God Bless the Our Fallen Soldiers - MCpl Vernelli, Cpl Crooks, Trooper Bouthiller and Trooper Hayes ~ Friday, March 20th, 2009

It is with sadness today that we announce the loss of four Canadian Soldiers.
Four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight were injured in two separate IED incidents in Kandahar province.
At approximately 6:45 a.m., Kandahar time, 20 March 2009, two Canadian soldiers were killed and five others were injured when an improvised explosive device detonated in the vicinity of a dismounted patrol in Zhari District, west of Kandahar City. At approximately 8:45 a.m., Kandahar time, 20 March 2009, two more Canadian soldiers were killed and three others were injured when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Shah Wali Khot district, north-east of Kandahar city.
The Injured soldiers were evacuated by helicopter to the Role 3 Multi-National Medical Facility at Kandahar Airfield. They are all reported to be in good condition, and their names will not be released.All members of Task Force Kandahar are thinking of the family and friends of our fallen comrades during this sad time. We will not forget their sacrifice as we continue to bring security and hope to the people of Kandahar Province.

Master Corporal Scott Francis Vernelli

In the first IED incident, killed in action was Master Corporal Scott Francis Vernelli, from November Company, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. Master Corporal Vernelli is a member of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Condolences If you would like to leave a message of condolence for MCpl Vernelli, please enter it in the comment section and I will transfer it here.

karen taylor said...
I am so sorry to hear about the four canadian soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan sunday, my son who is in the us army 2-2 infantry who were fighting on this mission with the candians told me he was on this mission, it is hard to explain that any minute you could get that call or visit your son is dead or wounded, I am so sorry four more familys heard that horrible news...I am so sorry and my prayes are with all the familys...

11:28 AM
As I sit here going through the endless comments on the 4 soldiers killed on March 20, 2009. I cannot let it pass without letting the families of Cpl Tyler Crooks Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes know how heartbreaking it is to lose such an honourable Canadian who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. I too feel your sorrow and hope our memories and healing will continue together as one military family. Thanks to all our soldiers. Yours Truly Chuck, Ruth Vernelli & Family

Corporal Tyler Crooks

Also in the first IED incident, killed in action was Corporal Tyler Crooks, from November Company, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. Corporal Tyler Crooks is a member of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Condolences If you would like to leave a message of condolence for Cpl Crooks, please enter it in the comment section and I will transfer it here.

karen taylor said...
I am so sorry to hear about the four canadian soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan sunday, my son who is in the us army 2-2 infantry who were fighting on this mission with the candians told me he was on this mission, it is hard to explain that any minute you could get that call or visit your son is dead or wounded, I am so sorry four more familys heard that horrible news...I am so sorry and my prayes are with all the familys...

As I sit here going through the endless comments on the 4 soldiers killed on March 20, 2009. I cannot let it pass without letting the families of Cpl Tyler Crooks Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes know how heartbreaking it is to lose such an honourable Canadian who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. I too feel your sorrow and hope our memories and healing will continue together as one military family. Thanks to all our soldiers. Yours Truly Chuck, Ruth Vernelli & Family

Trooper Jack Bouthillier

In the second IED attack, killed in action was Trooper Jack Bouthillier, from the Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. Trooper Bouthillier is a member of The Royal Canadian Dragoons based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Condolences If you would like to leave a message of condolence for Trooper Bouthillier, please enter it in the comment section and I will transfer it here.

karen taylor said...
I am so sorry to hear about the four canadian soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan sunday, my son who is in the us army 2-2 infantry who were fighting on this mission with the candians told me he was on this mission, it is hard to explain that any minute you could get that call or visit your son is dead or wounded, I am so sorry four more familys heard that horrible news...I am so sorry and my prayes are with all the familys...

As I sit here going through the endless comments on the 4 soldiers killed on March 20, 2009. I cannot let it pass without letting the families of Cpl Tyler Crooks Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes know how heartbreaking it is to lose such an honourable Canadian who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. I too feel your sorrow and hope our memories and healing will continue together as one military family. Thanks to all our soldiers. Yours Truly Chuck, Ruth Vernelli & Family

Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes

Also in the second IED attack, killed in action was Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes from the Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. Trooper Hayes is a member of The Royal Canadian Dragoons based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Condolences If you would like to leave a message of condolence for Trooper Hayes, please enter it in the comment section and I will transfer it here.

karen taylor said...
I am so sorry to hear about the four canadian soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan sunday, my son who is in the us army 2-2 infantry who were fighting on this mission with the candians told me he was on this mission, it is hard to explain that any minute you could get that call or visit your son is dead or wounded, I am so sorry four more familys heard that horrible news...I am so sorry and my prayes are with all the familys...

