James Fitzgerald was born in Ajax, Ontario and grew up in nearby Whitby.  He joined the reserve Canadian Forces in 2002 when he was 16, and he went on to attend Trent University in Peterborough.  All the while he continued to train and specialize in the armoured corps.  Eventually he made the transition to the full time forces, where he became an officer.  He has done multiple deployments in Canada, aiding flood victims in Quebec and deploying as part of Operation Nanook in the Yukon, where he had the occasion to work with the indigenous Arctic Rangers.  He also took part in Operation Tricolore, where his Quebec 12eme regiment participated in several exchanges with French forces, working on winter warfare tactics and survival.  In 2020 he was selected to serve in South Sudan, where Canadian peacekeepers took part in a United Nations operation (UNMISS) amidst the Covid pandemic.  His job there was to coordinate civilian and military patrols, and to work with NGOs and UN representatives and soldiers from different countries, all with the goal of improving civilian conditions and regional stability.  In 2024-2025 Major Fitzgerald attended the Canadian Forces College, and during that time he visited Mr. Masters’ Grade 10 history class, giving Crestwood students first hand insights into the real world and present day contributions of the Canadian Forces.