10-01-2006, 02:34 PM
Hey all
Quick update first, then a nice big rant that you can read if you choose to. I am about 2/3rds done my Baisc Military Qualifications, ive got 3 weeks of field work coming up starting monday and then a week to prep for grad and moving to the east coast for further training. Looks like I will be deployed overseas within a year, at the latest I will be gone by early '08. Now for the rant, kinda of rambling, but after 8 weeks of sleep deprivtion its hard to make coherent sentences. Have a good time all and I will prolly stop by next friday when I reutrn from the field and check the message boards, so leave any notes you want and I'll see them eventually. Back to packing and off to the field tomorrow morning.
When you read this, keep in mind Canada does not have the man-power to field large forces. we have approximately 2,500 men overseas, so if ONE man dies, all of the canadian forces feels the loss of a brother or sister.
I have not heard much news lately, the only news I hear around here is news from Canadian units overseas....in the last 3 months we have lost almost as many troops as we have lost in the last 6 years. Canadians are fighting and dieing and as our Prime Minister said, this isnt peace-keeping, this is full war. Now imagine that you are on a military training base and every few days you hear of more canadians dead, most recently it was 4 soldiers killed by a suicide bomber.....along with civilians, and many children dead and injured. These men were handing out school supplies and toys to children to help them out a bit in their life and a taliban fighter was willing to kill not only himself, but children as well.
Every few days I hear a new story like this and it makes me sick to know that there is ANY place in the world that is so low it will kill off its own children to try and prove a point that "they are superior" to western civilizations. This constant news is what drives over 2000 recruits to do their best in training, to excel in every way and to prove that they are ready to fight for their country.
The government is expanding the Canadian Forces by 16,000. That may not seem like much to the American population with a standing army of over a million men. Until recently we had 50,000 men, and only 10,000 of them were combat troops. within the next two years we will stand closer to 70'000 with over 24,000 combat troops. The Canadian government is gearing up to not only defend ourselves but to take the fight to the terrorists.
The majority of the recruits getting trained are att he same base as me, St-Jean sur Richealeau, Quebec. We are living in a town that has the largest training base in Canada, and yet the city despises the English, and the despise the Military. I live in a place where I get cursed at, sworn at and pushed around and people try to start fights with me because I have the courage to fight. There are people in this world who disgust me, and they are NOT Taliban terrorists. They are citizens who think of nothing but themselves and who use their god-given right to speak out agaisnt the military.
That right of free-speech may have been given by god, and supported by the government....but it is DEFENDED by those same men and women they curse at for being murderers. I defend their right to wear a t-shirt that says "@#$% the Army".
I am a Canadian soldier, and I am damn proud to take up arms and fight to defend the weak and abused. To defend those who can not defend themselves. I am proud to stand beside Americans, Britains and all other commonwealth soldiers when we stand and say 'NO' to the cruelty that is happening in this world.
Pte. Mckinnon, Armoured Crewman
"You sleep so soundly in your bed at night only because there are brave young men willing to give their lvies to protect you."
Quick update first, then a nice big rant that you can read if you choose to. I am about 2/3rds done my Baisc Military Qualifications, ive got 3 weeks of field work coming up starting monday and then a week to prep for grad and moving to the east coast for further training. Looks like I will be deployed overseas within a year, at the latest I will be gone by early '08. Now for the rant, kinda of rambling, but after 8 weeks of sleep deprivtion its hard to make coherent sentences. Have a good time all and I will prolly stop by next friday when I reutrn from the field and check the message boards, so leave any notes you want and I'll see them eventually. Back to packing and off to the field tomorrow morning.
When you read this, keep in mind Canada does not have the man-power to field large forces. we have approximately 2,500 men overseas, so if ONE man dies, all of the canadian forces feels the loss of a brother or sister.
I have not heard much news lately, the only news I hear around here is news from Canadian units overseas....in the last 3 months we have lost almost as many troops as we have lost in the last 6 years. Canadians are fighting and dieing and as our Prime Minister said, this isnt peace-keeping, this is full war. Now imagine that you are on a military training base and every few days you hear of more canadians dead, most recently it was 4 soldiers killed by a suicide bomber.....along with civilians, and many children dead and injured. These men were handing out school supplies and toys to children to help them out a bit in their life and a taliban fighter was willing to kill not only himself, but children as well.
Every few days I hear a new story like this and it makes me sick to know that there is ANY place in the world that is so low it will kill off its own children to try and prove a point that "they are superior" to western civilizations. This constant news is what drives over 2000 recruits to do their best in training, to excel in every way and to prove that they are ready to fight for their country.
The government is expanding the Canadian Forces by 16,000. That may not seem like much to the American population with a standing army of over a million men. Until recently we had 50,000 men, and only 10,000 of them were combat troops. within the next two years we will stand closer to 70'000 with over 24,000 combat troops. The Canadian government is gearing up to not only defend ourselves but to take the fight to the terrorists.
The majority of the recruits getting trained are att he same base as me, St-Jean sur Richealeau, Quebec. We are living in a town that has the largest training base in Canada, and yet the city despises the English, and the despise the Military. I live in a place where I get cursed at, sworn at and pushed around and people try to start fights with me because I have the courage to fight. There are people in this world who disgust me, and they are NOT Taliban terrorists. They are citizens who think of nothing but themselves and who use their god-given right to speak out agaisnt the military.
That right of free-speech may have been given by god, and supported by the government....but it is DEFENDED by those same men and women they curse at for being murderers. I defend their right to wear a t-shirt that says "@#$% the Army".
I am a Canadian soldier, and I am damn proud to take up arms and fight to defend the weak and abused. To defend those who can not defend themselves. I am proud to stand beside Americans, Britains and all other commonwealth soldiers when we stand and say 'NO' to the cruelty that is happening in this world.
Pte. Mckinnon, Armoured Crewman
"You sleep so soundly in your bed at night only because there are brave young men willing to give their lvies to protect you."
retirement is bliss 
