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Topic: Afghanistan - 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - 2007 (Read 13706 times)
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
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May i offer a prayer to all these and all other , but especially these fine lads and Cdn Heros, who gave their all in the service of man kind..may they be basking in the glory of God enjoying what they now miss here with us, and may God give solace to all their families and friends...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Wayne OToole
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Pro Patria
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Thanks for the post Mike. I will always miss my guys. That was a rotten day. You don't find any better troops anywhere. It was my privilege to serve with them.
Pro Patria
Wayne O'Toole
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Your welcome, Wayne. Pro Patria.
'Once war comes this close, it makes you stop and think'
Anniversary of deaths | Loss of Canadian Forces soldiers won’t be forgotten
By MICHAEL STAPLES
staples.michael@dailygleaner.com
Published Wednesday April 9th, 2008
Appeared on page A1
Huge "support our troops" ribbons hanging on Ralph Harris's Oromocto house remind residents he's a firm supporter of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.
But the ribbons filled an additional role Tuesday - one of remembrance.
Harris and other members of the town solemnly marked the one-year anniversary of the deaths of six soldiers in Afghanistan on April 8, 2007, and two more three days later.
"It really brought the war close to home," Harris said Tuesday.
Sgt. Donald Lucas, 31, of Burton; Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln; Pte. Kevin Vincent Kennedy, 20, of St. Lawrence, N.L.; Pte. David Robert Greenslade, 20, of Saint John; Cpl. Brent Poland, 37, of Camlachie, Ont.; and Cpl. Christopher Paul Stannix, 24, of Dartmouth, N.S., were killed by a roadside bomb on Easter Sunday last year.
All were members of the Gagetown-based Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.
Trooper Patrick James Pentland, 23, of Geary and Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, 30, of Newcastle, members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons from CFB Petawawa, Ont., were killed by another roadside bomb April 11.
Afghanistan and the dangers it presents to soldiers is never far away for Harris - his neighbour is currently serving in the central Asian country.
"Once war comes this close, it makes you stop and think," Harris said.
Moments of silence were observed at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown on Tuesday, but there were no official ceremonies.
A memorial service was held at the battalion level March 27.
Padre Steele Lazerte, who served as the battle group chaplain during the 2RCR's mission in Afghanistan, said the recent Easter weekend was a tough one for soldiers.
"A lot of people won't remember Easter quite the way they have in the past," Lazerte said.
"It is sort of etched in their minds."
He said the battalion is a supportive environment and it's dealing with the anniversary together.
Media were denied access to 2RCR soldiers Tuesday.
Maj. John Organ, the senior chaplain at CFB Gagetown, said grief takes time to overcome.
"We offer hope that the grave is not the last word. We believe that the life of a soldier continues after this life. I think providing that perspective and that faith stance is very helpful."
Organ said what he sensed leading into Tuesday was a huge commitment not to forget.
Ryan Jestin, who commanded the base at the time of the casualties, said the deaths impacted many people.
"I think it left a huge mark," Jestin said.
"Even a year later, I would be very surprised if there wasn't someone who said, 'I knew the (soldiers).' "
Lynn Hastings of Oromocto taught Patrick Pentland at the Oromocto Adult Learning Centre on MacDonald Avenue. She said memories of that day are flooding back to her.
"I have been dreading the (anniversary) for weeks now."
Hastings said she was affected by Pentland's death to the point where she had to seek grief counselling.
"I am still very sad."
Hastings said the plan was to mark the anniversary of Pentland's death by planting a flowering shrub tree and attach a plaque on it, but that has been delayed until May because of the snow.
Oromocto High School principal David McTimoney said students have adapted well over the last year.
"From what I see, globally speaking, it seems that the students are well adjusted and are doing well in school."
McTimoney said teachers have been asked to be mindful of circumstances where a student may be varying from a regular routine.
"If there is a link to that student and his or her association with the Afghanistan mission, then we can guide our intervention towards supporting it that way."
Oromocto Mayor Fay Tidd said the first couple of months following the events of last Easter were solemn ones.
"Malls were quieter, people didn't seem to telephone one another and they didn't seem to visit one another," Tidd said.
"Then, we had the memorial service and I think people got some closure out of that."
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Commander says a side effect of deployment can be more babies on base
By MICHAEL STAPLES
Canadaeast News Service
CFB GAGETOWN - A baby boom that started when troops from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown returned home from Afghanistan late last summer may be continuing nine months later.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder,"; said Beth Corey, executive director of the Military Family Resource Centre in Oromocto. "We had a window of opportunity; you are back from Afghanistan. And this is the time to say, 'If we are going to have a family before you go away again...."
More than 600 troops, mostly from The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) arrived back at Gagetown late last summer after six months of combat duty in Afghanistan. Many were greeted by pregnant wives and births took place in the days and weeks following.
In one case, a wife gave birth about an hour after her spouse arrived home.
Ryan Jestin, the former commander of CFB Gagetown, said a lot goes through a soldier's mind when he or she is on deployment and much of it has to do with their families.
"Your complete attention is focused on the job you're doing but as soon as you get a minute downtime, the first thing every soldier's mind turns to is back home and the sort of things they miss,"; Jestin said. "Obviously, their loved ones are always going to be No. 1.
"I am not terribly surprised that when the guys get back that their minds are turning to all those nights and all those days they have missed with their kids and loved ones."
One of the side effects can often be a mini baby boom, Jestin said.
Melissa Jewett, a spokeswoman for the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, said statistics over the first four months of 2008 show an overall increase in the number of births.
From January to the end of April of this year, the hospital had 483 moms compared to 459 over the same period in 2007. The hospital measures in such a manner because of the possibility of multiple births.
"There is no way to know for certain what the fluctuation is from," Jewett said.
Corey said she has seen a number of pregnancies in recent months but, whether it's deployment-related, no one knows for certain.
"I think there could be a connection but also these people are in a situation where they are starting their families anyway. It is just their age. We have a lot of young families in Gagetown.
"I think it would be safe to say that there's a fun little spike that happens -- a little spike in pregnancies."
Corey said she didn't think a baby boom was a reflection of the dangerous side of the Afghan mission, but was more representative of couples being away from each other for long periods of time.
"I think it's more like we were separated from our loved ones and we're happy to see each other.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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Well, not surprising at all. There are now an awful lot of baby boomers from post WW2 in Canada.. so it is a positive side of war...a whole bunch of bouncing bundles of joy...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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Posts: 3812
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Harper honours local soldier
July 3 2008
by Government of Canada
Prime Minister Stephen Harper spent some time with Cpl. Michael Spence and his family when they visited Parliament Hill at the invitation of MP Pierre Lemieux.
The Russell soldier suffered critical wounds during his tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Royal Canadian Regiment.
The prime minister had visited Cpl. Spence during his hospital stay and was glad to renew the acquaintance when the soldier and his family (father MWO Rick Spence, mother Christina, and sister Stephanie) visited The Hill.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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Posts: 2595
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Real nice to see. Good show Prime Minister...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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