As I sit here going through the endless comments on the 4 soldiers killed on March 20, 2009. I cannot let it pass without letting the families of Cpl Tyler Crooks Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes know how heartbreaking it is to lose such an honourable Canadian who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. I too feel your sorrow and hope our memories and healing will continue together as one military family. Thanks to all our soldiers. Yours Truly Chuck, Ruth Vernelli & Family

Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal - Friday, July 18, 2008

Bless Our Fallen Soldier

Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal

On July 18th 2008, a Canadian soldier was killed just before midnight Kandahar time. The soldier was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device while on a foot patrol in Panjwayi District.
The fallen soldier is Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Manitoba.
First aid was administered to Corporal Arnal immediately following the incident. He was evacuated by helicopter to Kandahar Air Field's Role 3 Multi-National Medical Facility, but sadly was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Military Families and members of Task Force Kandahar here and overseas are thinking of the family and friends of our fallen comrade during this time of sorrow and extend our prayers to families and friends both here and overseas. The dedication and sacrifice of soldiers like Corporal Arnal are helping to make a difference in the lives of countless Afghan citizens.

May He hold you in the palm of his hands and comfort your family and friends as you travel your final journey home. ~m.m.

Statement by the Minister of National Defence on the Death of Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal
The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, issued the following statement today on the death of a Canadian soldier:"On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal who died yesterday (July 18, 2008) in Afghanistan. I also wish a quick recovery to the other soldier injured in this incident.
Just before midnight, on July 18, 2008, an improvised explosive device detonated near their foot patrol in Panjwayi District.The United Nations-mandated mission in Afghanistan is a challenging one, but these challenges will not deter us from helping Afghans reclaim their lives and build a free and democratic society.Corporal Arnal was a brave soldier. Canada will remain forever grateful for his service, and we are saddened by his loss."Corporal Arnal was an infanteer serving with the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group based in Shilo, Manitoba.

From the Family:
Family members of Cpl. James Arnal released a statement yesterday remembering their loved one as "fearless" and conveying their grief over his death in Afghanistan.
"We don't have words to express the sorrow all Jim's family and friends are feeling," wrote the family. "A part of us has died with him and he will always be in our thoughts and our hearts."
Arnal's family said the young soldier lived his life fully and as fearlessly as he executed his role in Afghanistan.
The statement described the Canadian Forces as giving Arnal the chance to travel and make friends across the globe.
"He was a thrill-seeker and was always on the go, recruiting his friends to go with him. He was always planning his next adventure," the statement read. "He was proud to be part of Canada's efforts to bring peace and stability to the people of Afghanistan."

From His CO (Commanding Officer):
In astatement, Maj. Michael Wright, commanding officer for 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Rear Party, said that Arnal "brought experience and passion to his job and his loss is a blow to his fellow soldiers in Bravo Company and to the entire battle group."
Wright said Arnal "served with distinction" in Kandahar Province from August 2006 to February 2007 and upon his return to Canada expressed a desire to return to Afghanistan -- a wish that was granted.
"Our condolences go out to his family in Winnipeg and we now make a solemn vow to ensure his final voyage home is conducted with the dignity befitting a hero," wrote Wright.

Message From Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
The terrible news of the death of Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal, an infanteer serving with the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group, is another cruel blow to all of us, wherever we may be.
Like his comrades, Corporal Arnal always faced the dangers of this mission with courage and with the deep conviction he was helping humanity, assisting in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and leading the mission on to success. We all commend his commitment, his sacrifices, and the hopes and benefits that his presence made possible.
My husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I share the sorrow of Corporal Arnal's family and the distress of his fellow soldiers and we offer them our most sincere condolences. All Canadians join with us in honouring his memory. May his unwavering courage, our esteem and our thoughts ease your sorrow.
Michaelle Jean
Ramp Ceremony- He's coming Home

Capt. Al Blondin salutes during the ramp ceremony at

Kandahar Airfield Sunday, July 20, 2008 for Cpl. James Hayward Arnal.

