Sapper Steven Marshall

I was thinking of Sapper Steven Marshall today because in a few hours I’ll be welcoming my own son home from Afghanistan. Like most relatives, I’ll have the pleasure of seeing my child alive and well and I will be privileged to hear all the stories and experiences that he is sure to relate.

Yet, while I and so many others relish our reunions with our soldier family members, there will be those who will be in mourning. While most are joyous, a few will feel sorrow.

So it is today, that we extend our heartfelt gratitude first and foremost to the family of Sapper Steven Marshall, for his family will not be experiencing the joy of reunion. While most of us go on with our lives intact, they will be dealing with the loss of their soldier.

Sapper Steven Marshall left Canada not that long ago to participate in Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. We can only imagine the mix of emotions he felt; from excitement, to resolute sense of duty, to perhaps even misgiving. Yet, like all of our soldiers he entered the battle-space determined to do his very best. He didn’t plan on paying the ultimate price, but neither did he shy from it. In the end though, the mission that drew Sapper Steven Marshall, also took his life.

We promise to never forget and we promise to uphold the Torch that past generations of soldiers gave to Sapper Steven Marshall, and which he carried so dutifully. We will never forget that it is the sacrifice of soldiers, more than anything else, that keeps our country and our civilization free.

CTV

Lt. Justin Boyes

This year’s Saskatoon Remembrance Day Ceremony was the largest indoor service in Canada with over 9000 attendees. The gathering was graced with the presence of the loving wife and the mother of Lt. Boyes, as well as Lt. Boyes’ three year old son, James.

The arena erupted in emotional applause and standing ovation as mother and wife laid a wreath in memory of Lt. Boyes and all those soldiers who have gone before. The dignity and presence of the Boyes family lent an immediacy and poignancy to the service.

There were large numbers of children in the crowd, as well as young adults and teenagers. Clearly, Canada is not forgetting her heroes and the torch is being passed on. The number of cadets present was also moving, as their numbers seem to be swelling each year. It would be seem that the example of Lt. Boyes and the other Canadian soldiers serving and sacrificing is having a positive impact on our youth.

To Lt. Boyes and his family, we say, thank you.

Never Forget

The Fallen

Remembering

Remembrance Day at Applebees

Applebees in Toronto is offering a special for military members and families for Remembrance Day.

The Brochure ... CLICK.

Returning to Kandahar

Returning to Kandahar


If I ever leave this world alive
I`ll thank ya for the things you did in my life
If I ever leave this world alive
I`ll come back down and sit beside your feet tonight
Where ever I am you`ll always be
More than just a memory
If I ever leave this world alive

If I ever leave this world alive
I`ll take on all the sadness
That I left behind
If I ever leave this world alive
The madness that you feel will soon subside
So in a word don`t shed a tear
I`ll be here when it all gets weird
If I ever leave this world alive

So when in doubt just call my name
Just before you go insane
If I ever leave this world
Hey I may never leave this world
But if I ever leave this world alive

She says I`m okay; I`m all right,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would
Now everything should be alright

She says I`m okay; I`m all right,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would
Now everything should be alright
Yeah should be alright

~ Flogging Molly

Pte. Jonathan Couturier

From CTV:

• For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know!


• Firstly, my deepest sympathies to Pte. Jonathan Couturier's family and to the rest of his brave regiment still serving.You all pay a debt that sadly few fully recognize and understand in this country. I thank you for your sacrifice and determination to carry on with such a difficult mission and pray that more people realize the impact your having on keeping us all safe. Thank you again, and God Bless you and all others serving!


• There are many of us who have lived longer and fought for much less of lesser meaning. Our troops are doing work that they and the country should be proud to have done.


• Now that I have a son, everytime I read the headlines of a fallen Canadian soldier, I no longer look at their picture and think to myself what a brave soldier. Instead I now look at their picture and think...wow, that was somebody's child.R.I.P. Jonathan and may your comarades recover soon.Thank you to you out there and to the mothers and fathers who support their "child" with their decision to fight for us all.


• I cannot express enought to you how greatful I am and honoured to be protected by such brave remarkable soldiers. There lives and sacrifice will NEVER be forgotten. As i lower my flag for the 131 time i am reminded of a saying "IF YOU WILL NOT STAND BEHIND OURS SOLDIER THAN PICK UP A WEAPON AND STAND IN FRONT OF THEM" or thank them for the safety freedom they provided while you lay down to sleep tonight in your warm bed.


• I am in awe of two things: 1) that there still exists in our world today self-less men and women who put their lives on the line for people they will never meet, and 2) that this is something they have chosen to do freely of and by themselves. My utmost and deepest respect and appreciation.

Trucking On in Memory

... the story.

Pte. Patrick Lormand

Pte. Patrick Lormand

A Soldier

There is discipline in A Soldier
you can see it when he walks,
There is honor in A Soldier
you hear it when he talks.
There is courage in A Soldier
you can see it in his eyes,
There is loyalty in A Soldier
that he will not compromise.
There is something in A Soldier
that makes him stand apart,
There is strength in A Soldier
that beats from his heart.
A Soldier isn't a title any man
can be hired to do,
A Soldier is the soul of that man
buried deep inside of you.
A Soldier's job isn't finished after
an 8 hour day or a 40 hour week,
A Soldier is always A Soldier
even while he sleeps.
A Soldier serves his country first
and his life is left behind,
A Soldier has to sacrifice what
comes first in a civilian's mind.
If you are civilian -
I am saying this to you.....
next time you see A Soldier
remember what they do.
A Soldier is the reason our land
is 'Home of the free',
A Soldier is the one that is brave
protecting you and me.
If you are A Soldier -
I am saying this to you.....
Thank God for EVERY SOLDIER
Thank God for what YOU do!

~ Angela Goodwin

Maj. Yannick Pepin; Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin

Col. Roch Lacroix ~

"Saying goodbye to Yannick and Jean-Francois so prematurely is hard for me, it is hard for their friends, and it's hard for their families,"

"Engineers like Yannick and Jean-Francois....put in a great deal of effort in Afghanistan where they're denying the ability of the insurgents to kill innocent victims on a large scale or simply reconstructing a bridge, roads, schools with their Afghan partners."

"Nothing comes easy here and it takes patience and determination -- two qualities that both men embodied. Today is the time to grieve but tomorrow we will continue our work to better the lives of Afghans."

"Proof of (Yannick's compassion) was when he was on patrol once and stopped his vehicle to take a kite out of the antenna from his vehicle. He handed it to the small Afghan child who thought it had been lost. That day he carried a big grin,"

"Yannick was a man of action who was always involved in things and put his personal interests second. We miss him enormously."

"Jean-Francois was a very generous man with a big heart, as big a heart as the three pieces of steel he liked to lift in the gymnasium."

We will not call you a casualty.
We will not number you. You are
our mothers and fathers, our aunts
and uncles, brothers and sisters,
husbands and wives, friends, lovers
and neighbors, our cousins
and grandparents.

