Ken Himes was raised in an army family, so it was no surprise that he himself joined the army as a young man.

He trained at bases in Greater Victoria and California in 1985, and found himself in the middle of a centuries-old fight when he was transferred to the Middle East as a Canadian member of the United Nations peacekeeping force in 1988.

“I worked in special forces in Cyprus where Greece and Turkey have been at war for hundreds of years,” the Langford resident said. “They have a line which is called the demarcation or the green zone and it goes through all of Cyprus, where I patrolled to make sure that both sides didn’t bring arms to the border of the green zone .”

The dichotomy was interesting, he thought.

While Turkey took its military duties very seriously and always wore its professional, well-groomed uniforms, he recalled that the Greeks seemed much more relaxed as they smoked happily in their casual T-shirts on the other side.

When the guns were brought into the green zone, Himes, then 23, found himself negotiating with much older men – who spoke no English – to put away their .50 caliber machine guns.

“Because of that, I’m constantly on high alert, even to this day,” he said, something he’s been working on as he begins to address his battle with post-stress stress disorder. traumatic.

His dentist, who noticed Himes grinding his teeth, was the first person to report that he might have PTSD.

As Himes reflected on the impact of his past on him, he expressed his pride that the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.

“I don’t really consider myself a hero, though – there are plenty of other men I know who are so worthy of that title.”

After returning, Himes joined the Army Reserves in Victoria, where he taught basic training and leadership courses.

A jack of all trades, he also worked part-time as a nurse and full-time at the post office – but the long, grueling hours as he moved from job to job with no break in between had gotten to him after some time.

Eventually, he was exhausted and needed hip replacement surgery, so he left his many jobs behind. He explained that having fairly flat feet caused nerve damage from his legs to his hips, from the running he required during his days in the military. During the intervening years, Himes, now 59, accumulated years of experience as an announcer in sports such as boxing and hockey.

Another point of pride is the fact that he has gone from being a man with a grade 9 education to someone who has recently completed a public relations degree program from the University of Victoria.

With a booming classic radio voice that sounds ideal for an announcer/broadcaster, Himes seeks to further his career in the entertainment world as he comes to terms with the lasting effects of his military career. He’s a creative, music and art lover and has posters of Led Zeppelin and all the rock and roll greats lining the walls of his house where he lives with his dog, Tobias. He has also helped plan events and provided security for Joe Walsh, Alice Cooper, Barenaked Ladies and other artists who have performed in the area in recent years.

“My greatest gift in this life is my voice, and I want more than anything to use it to make a difference in the world.”

Do you have a tip for the story? Email: [email protected]

follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

MilitaryRemembrance DayVeteransWest Shore