Canadian Heroes

Cpl. Nick Bulger

2009-07-12T10:49:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Trooper Marc Diab

2009-03-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

"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

2009-03-10T18:20:00.001-07:00

“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

2009-03-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-26T17:19:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-18T06:18:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-07T20:37:00.001-08:00

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

2008-09-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

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?"

2008-08-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

“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

2008-08-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

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.