WESTVILLE- When James Marshall rolled a Leopard C2 tank on the field at Victoria Park he felt a sense of pride.
Marshall, a warrant officer in the military, had a chance to show his family in Pictou County what his job is all about when he participated in the first annual Canadian Military and Veteran Awareness Day in Westville on Saturday.
"They gave it to me right away, nobody was going to argue with me," said Marshall when he heard about the event.
Marshall, who grew up in Westville, has been in the army for 26 years and his current duties involve training young soldier for combat.
Marshall is stationed in Gagetown but his parents, grandparents and uncles and cousins live in and around Westville.
"It's an honour to take something like this to your hometown, have your family see it, but not only your family but everybody else," said Marshall. "I'll never get another opportunity to do it again."
During the event displays were set up in the park with information about the army, Air and Sea Cadets, the Canadian Navy, RCMP and the Halifax and Region Military Family Resource Centre as well as the museum being open.
Brigadier General Christopher Thurrott was in Westville for the daylong event and was given a tour of the Military museum by curator Vincent Joyce.
"It's remarkable," said Thurrott. "For the military but also for the patriots."
Thurrott said when he walked in he felt overwhelmed by how many artifacts were in the museum and how it covers so many aspects of the military.
"I'm in awe of the things that they have here," he said, adding he was impressed by the team effort it takes to run the museum.
Thurrott toured the museum and during closing ceremonies saluted cadets, army and legion members as they paraded by Thurrott.
Joyce was pleased with the turn out to the event and hopes it will become an annual event.
"I'm committed long-term to making this bigger and better," said Joyce.