We will write for you.

We will remember you.

Two Families Remember

Two families memorialize their sons.

Pte Kevin Dallaire

Cpl. Bryce Keller

We will never forget.

Governor General Michaelle Jean in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean wrapped up a secret two-day visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday that saw her weep for Canada's war dead and for the conflict-racked country's youngest victims, insisting all the while that the sacrifices won't have been in vain.

Jean spent the duration of her visit clad in the uniform of the Canadian soldier, symbolic of her role as the Canadian military's commander-in-chief. For security reasons, her visit had to be kept secret until after she had left Afghan airspace and was on her way back to Canada.

Jean wiped away tears while laying flowers at the centotaph at Kandahar Airfield, which bears the names of 129 Canadian soldiers killed as part of the Afghan mission since it began in 2002 -- including Maj. Yannick Pepin and Master Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin, both of whom died Sunday when their convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device, or IED.

"It's painful when we see our soldiers being wounded or being killed by these IEDs," Jean said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"But we have to remember that every time they try to destroy those terrible weapons, they're saving lives of civilians here and the Afghan children."

Jean later told several hundred Canadian troops that their deeds would not be forgotten.

"Know that your fellow Canadians are very proud of what you accomplish here and are very much aware of the sacrifices you make," she said.

"You have come to this troubled area of the world to defend the democratic ideals to which all peoples should be able to aspire. You, who risk everything to create a safe environment . . . (for) the women, children and men of Afghanistan."

Jean became misty-eyed while addressing a classroom of young Afghan women at Sayad Pasha school, not far from the base. In a land where women have traditionally not been allowed to get an education, Jean said she was thrilled with the progress that's been made.

"We need to seize every opportunity to realize our dreams, and I want you to tell me what Afghanistan needs," she said.

The answers she heard back were hardly surprising.

"The best thing needed in Afghanistan is peace," said one girl. "For the past 30 years we lost lots of our family members and we are hoping we will get peace."

"This is the message that needs to be told back home," Jean replied, as she turned to the entourage that accompanied her on her journey. "We will do this together."

A trip to the multinational Role 3 Hospital on the base appeared to be almost too much for Jean to take.

A young girl, her grandfather by her side, had been brought in for treatment and was laying quietly in a hospital bed.

"How old is she?" Jean asked, grasping the hand of the little girl, who was identified as Amina.

"Nine," replied the interpreter, who explained that Amina was on her way to a village to buy presents for the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid when an IED went off.

"I have a daughter," Jean said. "She is 10. I will tell her that I've met you."

"Nice to meet you," Amina replied, smiling shyly.

Earlier in the day, Jean paid a visit to Camp Nathan Smith, the headquarters for Canada's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar city.

Once there, she told Afghan leaders that she's "saddened" by the fact any debate exists at all about whether Canada should be in the country and helping its less fortunate.

She said the suggestion that Canada's war in Afghanistan is a "lost cause" hurts her deeply.

"I think it's important to see that our efforts are not in vain, and when we hear Afghan people and even children saying that the priority is security -- this is what they hope for," she said.

"It's very important that Canadians realize that, yes, our soldiers are taking many risks, but are also doing something that is absolutely exceptional."

Source

Sgt. Darby Morin

We were reminded recently that a number of Canadians are fighting in the Afghan conflict, but with other nations. If we've neglected to honour Canadians who died while serving with either the United States or other countries, please email us and we'll be sure to make things right.

We'd like to draw your attention at this time to the sacrifice of Sgt. Darby Morin, who was killed in Afghanistan while serving with the US Army.

A fallen soldier from the Big River First Nation will be remembered as a brave role model and loving father.

United States Army Sgt. Darby Morin, 25, died early Saturday when the driver of the vehicle he was travelling in lost control, causing a rollover near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, according to information provided to the Prince Albert Daily Herald.

Heavy fog blanketed the road at the time. Morin was wearing his seatbelt but was unconscious when military medics arrived on the scene.

Morin was the nephew of Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations vice-chief Lyle Whitefish.

Whitefish, reached by phone Monday, was in Delaware preparing for Morin's body to arrive back in the United States at Dover Air Force Base

... more details.

Cpl. Christian Bobbitt; Sapper Matthieu Allard

In memory of Cpl. Christian Bobbitt and Sapper matthieu Allard we offer the following two poems. One poem expresses how we feel ... the other, written by a soldier, expresses the incredible servant's heart that glows at the core of each warrior:

Sleep well, soldier
know that you are honored
your name is not forgotten

we stand humbled
bowed in awe and sorrow
before your sacrifice

sleep well, soldier
sleep well
we will remember you

~ Susanna Holstein



Sacrifice

Let me be the fallen soldier -
a single, nameless face.
Let me simply fall in honor,
dying in this place.

I don’t wish my name be written
in countless hist’ry books.
I don’t want the endless praise
for how, the earth, I shook.

Let me be the nameless soldier,
one who died for all.
When evil came to take us down,
just know I heard the call.

I’ll gladly lay my life down here,
give up this mortal shape.
I’ll give up my last breath for good,
before taking my escape.

Let me be the unknown soldier,
who died for peace at last,
with no problem disappearing
into nameless past.

~ Jaime McDougall

Pte. Sebastien Courcy

From CTV.ca ...

Sam Jackson
My thoughts and prayers are with friends and family of Pte. Sebastien Courcy. May you find comfort in knowing how much your sacrifice means to our nation. Lest we forget. Rest In Peace Pte. Courcy.

Edmonton John
I feel a bitter sense of loss and pain every time I read such headlines. The last is as painful as the first. It's a feeling I can never get used to. Complete sadness.
The sorrow felt by his family must be many orders of magnitude greater than mine. I can only offer my condolences to his family and comrades.

Remarkable
Thank you for your service to your country. I will honour your memory always.
God bless and comfort his family while during their time of mourning.
I ask that people who put their comments here, to not make this political, but to remember one of our native sons, who has just laid down his life.

Wanda
Another one of our soldiers has fallen. Once again I will stand along the Highway of Heros to remember you soldier.
My deepest condolences to your family and friends.
Rest in peace soldier.

Cpl in Ottawa
Rest Well brother, take peace in knowing the end of war. To his Family I am sorry foryour loss.

Terry & Joan Maloney
We grieve for you Sebastien. Our Prayers fo out to your family, for they will surely miss you. Another Canadian Hero. God Bless Him.

Ex Coelis
"You've never lived until you've nearly died. For those who have fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the Protected will never know"(author unknown). My deepest condolences to Private Courcy's family and my profoundest thanks to Private Courcy for your sacrifice.

Repos doucement, mon ami. Repos doucement... Voyez-vous le matin.

