This story is a part of Branch 25’s on-going National Legion Week campaign.

James (“Jim”) Baldwin
Ordinary (Veteran) Member since 2013

While Jim was born in New York City, he didn’t grow up there. His father accepted an overseas assignment in Panama and thus began his family’s travel adventures in Trinidad, the Philippines, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico City.  Jim also had the honour to serve his country as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy working with student Naval Aviators and other flight personnel, and as a reservist.  During the Persian Gulf War, he was called to active duty and served aboard the USNS Mercy, T-AH 19, a hospital ship that included a Canadian Armed Forces contingent.

Jim’s mother was from a small town in Ontario called Mono Township, and after legislation passed in April 2009 allowing the child of a parent and/or parents born in Canada to become a Canadian citizen he officially became a Canadian in 2010.  Jim joined the Legion after becoming a Canadian citizen as a way to continue to serve alongside his Canadian comrades.

Membership in USA Branches is only open to Canadian citizens and Commonwealth subjects, as well as United States citizens, who are of federal voting age and whose service was terminated under conditions other than dishonourable or for reasons of misconduct and who served or is serving in:

• His Majesty’s Forces in any conflict in which Canada was involved;
• the Forces or Underground Forces of any of His Majesty’s Allies in any conflict in which Canada was involved;
• the United Nations or Commonwealth police action in Congo, Gaza, Cyprus or in any other area that may be specified by Dominion Command;
• the Forces of the United States and who is the parent, spouse or child of a person who is or was eligible to be an ordinary member; or
• the Forces of the United States in a theatre of war under the command of a Commonwealth Naval, Military or Air Force Commander, for not less than three months.