The body of Cpl. James Hayward Arnal was lifted onto a military plane during a sunset ceremony for his final voyage home.
Hundreds of Canadian soldiers and their allies came Sunday to bid Arnal a solemn farewell during a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.
Arnal was killed by a roadside bomb. His battle group commander praised him as born leader.
"(He) was the type of soldier who set the example for all of us to emulate," said Lt.-Col. Dave Corbould.
"He was a key motivator -- almost the glue of the platoon and the section -- to which people naturally just joined on to."
Arnal left a lucrative career in the information-technology sector to join the military.
He was already on his second tour of Afghanistan in two years, and was already pushing his superiors to send him back for a third trip to the battle zone in 2009.
Corbould called him fearless.
"He couldn't wait to get on our current task force, and he was already trying to butt in line to get on the next tour," he said.
"That's the kind of adventurous spirit and sense of duty he had.

REPATRIATION:

The tentative date of repatriation of Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal is:

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

at 2:00 pm (1400)

at

CFB Trenton, ON

Gather along HWY 2 (base to RCAF Rd) or on the Highway 401 bridges/overpasses, roadsides, to honour our repatriated soldier and his families as they travel the Highway of Heroes (Hwy 401W) from Trenton to Toronto. Hold a flag, wear red or salute our fallen soldier giving the family comfort in showing our compassion. Be part of the thousands who just simply want to say "thank you".

What a Sad Day

What a sad day... I am shaking as I hear the news. This is the start of a difficult journey for many military families and friends here and overseas. I know many families close their eyes, bow their heads and wait. God Bless. I stand here beside you - reaching out my hand.

You will be missed

By ones never met

You are our HEROES

We will never forget.

~Godspeed.

Military Mom.

.

Six Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

July 4, 2007- Six Canadian soldiers and one Afghan interpreter were killed at approximately 10:55 a.m. Kandahar time today when their vehicle struck a suspected improvised explosive device approximately 20 km south-west of Kandahar City. The names of the casualties are being withheld pending the notification of families.The incident occurred while the soldiers were returning from conducting joint operations with the Afghan National Army. This joint operation was dubbed Operation LUGER and is indicative of the ever-increasing capability of Afghan National Security forces. Operation LUGER was an Afghan led operation to enhance security in the Panjwayii district that saw Canadian Forces troops play a supporting role to their Afghan counterparts. The operation was completed without incident, and the attack occurred as the patrol returned to a nearby forward operating base. Afghan National Army forces have made great progress in increasing their level of professionalism and operational capability and regularly work in close cooperation with Canadian Forces personnel who stand alongside them in the field, and mentor them as they develop a cohesive and professional military force.The members of Joint Task Force Afghanistan are deeply saddened by the loss of these brave individuals as they worked side by side with their Afghan counterparts to bring security and stability to southern Afghanistan.The identities and home units of the deceased will only be released when next-of-kin notification is complete, and in accordance with the family's wishes.

Prayers are With Our Three Fallen Canadian Soldiers

It is with a heavy heart that I write this next piece. I reach out to hold the hand of families and friends of 3 courageous fallen soldiers today - as tears fall and my prayers are said for the families and friends -here and overseas. Today, military families grieve together.

Three Canadian soldiers were killed at approximately 7:49 a.m. Kandahar time today (11:19 pm est Tuesday evening) when the open-top all-terrain military vehicle in which they were traveling struck a suspected improvised explosive device on the main road, approximately 40 kms west of Kandahar City. The incident occurred while the soldiers were conducting resupply operations between checkpoints. The Department of National Defence notes: "The loss of every soldier is significant and is felt by all members of Joint Task Force Afghanistan. Notwithstanding that, we remain committed to the mission and the idea of peace and stability for the people of Afghanistan. We will not be deterred by the efforts of those who would deny the Afghan people a brighter future."