Ann
Condolences to the family of Pte. Courcy. Be proud of your son for choosing to do what he thought was the right thing. Another fine young Canadian will be forever remembered for making the ultimate sacrifice. You and he will be in our prayers.

Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud

Canadians often forget about the many injured soldiers who have returned from Afghanistan. They number in the hundreds.

When, one of the injured passes away as a result of injuries, we are suddenly reminded of the often hidden cost.

Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud recently died from injuries sustained in Afghanistan. He made it home to Canada, but as far as we understand, never regained consciousness.

We are deeply moved and can think of nothing better to commemorate his passing than our favorite poem which speaks of our beloved Maple Leafs Falling. Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud made it home, where he passed away among those who loved him most ...

Maple Leafs

By: J.S. McGregor (March 2006)

The Maple Leafs are falling
On foreign soil once again,
To be scattered cross the desert
By unforgiving Asian wind.

This dust is barren, unprotected,
Unlike his field of wheat;
The sand is so unlike his Maritimes,
No majestic Rockie peak.

He hears a lonely Piper now,
Black boots marching through the snow,
The warm drape of the Maple Leaf,
Tells him all he has to know.

Four winds have gently cast the Leaf,
To land on home terrain,
Flying freely there, he will declare,
His fall was not in vain.

J.S. McGregor

Master Cpl. Pat Audet, Cpl. Martin Joannette

Soldiers and Machines:

We have heard over the years how this or that soldier died while on "exercises". Usually, it was the result of an accident which involved powerful equipment.

Soldiers have always suffered injury or worse because of the equipment they use. Even in past eras, troopers often perished or were hurt by horses, siege equipment, or the very weapons they depended on. From ships to battlements, the equipment of soldiering has always taken its toll.

In Afghanistan our soldiers work in extremely harsh conditions with dangerous equipment. Those working with and around helicopters, in particular, take risks each time they venture out, especially in the extreme heat of the Afghan summer. No matter how careful, no matter how prepared, it is impossible to forestall or avoid all accidents.

Master Cpl. Pat Audet and Cpl. Martin Joanette understood fully the risks they faced. They were soldiers, who through drill and practice not only learned their trade ... but were fully apprised of the inherent dangers. Yet, they did their jobs with full conviction and dedication ... no matter the risks. That is, after all, what draws men like them to soldiering.

Safety and security is not what soldiers seek ... otherwise they'd be more like the rest of us. That is why we honour them ... that is what sets them apart.

CTV

Cpl. Nick Bulger

In memory of Cpl. Nick Bulger we can think of no better way of honouring him, than to let him tell us himself about the mission he was on.

Corporal Nick Bulger

Please read the comments at CTV as well, for many express better than we ever could on these pages the gratitude we feel.

Cpl. Martin Dube

There are individuals in this world who volunteer to disassemble bombs with their bare hands ... and to do so under the most dangerous of circumstances. It boggles the mind, sitting safe and secure in the luxury of our homes here in Canada, to imagine that there are such men and women.

Yet, within our military many are tasked with doing just that. Explosive devices can most often be disarmed using robots or explosives, but on occasion circumstances dictate that bare hands are the only means to be used and into this situation step our specially trained soldiers. They do it as often as they have to, without complaint, without regret. And more often than not they emerge safe and sound, confident in the knowledge that they’ve saved lives and neutralized grave threat.

Sometimes though ... and rarely so, things go wrong and these brave souls perish in a flash.

Cpl. Martin Dube was one of those tasked with neutralizing explosive devices. In this case something went wrong.

We’ve often stated in this space how we admire those who run to the sound of the guns while others flee ... we marvel even more at a man who would quietly and painstakingly disassemble death with his bare hands.

Bravery and courage is etched with the names of soldiers like Cpl. Martin Dube. We are truly humbled.

Pte. Alexandre (Pelo) Peloquin

So what brought Pte. Alexandre Peloquin to Afghanistan? Duty? Conviction of purpose? Thrill?

Frankly, we don't know and only those close to him will. What we do know, is that Pelo was a fit, able, and keen soldier. This tells us that like virtually all those serving, he was dedicated to the mission at hand and an eager participant. And, along with his mates, he was a foreigner in a foreign land struggling to bring a downtrodden people into this century.

Pelo knew what total and utter abject poverty was ... something I doubt he knew prior to landing in Afghanistan ... and Pelo knew what evil was ... something he likely had no idea existed until he saw the acts wrought by the Taliban. And, like virtually all of our soldiers, once he knew and understood poverty and evil, Pelo would've become as tenacious and dedicated a defender of Canada and the Afghan people as can be possible.

This is the legacy of our fallen. They put their bodies and lives in jeopardy ... willingly ... to not only do our bidding, but to defend total strangers in a land that civilization has forgotten.

The whole idea of a cable, fit, strong, and young man giving his life ... willingly ... for his country and strangers ... simply to give them a chance at joining civilization, humbles us all.

Pelo ... rest in the peace you deserve. If the world were to run out of warriors like you, we know that all we have gained and taken for granted would be lost. Our entire civilization rests on the shoulders of warriors and ambassadors like you.

From CTV we get an idea of the gains made in Afghanistan:

For the first time in many years the production of wheat in Afghanistan is surpassing the production of poppies used to make heroin -- partly due to Canada's leadership in the region, said Defence Minister Peter MacKay on Thursday.

[...]

MacKay pointed to the Dahla Dam project, which is allowing local farmers to irrigate their fields and crops, as a sign that Canada's contribution is making a difference. That work is only possible because Canadian troops provide security and protection -- sometimes at a high cost, he said.

"We're seeing for the first time in Afghanistan in many, many years, that wheat production is surpassing poppy production, and their ability to feed themselves (is growing)," MacKay said.

"We're also seeing education and the building of schools, the immunization of children. All of this is enabled by the soldiers, the security they provide, and men such as Peloquin who gave his life."

Maj. Michelle Mendes

As of this writing a lot of secrecy surrounds the death of Maj. Michelle Mendes. All we really know, is that she did not die as a result of combat. We can speculate, but doing so doesn’t change anything; it doesn’t change the fact Maj. Michelle Mendes was on her second tour in Afghanistan and that like all Canadians who serve, she was there as a volunteer. We will not forget Major Michelle Mendes.

Since Maj. Michelle Mendes’ passing is a mystery, it gives us opportunity to examine an often forgotten part of soldiering.

Canadian soldiers are our sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. They come in every possible type, as varied a group as can be found in any Canadian town or city. Some are adventure seekers, others are driven by a desire to help Afghans, yet others want to round out careers in the Canadian Forces. Our soldiers come in a myriad of personality types as well, from the intellectual to the brash, from the sanguine to the wary.

Our soldiers also take with them to Afghanistan many burdens; not all things are left behind. Some have ailing parents, others failing relationships or debt or sorrow. They go about their work in Afghanistan but always when the lights dim and bustle ceases, the burdens of home can come to haunt.

