigenous Canadians represent 2.8 % of the regular force