The identities of two of the three Canadian soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 20, 2007 are as follows:

Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane,

3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane Charlie Company 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) CFB Edmonton, Garrison Friday 16 Oct 2006 Corporal At approximately 7:49 am Kandahar time today, Corporal Bouzane was one of three Canadian soldiers killed when the vehicle they were traveling in struck an improvised explosive device on the main road, approximately 6 km west of Forward Operating Base Sperwan-Gar. The incident occurred while the soldiers were conducting resupply operations between checkpoints. The Charlie Company, 3 PPCLI members are part of the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (2 RCR) Battle Group of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg).
Cpl. Bouzane was born in Newfoundland and grew up in Scarborough, Ont., east of Toronto. Bouzane's sister, Kelly, described her brother as a quiet and reserved young man who was in Afghanistan "to make a difference."
She told the Canadian Press that her brother went to Afghanistan for his first tour in February. She last saw him at Christmas

Private Joel Vincent Wiebe,

3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

Private Joel Vincent Wiebe Charlie Company 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) CFB Edmonton , Garrison Oct 16 2006. At approximately 7:49 am Kandahar time today (11:19 pm EST Tuesday evening), Private Wiebe was one of three Canadian soldiers killed when the vehicle they were traveling in struck an improvised explosive device on the main road, approximately 6 km west of Forward Operating Base Sperwan-Gar. The incident occurred while the soldiers were conducting resupply operations between checkpoints. The Charlie Company, 3 PPCLI members are part of the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (2 RCR) Battle Group of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg).
Wiebe, 22, had a fiancee in Edmonton where his regiment is based. Anna Thede had been counting the days until she would next see her fiancé, Private Joel Vincent Wiebe.
After months of separation, the young couple were planning to meet next week in Europe for a holiday. Instead, the Edmonton woman received the devastating news yesterday that Pte. Wiebe, had been one of three Canadian soldiers killed while on patrol in Afghanistan. Ms. Thede told reporters that her family and Pte. Wiebe's planned to release a public statement tomorrow.
On Ms. Thede's personal Facebook page, she wrote she is "heartbroken that her Joel is gone." The couple had been planning a winter wedding.

7:24 pm -The identity of the third Canadian soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 20, 2007 is as follows:-

Sergeant Christos Karigiannis,

3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Sgt. Karigiannis, part of 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was killed yesterday along with two others while travelling between military checkpoints, just a few hundred metres apart, about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar city. The three soldiers died when their small all-terrain vehicle hit a roadside bomb that insurgents apparently managed to plant without being detected. Kelly Spence, a captain in the air force's supply reserve, said Karigiannis was truly devoted to being a pilot and being in the military.
"He was a quiet guy with a good sense of humour," said Spence, 48, who supervised Karigiannis's pilot's course in Ste. Anne de Bellevue in 1993 and then worked with him periodically through the late 1990s. "He was a good leader, a real motivator and a great human being. "If you asked who would be a good ambassador for Canada over there (in Afghanistan), Chris would be the one." Karigiannis was a top-notch soldier qualified to parachute into dangerous situations, Spence added. "The whole world could be going to hell around him and he would keep his cool."
He had also been a member of the Eden North Skydive Team in Edmonton, where he had completed more than 750 jumps.

"Through their service they contributed to ensuring a safe and prosperous future for Afghanistan," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Maria Carl, ISAF spokeswoman.

The soldiers were travelling in an M-Gator vehicle (similar to pictured above) that is used to haul small loads, a Department of National Defence spokeswoman said in Ottawa. The six-wheeled M-Gators, manufactured by John Deere Ltd., run on diesel fuel.

Asked whether it was a judgment error to use an unarmoured vehicle in hostile territory, Grant replied: "No. This is an unfortunate accident."
"The vehicle was appropriate to the task at hand and the terrain they were travelling in."
But Grant added: "We will review our procedures and if we determine that we need to change them, then we will do so."

A Big HUA for Canada's Engineers!