It is this fact that makes us respect our soldiers that much more. Soldiering can be a lonely and oft time thankless task. Parent soldiers aren’t there for the first steps, spouses can’t be there to assist when the car breaks down, and soldiers can’t intervene when relationships begin to collapse.

So it is, that we feel that much more grateful to our men and women in military service; knowing full well that their burden is oft time more than danger.

Trooper Karine Blais

Trooper Karine Blais grew up with opportunities and equality. She was offered real choices in her life ... part of the privilege of living in Canada. Karine did not have to cover herself when she went outdoors, she was free to attend school, free to be involved in the activities of her choosing, and free to pursue her dreams and express opinions without fear of retribution.

Karine Blais chose the Canadian Forces and she did so at a time when Canada was involved in armed conflict where Canadian soldiers were being killed. Karine chose what traditionally and in most countries would be a man’s profession ... and she excelled.

Trooper Karine Blais died as a Canadian soldiers, in the service of her country, and during a mission that attempts to bring to Afghan women at least a tiny bit of the freedom that she enjoyed.

How humbling, that a young Canadian women would give her life for a cause that brings to Afghan women that which she could take for granted.

It has been said that the greatest gift one can offer is to lay down their life for another.

Whenever we see images of young Afghan girls attending school, let us never forget the young woman who perished while defending their right to pursue a better life. Trooper Karine Blais is there with them; watching over their shoulders; offering each and every girl in Kandahar province a chance ... a chance that Trooper Blais bought with her life.

4 More

In honour of Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli; Cpl. Tyler Crooks; Trooper Jack Bouthillier; Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes and their families.

Not only do we remember and honour our soldiers, we also pay our respects and offer our gratitude to their families:



Details

A Contribution by Remo Cino

I wrote this song as a tribute to our Canadian and American troops fighting overseas, to their families, and to all the Heros we've lost..God Bless. ~ Remo Cino

Highway of Heroes

With a son serving in Afghanistan, one becomes that much more appreciative of the Canadians who turn out to show their respects to soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and to offer support to the families who mourn, in what has become known as the Highway of Heroes.

Don Martin of the National Post revisits the Highway of Heroes:

A Canadian tradition that brings out the best Salute to fallen soldiers a ritual worth exporting.

From the first glimpse of flashing police escorts to the last black vehicle flashing under the Highway 401 overpass, the funeral procession takes only half a silence-filled minute to pass.

Yet they start gathering an hour in advance for a unique tradition Canadians have embraced to salute their fallen soldiers -- and there's growing international pressure for other military powers to follow suit.

They were shivering in a brisk wind on Highway of Heroes overpasses again this week, the general public joining firefighters standing atop an aerial truck and flag-bearing war veterans as the body of Trooper Marc Diab, Canada's 112th dead soldier, was whisked from Trenton air base to the coroner's office in Toronto.

This picturesque town of 6,300 an hour's drive east of Toronto was among the first whose firefighters took to the bridge to flash their lights as the procession flew by. The Legion branch joined in almost immediately and now upwards of 200 Brighton locals turn up for every fallen soldier's repatriation convoy.

Truck horns blare from below at crowds waiting on a bridge curb given a special night-before clearing by the town. Many are regulars who have never missed a soldier's final voyage, taking time off work in fair and foul weather to wave Maple Leaf flags.

And as the hearse goes by, flags snapping in the wind over Canada's busiest highway is all you hear as locals crane their necks for glimpses of family members waving. As Trooper Diab's convoy rushed below Thursday, a stretch limousine window was open, one sad face looking upward at the blurred spectacle of so many strangers waving back.

The concept of overpass sentinels is starting to spread. Large crowds are taking to Toronto overpasses and hundreds turned up last week on the far side of the metropolis as a soldier was transported home to the Niagara region.

The goose-bumping power of this salute is rooted in the spontaneous simplicity of its creation and growth...

there's nothing comparable to Canada's multi-staged treatment of its fallen anywhere in the world.

The London Evening Standard last year ran contrasting photos [see here] of Canadian versus British treatment of the fallen, heaping shame on how the hearses bearing U. K. soldiers are only escorted by the undertaker's vehicle and usually get stuck in traffic [meanwhile, see how live returning soldiers may be greated--more here].

The Highway of Heroes story has been covered by CNN and Newsweek magazine last month noted that "Canada may have an answer" with its overpass salutes as an option for Americans trying to respect family privacy while allowing the public to observe the human cost of combat.

Under media pressure, President Barack Obama has ordered a review of the country's hidden and heartless U. S. casualty repatriation policy. Dead American soldiers now return home to a camera ban at the air base and are hustled off without ceremony to the mortuary and onward to burial. Photos of U. S. flag-draped coffins are almost always unauthorized.

Perhaps foreign military and political leaders who fear public displays of honour and respect for the fallen will become a public relations headache should stand in the blustery winter winds of a 401 overpass just once after a fallen soldier goes home.

They would quickly come to the conclusion that, when it comes to honouring its military dead, the world needs more Canada.

“We have become too civilized to grasp the obvious. For the truth is very simple. To survive you often have to fight, and to fight you have to dirty yourself. War is evil, and it is often the lesser evil. Those who take the sword perish by the sword...” ~ George Orwell

Trooper Marc Diab

"Feeling lonely is only the first stop ... but getting to wait and knowing that your [sic] waiting to go back is the hard part ... I am coming back ... I promise ... cause I was born to be a soldier ... soldier of freedom," ~ Marc Diab

So what did Marc ask of us?

Did he demand attention, honour, recognition?

Did he complain that his country wasn't good enough, or that his job was beneath him?

Did he whine and complain?

Absolutely not.

Marc was where he wanted to be, where he had dreamed of being since he was a small boy.

Trooper Marc Diab volunteered for military service. He was a fairly new Canadian, having come to Canada for a better life, yet no sooner had he grown up than he was enrolled in the Canadian Forces and soon he was off to Afghanistan.

He left behind the love of his life whom he intended on marrying, and he left behind a loving family. He put his shoulder to the task with complete dedication, and he died doing so ... a new and young Canadian, dying for his country.

Trooper Marc Diab's sacrifice is so humbling that words escape us, especially for those of us who have long established roots in Canada. What can we say? Whatever can we offer up for a new Canadian who so early in life sacrificed for our Canada.

Thank you Marc ... thank you for setting an example for those of us who may have forgotten what it is to love freedom.

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - George S. Patton

CTV Globe and Mail

The Life and Death of a Canadian Hero

“We have become too civilized to grasp the obvious. For the truth is very simple. To survive you often have to fight, and to fight you have to dirty yourself. War is evil, and it is often the lesser evil. Those who take the sword perish by the sword...” ~ George Orwell

Canadians who serve in Afghanistan come in all types. It's amazing how diverse a crew they are, from the bookish to the thrill seeking from the intellectual to the badass, they join together in a team to pursue what is perhaps one of the most challenging missions ever given the CF.

