Sgt Pilgrim was born in Goose Bay, Labrador and enrolled at the ripe old age of 17 in Corner Brook, NL, as a gunner in the artillery in November of 1981. He arrived at Cornwallis, N.S. on the 14 Jan, 1982 and continued on that summer to the Battle School located in Shilo, Manitoba. After Battle School he was posted to 1 RCHA in Lahr, Germany on the beer and bratwurst tour. For the next 5 years, he travelled extensively throughout most European countries, enjoying the local culture.

Realizing that the Artillery was not for him, he remustered into the RM Trade in Aug, 1987, and was sent packing back to Canada to Halifax for OJT, while awaiting course. He attended RM TQ-3 in Jan 1988 and TQ-5 in Jun 1989 in beautiful Chilliwack B.C. and was posted back to CFB Halifax after each course. He remained in Halifax from 1987-1992.

From there he was posted to sunny CFB Goose Bay, where he was frozen in time from 1992-1995. After recovering from sunburn or was it frostbite, he was slingshot back to Nova Scotia to CFB Shearwater. Upon arriving he was told to not unpack his bags, as he would be going on a little trip and deployed to the Golan Heights, Nov/1995 to May/1996. Making his way back to CFB Shearwater he found to his surprise that the shop no longer existed. CE Shearwater and CE Halifax had amalgamated while he was away. That meant he was posted back to CFB Halifax to the same shop, to the same work bench. In 2000 he was deployed from Dec/2000-June/2001 to Eritrea, Africa. In June 2003 he was promoted to MCpl and bid farewell to Halifax.

In July 2003 he packed up his family and proceeded to CFB North Bay where he was employed as the RM shop Supervisor, maintaining the famous NORAD underground complex, affectionately called the “HOLE”. He completed his RM QL6A course in Nov/2003. Soon after his return in February of 2004 he was once again deployed back to the Golan Heights until June/04. In January, 2006 he was again called upon to deploy, this time on a 6 week TAV to Afghanistan, in Kandahar. Upon his return from Afghanistan in June 2006, he was promoted to the rank of Sgt. and posted to CFB Halifax for, yes a third time. There he assumed the duties of Internal Systems 2 I/C.

In the spring of 2008, he had the opportunity to apply for a job as the RM Supervisor in Halifax. After having completed over 27 years of Loyal and Dedicated Service to Queen and Country, he felt it was time to actually put his family first and step away from the moves and deployments that go along with Regular Force service. With the support of his wife, Karen and children, Jonathan and Joanna, he is releasing to accept a position in the public service as the RM Supervisor at CFB Halifax. Sgt Pilgrim and his family will be remaining in the Lower Sackville area.