Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper.
Humans of CFB Esquimalt is a series dedicated to the people who form the West Coast Defence community. It captures unique stories of service, identity, learning, and living from both civilians and military members who work and move through the base.
If interested in sharing your story, please email archana.cini@forces.gc.ca.
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For Sailor 1st Class (S1) Dongwon Shin, his decision to join the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was rooted in values carried with him since childhood: honour, service, and a desire to protect the people around him.
Born and raised in South Korea, S1 Shin spent his early years surrounded by the love of his family and a curiosity for understanding how things worked. His father, an electrical communications engineer, passed down both technical knowledge and a love for working with his hands. At 16 years old, S1 Shin moved to Canada, settling in Calgary, Alta, where he completed both his high school and post-secondary education. While South Korea’s education system emphasized competition and achievement, S1 Shin found that Canada encouraged exploration and individuality.
“I don’t think I would be as happy if I had stayed in my homeland,” said S1 Shin. “Here, I’ve found that you can explore yourself more and find out where you would like to fit.”
When an economic downturn led to widespread layoffs in Alberta’s aviation industry, S1 Shin’s path unexpectedly shifted following his own layoff. Rather than standing still, he returned to school to study electrical engineering while also submitting an application to join the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). On Aug 16, 2018, S1 Shin joined the RCN.
“I remember saying it all the time as a kid; ‘I want to be a soldier. I want to protect,’” said S1 Shin. As a young boy, learning about Canada’s role in helping defend South Korea had left S1 Shin with more than gratitude — it had also granted him a sense of duty.
After completing his Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec and his trade training at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax via an accelerated QL3 bridging course, S1 Shin eventually arrived at CFB Esquimalt in late 2019.
A photo of S1 Dongwon Shin. Photo: Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper
S1 Shin’s early years in the navy looked much different than he had imagined. Shortly after arriving in Victoria, the COVID-19 pandemic brought operational changes across the Defence community, while a previous back injury placed him on medical restriction. The pandemic, alongside the injury, meant that S1 Shin had to adjust his expectations of what service would look like.
After eventually being cleared from medical restriction, S1 Shin returned to active work and continued pursuing his qualifications. He served aboard multiple ships, including His Majesty’s Canadian (HMC) Ships Winnipeg and Vancouver, participating in smaller sailing opportunities before taking part in a workup sail, a major milestone designed to prepare a ship and its crew for a deployment. For S1 Shin, the sail was an opportunity to prove himself and then participate in his first international deployment.
“People always talk about the workup sail being one of the hardest sails we can get because they really drill you down,” said S1 Shin. “I was really proud of my performance, and how I was able to complete that without injuring myself. I saw people work together as a team and together we prepared the ship for deployment.”
Despite successfully completing the demanding training period, S1 Shin’s hopes of deploying were impacted once again by medical restrictions. Although previously cleared by a physician of his old back injury, the administrative process required to update his medical status in Ottawa had not been completed.
“I was getting ready to go,” he said. “All the paperwork for being away for six months was prepared. Then, just days before the deployment, they told me I couldn’t go. At that moment, all the willingness and excitement was just gone.”
During this time, S1 Shin considered pursuing a Voluntary Occupational Transfer (VOT) to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), drawing on his previous education and experiences working in aircraft maintenance before joining the CAF. However, navigating the process while carrying medical restrictions proved challenging, and the transfer is still pending.
Ultimately, S1 Shin noted that this period of time reinforced the importance of focusing on what he could control. “As difficult as it undoubtedly was, you don’t want to compare yourself to others, because everyone really has different timelines,” said S1 Shin. “I will still get to where I want to go, so I just try to focus on what I’m doing right now and being the best I can be.”
S1 Shin’s medical challenges continued when he later developed injuries in both hands that he attributes to years of physically demanding work with tools and equipment. The condition eventually required surgery on three fingers of his right hand, once again affecting his ability to perform his usual duties and complete QL5 training. Recovery brought familiar challenges: another pause in his training, another period of waiting, and another reminder that his career would not always follow the timeline he imagined. Still, S1 Shin remains grateful — for the people around him, and the support he has received.
“I’m so grateful I’m here,” said S1 Shin simply. “I don’t think you can receive even close to this level of support in other careers. This is one of the great things about our navy.”
Today, S1 Shin serves from the maintenance cell at Naval Fleet School(Pacific) (NFS(P)), simultaneously working, recovering, and waiting to complete his QL5 training. He also shares that service has never been defined only by deployments or milestones. To him, it is also found in resilience, teamwork, and continuing to show up, even when the journey looks different.
“A good sailor doesn’t focus just on themselves,” he said. “They focus on their team and do their best with the hand they are dealt, knowing that every single choice and action adds up.”