Canadian Engineers Detonate Bomb

Near Pakistan Border

Rusty Bucket Packed With Explosives and Wired to a Black Battery Box .
By CP
SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan — Canadian military engineers fought fire with fire Tuesday as they safely detonated a crude roadside bomb in a cloud of flame and smoke near this border town in southern Afghanistan.
The soldiers of Engineer Squadron, attached to the Royal Canadian Dragoons, tried in vain to use a remote-control robot to split apart the device — a rusty bucket packed with explosives and wired to a black battery box.
After severing the wires from a distance, the engineers and a team of explosive experts dispatched from Kandahar Airfield used their own high-powered explosive to reduce the device to little more than bits of rubble.
When it was over, all that was left was a hot, blackened crater in the middle of a parched, barren tract of land just a few kilometres from the Pakistan border.
As soldiers examined the charred hole, section commander Sgt. Dave Camp beamed with the satisfaction of a job well done.
“It was a good day,” Camp said. “It’s gone, and done, and nobody got killed.”
Bomb a work in progress
The device, which was reported Monday by a commander with Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, was found above ground and well away from the road — unusual for an improvised explosive device, or IED, in Afghanistan.

That suggests whomever built the device was still in the process of preparing it when they were spotted, said Camp.
It’s also possible it was placed there in an effort to learn about Canadian tactics, he added.
“I’d have to say it was something that was in progress,” he said. “It’s an awful waste of valuable resources on their part to just let it go for the sake of watching us ... it was the start of something.”
Also Tuesday, a Canadian patrol that included soldiers from 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment and members of the Afghan National Army was attacked near the village of Howz-e-Madad, about 30 kilometres west of Kandahar city, a Canadian Forces spokesman said.
”The patrol was engaged by multiple insurgents using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades,” Lieut. (Navy) John Nethercott said in a statement.
The engagement lasted about three hours, the statement said. There were no Canadian or local Afghan casualties, and no word on how many Taliban insurgents were killed.
A similar attack lasting about six hours happened in the area on Monday, with no Canadian casualties reported.

Taliban Resources Depleting
In the last month, Canadian troops have reported a marked decline in the level of sophistication of many of the explosive devices they encounter, a sign that Taliban know-how and resources have been severely depleted in their ongoing battles with coalition forces.

“The stuff is there, but the talent and the knowledge base is fast disappearing,” Camp said. “The people that are coming in to replace them don’t have as much experience, and it’s taking them a bit longer to figure out.”

Canadian soldiers are back in the Spin Boldak district in a major way, in part to discover the routes insurgents may be using to move back and forth with relative ease across the Pakistan border.

It’s all part of an effort to disrupt the flow of Taliban resources into the country and up into those areas where they prefer to engage coalition forces: Helmand province and the Maywand, Panjwaii and Zhari districts of Kandahar province, west of Kandahar city.

“Not even a year ago, the only people in Panjwaii were the Taliban and it was outright war,” Camp said.

“Now you go, and there’s little girls going to school. That says a lot right there — not just little boys, but little girls going to school. To drive up and down those roads, there’s a lot of kids, and a lot of them are waving.”

Soldiers and dog Injured

Soldiers Injured Near Kandahar City

Tuesday, March 20, 2007
ZHARI DISTRICT, Afghanistan
Just hours after the governor of Kandahar province urged village elders to reject the Taliban, a bomb exploded in this troubled district west of Kandahar City, wounding a Canadian soldier, severely injuring a civilian dog handler and killing his dog. “The best way to ensure your own security is to stop supporting Taliban activity,” Asadullah Khalid told almost 200 district elders gathered for a special meeting in the village of Pasab. “Don’t let them in.” But somebody apparently did let them in, or, at the very least, did nothing to get them out. Just four hours after Khalid’s speech, a Canadian patrol set off a homemade land mine, or improvised explosive device, near the neighbouring village of Amadkhan, 36 kilometers west of Kandahar City. Both the Canadian and the dog handler, who is employed by the U.S.-based company, American K-9, were flown by helicopter to the Canadian-led hospital at Kandahar Airfield Base where they are being treated. Lieut. John Nethercott, a spokesman for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, said the soldier sustained "non-threatening injuries," while the dog handler was "very seriously injured." "The next of kin of both the soldier and the dog handler have been notified," Nethercott said. The explosion was actually the second of the day. At noon a Canadian armoured Coyote reconnaissance vehicle hit an IED near Ahmadkhan, a village west of Kandahar City, during a patrol. The blast damaged the vehicle but did not injure any soldiers. After the disabled vehicle was recovered, a team- a second team, with the bomb- detecting dog, was sent out to the scene to determine if there were any other IEDs in the area and inadvertently triggered the second bomb. the dog was searching for explosives near a village about 36 kilometres west of Kandahar City when the roadside bomb exploded.