The Afghan conflict is stunningly complex, and "victory" there is going to be illusive simply because "winning" in the normal sense is not going to happen. The day is never going to arrive when each and every Taliban lays down arms and gives up. Long after we are gone some group or other will be plying the Hindukush looking for someone to torment.

But, victory can be had, if it is defined in realistic and actionable terms ... and if our team, that being all of ISAF and the United States of America, pulls it's load. Some of our "allies" have been less than enthusiastic ... playing more the role of water boys than warriors.

Nevertheless, we can be proud of those who do our bidding in Afghanistan. They are surely a special breed who willingly play with fire, and who run to the sound of guns while the rest flee ... or worse yet ... whine and complain.

Master Corporal Erin Doyle is one of those who served in Afghanistan. His story is unique though ... he was a giant of a man ... a real badass ... literally. Yet like so many of his kind, beneath the cast iron veneer was a complex and caring human being.

Master Corporal Erin Doyle died in Afghanistan:

“He died pulling the trigger. He died screaming into the face of the enemy.”

... Master Corporal Erin Doyle's story.

ht: The Torch

Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, Cpl. Dany Olivier Fortin and Cpl. Kenneth Chad O'Quinn

With a son now serving in Afghanistan, I'm finding the preperation of tributes on these pages even more personal.

There is so much that one wants to say ... yet nothing one says can ever be enough. Somewhere in Canada, families have just had the dreaded visit from DND, and now they are plunged into grief. The rest of us are left thinking about our chances of getting that same visit, yet feeling so proud of our serving family members. We support them, and respect their choice to serve. We offer our sympathy to those who are left to pick up the pieces.

In memory of our latest three, Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, Cpl. Dany Olivier Fortin and Cpl. Kenneth Chad O'Quinn, I'd like to give you a piece from The Standard:

Heroes.

That was the toast shouted out by patrons of Flats Bar and Grill after three names in black paint were added to a large, bright-red wall.

Those names -- Cpl. Dany Fortin, Cpl. Kenneth O'Quinn and St. Catharines soldier Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown -- brought the total number on the wall of the fallen to 111 -- the number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

"I want you all to raise a toast to these heroes, all of them," said Mishelle Brown, Dennis Brown's widow. She touched her husband's name on the wall and wiped back tears.

"All of them. All the ones who have died and all of those still out there fighting."

Brown's widow and two of his children lingered by the wall, running their fingers along Brown's name. Many of those who had toasted the soldier were also wiping their eyes. Many more let the tears fall freely.

Dennis Brown's friends, family and co-workers gathered at the bar, owned by Brown's ex-wife, to share some drinks, some hugs and stories. Members of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment were joined by cops, firefighters and lawyers who knew Brown from his life as a Niagara Regional Police special constable.

The same stories circulated the bar. How Brown loved the army and had to fight to get the time off from the NRP to serve in Afghanistan. How he was close to coming home. How he is the first serving Lincoln and Welland Regiment member killed while in a combat zone since the Second World War.

A few admitted they were still feeling the effects of a long night spent drinking and crying at the Lake Street armoury after the news of Brown's death reached St. Catharines.

One of Brown's friends even tattooed the soldier's name on the inside of his right biceps.

But it was the wall that drew everyone's attention. At some point during the night, among the hugs and long stares at the television news about Canada's recent losses in Afghanistan, nearly everyone walked by the wall.

Sapper Sean Greenfield

While offering our gratitude to Sapper Sean Greenfield, it is important to remind ourselves of what exactly it is that Sean and his mates have accomplished; it is important to remind ourselves that Sapper Sean Greenfield was fulfilling a very clear purpose.

First and foremost, our soldiers have given Afghans an opportunity to join in the world at large. Afghanistan is by far one of the poorest and most undeveloped places on earth, where violence and abuse are simply a fact of life. Even the term “reconstruction” is a misnomer ... as what we are doing is construction from the ground up. There is actually very little in Afghanistan to reconstruct.

It is this state of underdevelopment that made Afghanistan the perfect place for terrorists to build networks from which to attack our way of life. What is often forgotten though, is that while we mourn the devastation caused by terror attacks on the West, ordinary Afghans have lived with terror for decades now. Women and girls in particular, are singled out.

So it is, that our forces have used their ability to inflict violence to reduce destruction and violence. It is through acts of violence and threat of violence that they have turned back what are some of the most barbaric forces imaginable. It is our soldiers, like Sapper Sean Greenfield, who through the force of arms and violence are slowly wrestling Afghanistan from the clutches of truly evil forces.

The risks to those like Sapper Sean Greenfield are great. They are men who know violence ... for while we live our peaceful lives sheltered by Canadian values and institutions, they volunteer to go out into a land that couldn't be more the antithesis of Canada. What these brave souls are doing though, is little by little bringing a tiny bit of Canada to Afghanistan. Soldiers like Sapper Sean Greenfield have given Afghans a chance of emerging from decades of utter poverty and slavery.

We know that if Afghans can live in a more stable and peaceful society, that we will be safer ourselves. We know, that each and every Canadian soldier who dies in Afghanistan does so for a more stable world. Those who die, do so while standing between evil and innocents.

If it is therefore a fact, that our goal is a more stable and safe Afghanistan, and that destruction of or the defeat of those who want to return Afghanistan to barbarism is our goal, then how best can we support and honour those who have died? What would Sapper Sean Greenfield have us do?

I know where I stand ... I stand with Sapper Sean Greenfield. He died for me; and he died for Afghans; it’s the least I can do to remember Sapper Sean Greenfield. He died doing a task which he believed in ... and I will support that task.

Trooper Brian Richard Good

There is discipline in A Soldier
you can see it when he walks,
There is honor in A Soldier
you hear it when he talks.

There is courage in A Soldier
you can see it in his eyes,
There is loyalty in A Soldier
that he will not compromise.

There is something in A Soldier
that makes him stand apart,
There is strength in A Soldier
that beats from his heart.

A Soldier isn't a title
any man can be hired to do,
A Soldier is the soul
of that man buried deep inside of you.

A Soldier's job isn't finished
after an 8 hour day or a 40 hour week,
A Soldier is always
A Soldier even while he sleeps.

A Soldier serves his country first
and his life is left behind,
A Soldier has to sacrifice
what comes first in a civilian's mind.

If you are civilian -
I am saying this to you...

... next time you see A Soldier
remember what they do.

A Soldier is the reason
our land is 'Home of the free',
A Soldier is the one
that is brave protecting you and me.

If you are A Soldier -
I am saying this to you...

... Thank God for EVERY SOLDIER
Thank God for what YOU do!

by: Angela Goodwin

We will not forget Trooper Brian Richard Good.

