Canadian sniper Jody Mitic, launched his military memoir earlier this month at the Canadian War Museum, where he sat down with CTV journalist Kevin Newman and described his time in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Mitic began the book launch by reading the introduction of his memoir, Unflinching: The Making of a Canadian Sniper, to a sold-out crowd, where he struggled to hold back tears as he described the moment that changed his life forever. In 2007, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, Mitic stepped on a landmine that caused him to lose both of his legs.
“I’ve never said, ‘Woe is me, I got my legs blown off.’ They told us you might get hurt or worse and I proudly and happily marched off and did the job. I’d go back and do it again,” Mitic told Newman.
A 19-year-old artillery officer, who remains anonymous due to military security, has recently joined the Canadian Armed Forces and said that Mitic’s story helps show people a more personal view of the life of a soldier.
“His story gives people a clear insight on what we do,” he said. “It reminds people that you are not just a soldier, you are a human being and you have a life too.”
Mitic, 38, from Kitchener, started writing the book right after his accident, but felt like he couldn’t finish because the story was incomplete. He instead waited until his military career came to a close to complete the narrative.
“I thought it would be a good time to explore my feelings about everything but also just to close the loop on being a soldier and getting blown up,” he said in an interview.
Mitic begins his memoir by describing his experience in Afghanistan when he stepped on a landmine. Mitic’s three-man elite sniper unit was sent on a mission to intercept Taliban insurgents fleeing the Canadian Forces. As they approached an Afghan village Mitic stepped on an anti-personnel landmine which he describes as, “the size and shape of a hockey puck.” Mitic’s fellow snipers rushed to his side to perform emergency first aid as they waited for the paramedics to arrive.
As he was waiting for the medics, Mitic recalls his fellow snipers telling him never to give up. “Never. Give. Up. The phrase repeated over and over in my head. It still does to this day, ” Mitic said in his memoir.
The story then rewinds back to Mitic’s childhood, sniper school and prior missions overseas. It builds up to the day of his accident and continues onwards to the struggles he faced afterwards. In the book Mitic describes his addiction to OxyContin, depression, and the overall adjustment to his new life.
A fan of the book, Janet Slade, 53, from Mississauga, said Mitic’s memoir gave her insight into the truth of war and its effect on soldiers.
“He wrote so honestly about the drug use and the trials to get to where he is today,” she said. “I feel like I personally know him. In reading the book I almost felt like I was there with him.”
Slade says that this memoir taught her that everyone has the ability to overcome life’s obstacles. “Life is a constant struggle, but always achievable if you keep working towards your goals,” she said.
Mitic said he wrote his memoir to show people that it is possible to overcome tragedy. In his book Mitic talks about how he doesn’t let his disabilities control his life. He ran the Army Run half-marathon on his prosthetic legs where he successfully crossed the finish line. In 2013, Mitic decided to push himself even harder and compete in the Amazing Race where he placed second alongside his brother, Cory.
“I hope that everyone realizes that you decide your own destiny and it’s up to you to make things better in your own world,” he said in an interview.
Since his retirement from the military in 2014, Mitic has dedicated his time to working as an advocate for wounded veterans, amputees and people with disabilities. He founded the Never Quit Foundation, which aims to raise money and awareness for wounded veterans. Mitic has also helped raised more than $1 million for local and national charities.