Our Thoughts and Prayers are With Them

Canadian Soldier Dies in Accidental Fall in Afghanistan
Thursday, April 19, 2007
MAYWAND, Afghanistan — Another Canadian soldier has died in Afghanistan, this time the victim of an accidental fall in Kandahar.
Canadian military officials in Kandahar said the special forces soldier died Wednesday after falling from a communications tower during what they described as being a routine operation.
“I believe this was a routine activity that was underway, it was not operationally related,” Canadian military Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan told Global National. “It was simply and unfortunately an accident.”
Wednesday’s death brings the total number of Canadian casualties in Afghanistan to 54 soldiers and one diplomat.
Col. Cessford said that though other members of the special forces have been injured, the unidentified soldier is the first on the elite team to be killed while on duty in the country.
“This accident took place within the area of Kandahar City, but clearly for the reason of operational security, I cannot go over the exact location,” he said.
The next of kin has been notified, Col. Cessford said, but the soldier’s name has been withheld at the request of the family.
On Thursday morning, forces spokesman Capt. Martell Thompson said the military “understands and appreciates the public’s desire to know more details about any tragic events that have occurred” but said there are “unique security sensitivities” surrounding the special forces and their operations.
Capt. Thompson went on to explain the release of information relating to the special forces could potentially compromise either the operation in Afghanistan or national security in general.
That in mind, Capt. Thompson did say an investigation has been launched to determine what exactly led to the accident.

Information Please...

If in Toronto, see one of our soldiers speak at the U of T today. This is the info on the meeting:

What are Canadian soldiers doing in Afghanistan? Why not ask one?

University of Toronto Conservatives/Les Conservateurs De L'Université Du Toronto

Friday, March 30, 2007
3:00pm - 4:00pm
The Bahen Centre for Information Technology, Rm. B025

University of Toronto

40 George Street

Toronto, ON

Contact - 416-523-2641
Or email: alex.chreston@utoronto.ca

Bless Our Soldier

Corporal Kevin Megeney

March 6th, 2007

Today, we grieve alongside the families and friends of Canadian Soldier, Corporal Kevin Megeney, a reserve member of the 1st Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders, serving at Kandahar Airfield. He succumbed to a gunshot wound shortly after 7 p.m. Kandahar time today. "Enemy action has been ruled out since the incident occurred within the secure confines of Kandahar airfield," the Defence Ministry said in a news release.

Megeney, 25, had volunteered to go to Afghanistan because he wanted to improve the lives of poor Afghans. He had been in Afghanistan since December 8th.

His sister Lisa said her younger brother was excited to be going to the war-torn country, despite fears among family members that he might be injured. "He said that he was going to help people," she said. "He wanted to turn things around, so the Afghans could live like we live... He took so much pride in it."

Words cannot express the grief his loved ones must be feeling today. My heart and prayers go out to the family and friends and comrades of our fallen soldier- our hero working to make the world a better and safer place - as he begins his journey back home.

Waiting for You

Note to family and friends:

___

Display a yellow ribbon today

for our soldiers.

To our soldiers -

Your family and friends will always be

"right here waiting for you."

With Open Arms

A note written this morning says it all:

"Only a few more weeks until the tour's over

I'm comin' home, mom!

:) "

Soldiers' Best Friend

Explosives’ Dogs are a Soldier’s Best Friend

Sgt. Grady Bentley, 58th MP Co. a dog handler, instructs Britt to search a cement truck for explosives prior to the truck entering Bagram Air Base. The K-9s serve as an addition to the force protection efforts conducted daily by MPs. They are also trained to participate in combat patrols. Picture taken by: Staff Sgt. Monica R. Garreau

PATROL BASE WILSON, Afghanistan — Troy Herbst knew something was fishy when his partner Casio began scratching excitedly on the wall of an abandoned residential compound during a Canadian patrol earlier this month. For one, the empty home’s normally rock-hard building material consisting of mud and straw was peeling off with ease under Casio’s paws.It was a Taliban weapons cache — 900 rounds of armour-piercing .50-calibre bullets, hidden for future use by insurgents, possibly as part of a spring offensive feared by some. The crates of Russian-built rounds, capable of slicing through a LAV III troop carrier, were stacked up where a doorway had once been and then simply plastered over. “It would have been a bad day for Canada if those had been used,” said Herbst. Casio and his handler tag along on foot patrols with members of the Canadian Forces battle group operating in the former southern Afghan homeland of the Taliban. When confined to camp — a Canadian forward operating base plunked on a key route west of ambush alley leading out of Kandahar City — they do roadside sweeps, checking vehicles for any explosive contraband. As his reward for discovering lethal ordnance, Casio, a lovable German shepherd away from work, gets to play with his favourite tennis ball. Herbst and Casio make up one of several explosives-sniffing teams who work for American K9, which is contracted to the Canadians serving in Op Athena, Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan. Casio’s canine sidekick at Patrol Base Wilson, Sabat, has found a number of weapons caches since arriving here in late summer. He and his handler Dolf Niemand were called out after a convoy ambush in August that resulted in six Afghan drivers being killed. German shepherds are the preferred war-zone explosives dog because of their intelligence, good noses, longer concentration spans and ability to learn quickly, said Herbst, who lives in South Africa. Casio is “just an over-sized lapdog,” said Herbst. He’s frequently mauled by adoring soldiers. “Every Wednesday and Saturday we get steak — and the dogs get three. It’s very unfair,” said Herbst.

MacKinnon Transport Supports Our Troops

Pictured here is one of our Canadian soldiers with the staff of MacKinnon Transport

A great big HUAAAA! for MacKinnon Transport in Guelph! Each Friday, the staff and drivers wear RED in support of our troops. A brother of a soldier currently serving in Afghanistan is kept busy with sales of troops merchandise - which has been overwhelming.

Thank you B. and thank you MacKinnon Transport - you're a true inspiration to all! HUA!!

If your company, school, office or neighbourhood is showing support for our troops, let us know. I'll post it here :)