The Grey Range - Episode 30 – w/ Landon Mortensen - “Will Not Comply"
Will Not Comply
Landon Mortensen
How much do you value your principles? How willing are you to lose everything based on the weight of your convictions, or your morals? Easy questions to ask. Harder questions to answer. Over the past few years, we have all been asked to take stock and measure what it is we truly value. It has lead us to an uncertain crossroads within many our own lives, our families, our communities, and our nation. Where do we really stand in relation to our beliefs? Are we willing to sacrifice for them? How much? How far are we willing to go?
I don’t pretend to have answers for all of this. One thing I do know is that there are braver and more courageous people than me that I have been fortunate enough to meet over years. Pte (T) Landon Mortenson is such a person.
Landon Mortenson is Alberta born and Saskatchewan bred. Raised on his family’s ranch in Southern SK, he grew up with room to roam and a firm basis in Faith and Family. It was these values that instilled in him a desire to serve, and because he believed in what was right, “…fighting bullies…” in his words, he joined the Canadian Forces in his early 20’s.
By his account, it was his dream job. He excelled and earned honor and recognition amongst his peers. While Canada’s combat role in the world scaled down, he got to share his time and training with some of Canada’s seasoned warfighters. Men who had served in combat in Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. You can see in his demeanor and hear in his voice how much his time in meant to him.
In recent years, the Canadian Forces have come under a lot of scrutiny over their leadership. With dwindling recruiting numbers, accusations of over-emphasis on DEI policies and catering to the individual rather than the organization, and chronic supply and logistical problems, Landon tells a story of seeing, at least in his eyes, the military that he grew to love, being to decline. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.
I’m going to stop here. I don’t think I can do justice to Landon’s words here. I suggest you listen to his story and his viewpoint and ask yourself how you might have reacted, and what kind of decision you may have made if faced with the same choice. I think we all would agree that it is indeed, in Landon’s words, “… a shame.”
Landon Mortensen has no social media. He’s not looking for recognition, or chasing internet clout, or selling a book. He just wanted to tell his story and we are honored and grateful to have been able to give him the platform to do so.
I have nothing but the highest respect and gratitude for his service, his trust, and his courage for speaking out. God Bless.
Also, “Son of Death” is such a badass surname.”
As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.
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“Taking The Hill” is a piece from my latest collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of The New Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.