Sgt. Gregory Kruse and Warrant Officer Gaetan Roberge

For Sgt. Gregory Kruse and Warrant Officer Gaetan Roberge

Will the bagpipers play on my funeral day?
Will a sea of blue stretch down this long road?
As Harleys rumble by and choppers thunder overhead
It is the sweet sounds of the bagpipers that I hear instead.

All have come here to pay their respects.
To listen to the story of the brave act I did.
Worry not for me because I'll be all right.
It is my wife who needs comfort
Through these long nights--
Who will teach my boy what is to be a man
Who will be there to hold my little girl's hand.
It is my family that needs you now,
for I am at rest.
Let it be known that I worked with the best.

I did not live the longest of lives,
nor one of great wealth.
It is the sacrifice I made that put me high upon this shelf,
Treated as a pauper in life but as a king in death.
All I did was my job like so many before.
So when you turn to drink to comfort your way
Remember what it is that I have to say.

When you raise your glass in memory of my name
Know you are my brother for you would have done the same.
It is only we who run toward what others run from
Now I run no more, for my work is done.

As this wooden vessel carries my body through this sea of blue
Listen for the bagpipers and hear what they play
For it is their sweet music that carries my soul today.

by: Sergeant Joseph P. M.
September 20, 2001

I Stand For You

For: Private Michael Bruce Freeman

I Stand For You

When terror grips you,
and the fabric of civility tears,
I stand for you.

On foreign soil,
where peace is
but a whispered hope,
I stand for you.

As bullets fly like bees,
and hateful bombs explode
threatening to steal my sanity -
I stand for you.

I carry broken bodies
back to be mended,
and no matter how hard I try -
the tears fall like rain,
and still through all the pain,
I stand for you.

That is until I fall,
and I wonder,
as I lay cold and still ...

Will you remember,
and stand for me.

We at Canadian Heroes promise that we will not forget Private Michael Bruce Freeman, and we will, stand for him and his family.

... more details.

Cpl. Thomas Hamilton, Pte. John Curwin, Pte. Justin Jones

What others said:

CDB
Rest easy boys....God bless your families during this holiday season. I will say a prayer for you!

Sherry in Ottawa
RIP brothers - you have done your job, now others will follow to do what you all believe in. Condolences to all families and friends. We will not forget you.

Phil Bowser
As I fellow soldier and friend from 2 RCR my hart go's out to the families and friend of our fallen. My prayers and thoughts are with you all in this our time of need.

Dean, Brampton, Ontario
God Bless These Most Honorable Men.There sacrafice will not be forgoten.My deepest condolancies to their famalies.

Tim McDermott Rawdon NS
Another sad day for three devastated families, the Army, and the country as a whole. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them. God rest their souls, and grant them the peace they have so justly earned.

Raylene and Bill MacEachern
May God Bless you all.Condolences to all the families and comrades.You will never be forgotten!

Raylene and Bill,Sundre Alberta

Brad
Pro Patria, brothers

... much much more.

Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren, Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson and Pte. Demetrios Diplaros

This past week the number of Canadian deaths suffered in Afghanistan rose to 100. It's a milestone for Canada, because not since the Korean War have our soldiers fought such a protracted and bloody conflict. In the years that followed the Korean War, UN missions of Peace Keeping became the norm and as a result war zone deaths diminished.

Here at Canadian Heroes we aim to memorialize those who have fallen in Afghanistan and to offer respect and sympathy to their families. After all, it is their loved ones who must continue to bear the burden for the rest of their days ... so in a very real way, they sacrifice for this country as well.

We see how willing our soldiers are to go into harm's way ... how dependable they are, how courageous. We marvel at their dedication not only to their peers and country, but to the mission they've been sent to perform.

These latest deaths have offered us another glimpse into our soldier's make-up, through the actions of Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren. He was on his second tour. He'd been wounded on this first tour ... but he was eager to get back into the fray. Several weeks ago, in fact, he crawled through fire to a wounded Afghan soldier.

The act demonstrated how incredibly focused and dedicated our people are ... not only are they loyal to each other, but as Cpl. McLaren demonstrated, they are selfless even when it comes to the Afghan soldiers they are training. No matter what can be said and debated about the merits of the mission, one thing all must marvel at, is the dedication and determination in the hearts of our soldiers. They were once just ordinary Canadian men and women who put on uniforms, trained relentlessly, then became extraordinary Canadian heroes. When faced with evil ... faced with imminent danger ... faced with fear ... they overcome again and again and set an example for us all.

What’s even more amazing is that so many of them are so young … yet so exemplary.

We are humbled and honoured to remember them here ... Our Canadian Heroes.

CTV

Papa Shipway

It is the burden of senior ranks within the combat arms to lead from the front. Not only must they be exemplary while under fire, but they must keep their heads when all hell breaks loose. If they don't, young men and women die or bad situations turn into disastrous situations.

Most critical of all though, is that they must provide the glue that keeps units together during traumatic events. They shepherd their charges through ambushes, IED attacks, and accidents. The burden they carry is enormous ... and they often carry it alone.

What few recognize as well, is that they live with the crushing guilt of sending men and women under their command to die. Be it simply by sending a group of soldiers to walk a given path ... or choosing the order of patrol ... when bad things happen they live with the fallout forever.

Sgt. Scott (papa) Shipway was a leader. He was experienced and trusted. He led from the front.

Chaplain Capt. Darren Persaud:

" [Sgt. Scott Shipway] watched over his men, like a father guards his children, and that is how he will forever be remembered,"

Capt. Darren Persaud:

[Sgt. Shipway's] dedication was apparent when he helped save a fellow soldier's life during a roadside bomb attack in 2006.

Brig. Gen. Denis Thompson about an incident where Sgt. Shipway showed strong leadership and was cited for his quick reaction:

"At that time, he disregarded the danger to himself, secured the area of the blast and began treating the casualties, including one who had lost both his legs,"

"Using the radio he got direction from the chief surgeon and was able to stop the bleeding, thereby saving that soldier's life.

"He always gave you an honest answer, whether you wanted it or not,"

Canada has lost a unique individual ... a leader of warriors.

We will not forget.

3 More

Pte. Chadwick James Horn
Cpl. Michael James Alexander Seggie
Cpl. Andrew Paul Grenon

I'll let Cpl. Andrew Paul Grenon speak for all three of these, our heroes:

"I've often asked myself why we are here. Why my government actually agreed to send troops to this God-forsaken place.

"There are no natural resources. No oil, gold, or silver. Just people.

"People who have been at war for the last 40 plus years. People who want nothing more than their children to be safe. People who will do anything for money; even give their own life.

"I look into the eyes of these people. I see hate, destruction and depression. I see love, warmth, kindness and appreciation.

"Why do we fight? For in this country, there are monsters. Monsters we could easily fight on a different battlefield, at a different time. Monsters that could easily take the fight to us.

"Surrounding these mud walls and huts is a country in turmoil. A country that is unable to rebuild itself. A country that cannot guarantee a bright future for its youth.

