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Lakehead's Zuliani retiring from Reserves after 40 years
By Chen Chekki - The Chronicle-Journal
November 28, 2004
A Thunder Bay man who is the highest-ranking Canadian Forces reservist in the country will soon be giving up on a life's worth of dedication to his country's defence needs.
â Å“I don't really want a big sendoff,â ? Ray Zuliani said in an interview last weekend. â Å“The satisfaction has been in serving the country.â ?
The 56-year-old rear admiral was appointed Chief of Reserves and Cadets in 2000, representing about 27,000 reservists, as well as 56,000 cadets aged 12 to 18.
He will retire in January after 40 years of climbing the reserve's ranks.
Making a pension plan for the reserves that starts December 2005 for those who joined the reserves in 1999 or after was one of Zuliani's big achievements.
Another success for him was ensuring the protection of civilian jobs for reserves who get called to duty without volunteering to do so.
â Å“If the country went on a war footing, (reservists) would have that protection,â ? Zuliani said.
Being a retired educator himself, he also bargained for education funds for reservists who attend post-secondary programs. They can get up to $8,000 off their tuition over a four-year educational program, Zuliani said, as long as they maintain their service in the reserves.
While happy with the direction the reserves are headed, he believes he could not have made progress in the field without the support of his family and civilian job.
In addition to his lifelong involvement with the reserves that began when he was 16, he was a school teacher for 31 years. He became principal of some schools, including St. Patrick High School.
When he first became appointed as chief of the reserves, he was still in the education field, requiring â Å“quite a balancing act.â ?
The understanding of his wife and two sons for his job commitments were critical to his success.
He has no regrets.
â Å“Quite frankly, I think the payback in serving your country is far greater than the costs you experience as an individual,â ? Zuliani said.
It all began for him as a 12-year-old when he joined the cadets.
He was influenced to join by his father, an ex-sailor in the Royal Canadian Legion which sponsored the cadet program. Zuliani entered the non-commissioned naval reserves in his mid-teens as an ordinary seaman and then leading seaman, staying with the naval reserves ever since.
During his early university days, he switched into the commissioned ranks, and was asked to become an officer.
â Å“I guess somebody saw some potential in me at some point,â ? Zuliani said.
While maintaining his full-time civilian career in education, he slowly climbed the ranks of the reserves, becoming more captivated with the process.
He filled ranks as acting sub-lieutenant, sub-lieutenant, lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, naval captain, commodore, and finally rear admiral.
Zuliani said he is leaving a growing program that has taken its members on the path of greater skills for homeland defence and international operations.
He is also left with a family that is heavily involved with the reserves.
His wife Anne is chief of staff at the reserves headquarters in Quebec City. Sons Greg and James are acting sub-lieutenants in the reserves.
Herb Petras, a retired high school principal from Sudbury, will soon take over as chief of the reserves. Zuliani doesn't know yet what he will do next with his life, but he knows he will do something.
â Å“I don't have the personality to sit still,â ? he said.
Good Guy...he was my boss for 2 years before he retired from teaching. Actually, he was the one that hired me in the first place. Best of luck of in retirement Ray.
By Chen Chekki - The Chronicle-Journal
November 28, 2004
A Thunder Bay man who is the highest-ranking Canadian Forces reservist in the country will soon be giving up on a life's worth of dedication to his country's defence needs.
â Å“I don't really want a big sendoff,â ? Ray Zuliani said in an interview last weekend. â Å“The satisfaction has been in serving the country.â ?
The 56-year-old rear admiral was appointed Chief of Reserves and Cadets in 2000, representing about 27,000 reservists, as well as 56,000 cadets aged 12 to 18.
He will retire in January after 40 years of climbing the reserve's ranks.
Making a pension plan for the reserves that starts December 2005 for those who joined the reserves in 1999 or after was one of Zuliani's big achievements.
Another success for him was ensuring the protection of civilian jobs for reserves who get called to duty without volunteering to do so.
â Å“If the country went on a war footing, (reservists) would have that protection,â ? Zuliani said.
Being a retired educator himself, he also bargained for education funds for reservists who attend post-secondary programs. They can get up to $8,000 off their tuition over a four-year educational program, Zuliani said, as long as they maintain their service in the reserves.
While happy with the direction the reserves are headed, he believes he could not have made progress in the field without the support of his family and civilian job.
In addition to his lifelong involvement with the reserves that began when he was 16, he was a school teacher for 31 years. He became principal of some schools, including St. Patrick High School.
When he first became appointed as chief of the reserves, he was still in the education field, requiring â Å“quite a balancing act.â ?
The understanding of his wife and two sons for his job commitments were critical to his success.
He has no regrets.
â Å“Quite frankly, I think the payback in serving your country is far greater than the costs you experience as an individual,â ? Zuliani said.
It all began for him as a 12-year-old when he joined the cadets.
He was influenced to join by his father, an ex-sailor in the Royal Canadian Legion which sponsored the cadet program. Zuliani entered the non-commissioned naval reserves in his mid-teens as an ordinary seaman and then leading seaman, staying with the naval reserves ever since.
During his early university days, he switched into the commissioned ranks, and was asked to become an officer.
â Å“I guess somebody saw some potential in me at some point,â ? Zuliani said.
While maintaining his full-time civilian career in education, he slowly climbed the ranks of the reserves, becoming more captivated with the process.
He filled ranks as acting sub-lieutenant, sub-lieutenant, lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, naval captain, commodore, and finally rear admiral.
Zuliani said he is leaving a growing program that has taken its members on the path of greater skills for homeland defence and international operations.
He is also left with a family that is heavily involved with the reserves.
His wife Anne is chief of staff at the reserves headquarters in Quebec City. Sons Greg and James are acting sub-lieutenants in the reserves.
Herb Petras, a retired high school principal from Sudbury, will soon take over as chief of the reserves. Zuliani doesn't know yet what he will do next with his life, but he knows he will do something.
â Å“I don't have the personality to sit still,â ? he said.
Good Guy...he was my boss for 2 years before he retired from teaching. Actually, he was the one that hired me in the first place. Best of luck of in retirement Ray.
