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1409 days ago
Well, I received an LFCA Area Commander's Coin for the work I have done with our Toys for Tots campaign down this way. I made sure that the other guys and girls involved got one (there were 7 of us, in total). We ran a Toys for Tots campaign down here, which we have run for 7 years, and this past year we made sure that 1,265 kids had a good Christmas with some toys under the tree. I have been involved since the start with a Corporal from my unit, but in the past couple of years we have involved the other two units in London as well. Good thing too, or we would never have been able to pull off this size of an operation without their help. Keep an eye out for us, as we are planning on getting the program running across Canada, as a Canada wide reserve initiative. Anyway, it was nice to be recognized for it. I think it is important to recognize someone else. I hope by now that all Canadians are aware of the fact that there was a Canadian diplomat killed and three soldiers ...
1416 days ago
Well, it's a New Year and I'm still here. I drop in from time to time to see if anyone is still looking in to this space. Apparently there is. Thanks for that. I feel like a bad friend who doesn't call. I guess after spending 6 months in Afghanistan, nothing really seemed important after that. I want to go back. I had the opportunity to put my name in for the tour leaving in 3 weeks, but I discussed it with my wife Kim and this would not be a good time to go (as in I've only been back for 5 months!). I will wait until my full year is up and then put in for another tour then. Hopefully in early 2007. I like the Feb to Aug tours as you don't miss Christmas, and you get to lose lots of weight in the heat and from carrying around the extra 75 pounds of kit. I wish everyone a Happy New Year. Pro Patria
1523 days ago
Well, I'm back. Back to the blog, that is, I've been back in Canada for some time now! Two entries for September! Holy apathy, Batman! I can tell you that returning from overseas deployment is an experience. It is now 5 and a half weeks after returning and I am finally starting to feel like my old self again! I was exhausted the first couple of weeks and then I just felt like doing nothing at all (which means I was still exhausted, I guess). I went fishing with some friends on our annual fishing trip last weekend and now I feel like everything is back where it should be. The circle is now complete. I had gone fishing on the annual trip on the last weekend before pre-deployment training started last year, and now, a year later, I was able to go again. For anyone interested, the "Break Fast for Afghan Orphans" at which I am speaking is being held Sunday, October 16th at Carmen's Banquet Hall, 1520 Stonechurch Road East, Hamilton, ON from 3:30 to 8:00 p.m. ...
1536 days ago
Well, I have been back a month now, and I have not really kept up with this. My bad. I have had little interest in much, since I just wanted to sort of kick back and relax for a while. I see that I have attracted some attention from my past. Don Janzen from my FCG days. Good to hear from you. I dropped you an e-mail, so keep in touch. WO Pankatz, thanks for dropping by. I hope all is going well with you in Bosnia. In all the stuff going on in Afghanistan, we seem to forget that we have guys in Bosnia as well. As you have picked up from the blog comments, I was featured in a comprehensive article in the National Post, thanks to Post writer Siri Agrell. I am going to speak at a fund raiser in Brampton for Afghan Orphans for the Canadian Relief Foundation. I am very excited to do this. Anything to help the young children there to live a better life. I will make an attempt to update this a little more frequently. Pro Patria.
1558 days ago
Well, we got back last Sunday, 14 Aug 05, after a very long flight from Theatre. We stopped one extra time then I thought, but all in all, it was an okay trip. Except the part where we left at 11:00 in the morning, went back 8 time zones, and arrived at 10 at night. Then there was the hour and a half in Customs (yep, we have to go through them as well...) and then the 3 hour bus ride to Petawawa. We arrived at just after 3 in the morning. By that time, the other reserve guy I was travelling with decided to stay up until 7:00 am to get our vehicles out of storage. We got a room on camp and had a shower and then watched a movie on my laptop. We both got our vehicles and went on our way. I went to my parents, where my wife had come up to meet me. It was a very great reunion with all. Six months is a long time. Remember that whenever you have to be away for a week or two. Having said that, you should realize that a relationship will adapt to whatever the seperation time ...