"Why do we fight? Because, if we don't fight today, on THIS battlefield, then our children will be forced to face these monsters on our own battlefield.

"I fight because I'm a soldier.

"I fight because I'm ordered.

"I fight, so my children won't have to."

~ Cpl. Andrew Paul Grenon

"Are we not doing it for the kids?"

Since we started Canadian Heroes, I've written a lot of posts about the soldiers we've lost. Each time I did so, I wrote about someone I didn't know personally. This time will be a bit different.

We just lost three more soldiers. One of those men and I crossed paths when he was a bright eyed and incredibly precocious small boy. He attended the school where I taught.

I remember Dustin Wasden as a very sharp, very active, very lovable boy. He was one of those little guys who'd get into trouble sometimes simply because he was so much on the go ... I remember staff members laughing over what Dustin may have said, or done. I remember clearly the keen mind and burning curiosity of the little red headed boy from a Saskatchewan farm.

And now Dustin, is no longer with us.

The three we just lost, Sgt. Shawn Allen Eade, Cpl. Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden, and Sapper Stephan John Stock, were all little boys not that long ago. They were the hope of their generation ... but of course, they didn't know it at the time. Yet, they did grow up to rise above the narrow self-interest that drives most of our lives. They left behind loved ones, comforts, and safety, to risk their lives in helping Afghan children, the hope of Afghanistan.

We hear this more and more from our soldiers ... that the mission is about far more than preventing another 911; that it's about giving Afghans a fighting chance in a region that has seen decades of barbarism. We see and hear the conviction of our soldiers, who no sooner lose their team mates, than they go right back out and do it all over again. Their dedication humbles us all and their commitment to the children of Afghanistan is enspiring.

In the end, I have to give Cpl. Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden the last word ... as he expressed it to relatives and fellow warriors:

"Are we not doing it for the kids?" he’d say.

Yes you were Dustin ... you were doing it for the Afghan kids; and because you were, you were also doing it for all of us.

Thank you, Dustin .... thank you, gentlemen.

Master Cpl. Erin Doyle

“We have become too civilized to grasp the obvious. For the truth is very simple. To survive you often have to fight, and to fight you have to dirty yourself. War is evil, and it is often the lesser evil. Those who take the sword perish by the sword...”

-George Orwell

When I read that Master Cpl. Erin Doyle was on his third tour in Afghanistan, I was struck by the realization that he, and all those who serve, are in the minority among us who fully grasp the words of George Orwell ... that "to survive you have to fight".

While the vast majority of us were going about our business, which in most cases amounts to enjoying the bounty of our home, Canada, Master Cpl. Doyle was toiling away trying to preserve the fragile democracy of Afghanistan ... and he lost his life doing so. While we slept in cozy beds, earned livings that ordinary Afghans could only dream of, and while we complained about the most mundane things, he gave his all (literally), to assist some of the world's lowliest people.

George Orwell understood in stark terms that defending what we have ... and defending even what little others have, can be ugly work. It takes giants of men to do the dirty work ... they willingly go where their lives can be lost in a twinkle ... where the last thing they may see is a foreign land completely devoid of the civilized pleasures and softness that is our Canada. Yet they go ... in fact, they line up to await their turn in numbers so large that the mission can't accommodate them all.

Any wonder then, that we call them heroes.

Master Cpl. Erin Doyle ... thank you.

Master Cpl. Josh Roberts

From friends and brothers in arms:

"He was the kind guy that we would describe as the soldier's soldier," said the battle group commander, Lt.-Col. Dave Corbould. "And I know that's a coined phrase but in fact he was one of those real guys, always carrying his share, and more, and always looking out for his buddies and comrades."

"Truth, honour and loyalty were not mere words to Josh but the unspoken creed which he lived his life by," said Capt. Darren Persaud. "Josh would be there for his friends at any time, to lend a hand or to give them honest advice. Sometimes it was not the advice they wanted to hear, but it was always the advice they needed."

"His best friend describes him as a no-nonsense kind of guy who lived like people dreamed; he was a fun-loving and genuine individual who was totally dedicated to the Army and held his section together. He looked out for his guys in ways they probably didn't realize," Brig.-Gen. Dennis Thompson.

Capt. Scott MacGregor, acting C Company commander, described Roberts as a "bang-on-guy, a soldier's soldier. No matter where he worked or who he worked with, he just fit in well with everybody," he said.

"He was a real soldier, very good at it, just a skilled and qualified soldier. I had a lot of respect for him, and this is a real tragedy," Lacoursiere said.

Master Cpl. Josh Roberts left behind a fiance who was 8 months pregnant, making his sacrifice all the more difficult to bear. The following comment was left on his facebook site:

"Rest in Peace Josh! I have never seen my friend happier than since she's been with you! I'll take care of your little boy for you!!"

So it is that we mourn Master Cpl Josh Roberts ... but we also remember to never pity him. Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan are living out their dream ... they are doing the job they've chosen for themselves ... they are volunteers.

Justin Rings, who served with Roberts in Saskatchewan puts it best:

"He loved soldiering. Some people are calling it a tragedy, but he died doing what he loved, so that's not a tragedy."

Cpl. James Hayward Arnal

I'm never quite sure that most people understand just how dedicated and committed to the mission in Afghanistan Canadian soldiers are. Often, when new acquaintances find out my son is in the Canadian Forces, they can't help but ask ... "Is he going over there!" Many can't even spit out the word "Afghanistan". When I tell them that he is slated to go soon, they get this panicked expression ... and then, after an awkward silence ask, "How do you feel about it?" When I explain that my son is excited to be going, and that all of his fellow troop mates feel the same way, the person I am speaking with usually recoils ... or expresses amazement.

What is it that makes so many Canadians view our soldiers as victims ... as pawns who are sacrificed on some sort of alter of national ambition ... when frankly ... they aren't. Each and every one is a volunteer. They join the military as volunteers, and I doubt a single one of them would be forced to go if they expressed grave reservation. What we call a VR (voluntary release) from service is incredibly easy in the Canadian Forces ... with little fuss ... and little muss. What that means, is that our people going "over there" are where they choose to be.

Cpl. James Hayward Arnal had a promising career outside the military. He was going places. Not only that, we have anecdotal evidence that his life was full of adventure. Yet, Cpl. James Hayward Arnal joined the Canadian Forces ... and he joined a branch of the military that virtually guaranteed he'd be going to "that place".

Our heroes never cease to amaze me. They are volunteers for a variety of reasons, but none ... not one ... is a victim. They leave us behind, they leave security and loved ones, and they willingly enter what can best be called an ugly confrontation with evil.

So, we honour Cpl. James Hayward Arnal and we feel lucky to know just a tiny little bit of him through his sacrifice. We will not forget.

CTV

Cpl. Brendan Anthony Downey

It is often forgotten that the Afghan mission requires a long logistics train which involves thousands of soldiers who never see Afghanistan, but who nevertheless put their shoulder to the load. They serve not only in Canada, but on bases elsewhere.

Recently we lost Cpl. Brendan Anthony Downey at one of the bases that offers logistics to the Afghan mission. It's interesting that he joined the Canadian Forces in response to 911. He joined specifically to assist Canada in the War against Islamic terrorism ... a direct extention of which is the mission in Afghanistan. We don't know the circumstances of his death, and we won't speculate. What matters to us is that he was doing the work his country asked of him to do ...yet, he was a volunteer:

His family described him as a "committed patriot" who joined the military in response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They also said in a release Sunday that he was overjoyed to hear of his wife's recently confirmed pregnancy and will be sorely missed by his family and friends.

Pte. Colin William Wilmot

There are a minority of people in society who do not understand, nor appreciate, the fact that our soldiers serving in Afghanistan are volunteers. "Volunteers" means that they have willingly stepped up and asked to go to Afghanistan.

My son is slated to go in February. At this moment in time his unit is full of some very disgruntled young men. Why? Because they are not on the list of those going. Virtually every single member of my son's unit wants in ... for whatever reason ... they want to be players in one of Canada's most noble moments.

Pte. Colin William Wilmot did not have to die in Afghanistan. He was not slated to go. He was not one of the chosen.

Yet, Colin asked ... almost demanded, that he be permitted to lend his shoulder to the load.

From CTV:

Wilmot was with 1 Field Ambulance of 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group, based in Edmonton. He had not been scheduled to join the current rotation in Afghanistan but he had demanded to be sent.

"He quickly marched in to see his regiment sergeant-major to indicate he was eager to serve,'' said Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan.

"Colin wanted it known that should a spot become available on the mission, he wanted in. "He was selected to fill a vacancy soon after, because he was motivated, he was skilled, and because he was eager to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Afghans.''

Colin ... you are a Canadan son to be proud of ... we will never forget you.

The Journey Home

Capt. Jonathan Sutherland Snyder

A week ago we talked about leadership, in memory of Captain Richard (Steve) Leary. Today, we again mourn the loss of a leader.

Capt. Jonathan Sutherland Snyder perished in Afghanistan in what can best be described as a freak accident. News reports leave us with disturbing images of a fall down a deep well in the dark of night, the frantic efforts of comrades, but tragedy in the end.

The heart rending part is that those who had depended on Capt. Snyder's leadership to keep them safe in the past, couldn't ,despite their frantic efforts, save his life.

Col. Jean-Francois Riffou gives us some measure of the man:

"Capt. Snyder will leave an indelible mark on this unit and I'm sure on the Afghan National Army ... He was a professional. He was quiet. He was always looking out for his men. And he was always looking out for the Afghan soldiers and taking all means available to see that they improved ... Because of his heroic leadership under intense fire, there are many Canadians and Afghans who are alive to fight tomorrow."

We are also left with a further glimpse of Capt. Snyder from a brief statement of his, shared by his mother:

"If anything ever happens mom, don't feel badly for me, I'm where I'm supposed to be ... "

So, once again, we are reminded how stunningly matter of fact and courageous our heroes are. Never forget them ... but never pity them ... they were, each and everyone, where they wanted to be.

For Capt. Jonathan Sutherland Snyder.

Capt. Richard (Steve) Leary

One of the greatest burdens that can be placed on a man, is to ask him to lead men into battle. The leader must often make life and death decisions on the spot; decisions that may later come to haunt him. There is always a better way of doing things, and a great leader is never satisfied that he’s done the best he could. Once the shooting is over, he must live with the decisions he’s made, and often carry the burden of men lost. Few civilians, and even soldiers, grasp the enormous burden placed on leaders of fighting men.

Captain Richard (Steve) Leary was one of the leaders. He died while directing his soldiers in combat.

CTV:

"Captain Leary was what we in uniform are expected to be. Captain Leary was a soldier and Captain Leary was a leader," Cade said.

"In his memory and the memory of those that have gone before him we remain steadfast in our resolve to bring peace and stability to the people of Afghanistan. He will be greatly missed by his military family."

Leary was a platoon commander with 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based out of Shilo, Man.

Originally from Brantford, Ont., he was on his first overseas mission. He leaves behind his wife Rachel, his parents Richard and Gail and his sister Brandi.

After being shot, Leary was airlifted to the medical facility at Kandahar Airfield where he was pronounced dead by a medical officer.

"Every death is deeply painful to us, but it is a risk that we as members of the Canadian Armed Forces understand and assume as we work to bring peace and stability to a country that has been torn apart by war," Cade said.

Senior army spokesman Maj. Jay Janzen said Leary's men are taking the loss with much difficulty.

"When you lose a leader as effective as Capt. Leary, as personable, it is difficult, but we're just thinking about (his) family right now,'' he said.

Cpl. Michael Starker

Cpl. Michael Starker was a medic. He died while extending a hand to Afghans. He died while touching the lives of Afghans in the most giving way possible.

But, Cpl. Michael Starker did much more ... he died while on a mission that he was not bound by duty to partake in, because Cpl. Michael Starker was a reservist. What that means is that he had to go out of his way to volunteer for service in Afghanistan. He had to make the decision to leave his home and family behind, and enter an incredibly dangerous environment that he knew perfectly well might claim his life. And in the end, it did.

Many in Canada can be forgiven if they fail to comprehend, or even recoil, from individuals like Cpl. Michael Starker. What, with the whole culture driven by a decadent focus on self, it's small wonder that the Michael Starkers of this world sometimes seem like aliens. But that is precisely why we honor them and set them apart. They are true Canadian heroes.

The best we can do for them and their loved ones, is to promise to never forget.

Canadian Heroes Tribute

Why

Another Family Mourns

Pte. Terry John Street:

And there you have it, another Canadian family loses a cherished member and the greater military family at Shilo takes another hit.

I've written so much on these pages about our lost heroes. Every time, I wonder what I'd say if it was my own son who'd been killed. He'll be in Afghanistan within a year if things don't change, so I will soon become one of the waiting parents ... hoping that men in uniform don't show up at my door.

I know that that's what happened with Pte. Streets family ... and I know that they've now been plunged into some of their darkest days ... and most of us can't even be there to comfort them.

If Pte. Street was anything like my son, I know that he was doing exactly what he wanted to do. I know that he was in Afghanistan for his mates ... for his country ... for Afghans ... and for himself. I know, that he had no misconceptions of the risks he was taking. Other than that, I know little of him.

Yet, from the tiny bit I know, he is my hero now ... as he should be yours. He's joined the thousands of Canadian soldiers who have sacrificed for freedom.

In a day and age when certain elements in our society would diminish Pte. Street's sacrifice, or use it for petty political ends ... it is our duty to hold our heroes high.

So, on these pages we honour Pte. Terry John Street and we will never forget his heroism.

Star of Military Valour

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