A soldier's best friend

Katherine O'Neill, 12/06/08 at 11:52 AM EDT

Stress: It's every soldier's constant, and unwelcomed, companion. The stress of a dangerous job. The stress of being separated from family and friends for so long. It often gnaws away at soldiers. A sergeant recently told me he feels guilty about the stress he's caused his family back in Quebec. “My wife is scared of the telephone,” he said. “Every time it rings, she thinks it is bad news.”

At Kandahar Air Field (KAF), there are lots of “distractions” for soldiers, including movies, parties, stores, restaurants and even churches. However, the farther away you travel from KAF, distractions become fewer and further between. That's why it's not surprising how many pets, mainly dogs, you'll find at the various Canadian military outposts and forward operating bases scattered throughout Kandahar province. It's a morale-booster that barks.

Most of the dogs are either strays or were abandoned by Afghan owners, often as puppies. At Masum Ghar, there's Jimmy and Uno (as well as a litter of kittens). At Sperwan Ghar, you've got Shadow. He's left with dogsitters when the soldiers who look after him are out on patrols or operations. At Zangabad, there's Wiley. Almost a year old, the mutt only has the use of three legs. However, that doesn't stop him from going out on patrols and operations with the outpost's soldiers. He walks point and rarely barks. During rests, he walks the line, trying to get a pet from each soldier before the march starts up again. One soldier told me that during one particularly long and hot patrol, he wanted to drop out, but didn't because the “damn three-legged dog” was still wagging his tail and hopping along.  Wiley eats rations like his owners. Although, he often gets the least favourite: Hungarian goulash.

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (12)

Afghanistan by night

Katherine O'Neill, 09/06/08 at 6:09 AM EDT

At a ramp ceremony held Sunday night to bid farewell to Captain Jonathan Snyder, I ran into several soldiers I've met during my trip to Afghanistan. I couldn't help but think of them when Capt. Snyder's flag-draped casket finally disappeared into an awaiting Hercules that will make the long trip to Canada. The 26-year-old officer was accidentally killed during a night patrol on Saturday in the Zhari district, a dangerous rural area west of Kandahar, after he tumbled into an open well.

Night security patrols are common, and most of the soldiers I saw last night have been on countless such marches. At this time of year, soldiers generally like travelling by foot at night better because the temperature cools down considerably. They also have infra-red technology to help guide the way.

But by no means, is it easier or safer. They are weighed down by their weapon and gear often weighing more than 27 kilograms, all while trying to keep an eye out for the enemy.

I've been out on numerous night patrols with soldiers in both Zhari and Panjwai districts, and every time my biggest fear was that I would accidentally step on a homemade bomb or landmine. I never stopped staring at the ground. Neither did most of the soldiers I was with. It doesn't help that the terrain, which is already difficult to traverse by day, becomes a rural obstacle course of small waterways, farmers' fields and ditches.

If the moon isn't out, it almost feels like you are walking into a never-ending hole. Because electricity is a rare luxury in this part of Afghanistan, there are no street lights or illuminated homes to help light up the sky.

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (6)

The power of the pen

Katherine O'Neill, 05/06/08 at 7:52 AM EDT

Pashmul is a collection of bombed out mud compounds and grape huts. So, that's why, even after last week's Operation Rolling Thunder, which saw bombs and artillery rain down on the rural area west of Kandahar for three days, it wasn't completely obvious Canadian and Afghan soldiers had even been there.

 It's surprising that people even dwell in this dangerous place, which is a maze of winding pathways and farmers' fields, and a favoured hide-out for Taliban insurgents. Most residents are poor farmers; few can read or write.

When the soldiers walked out of Pashmul on Friday after the fighting had finally stopped for the week, several Afghans come out of hiding to greet them. Many handed out tiny gifts to the children, emptying their pockets to give away whatever they had on them, including candy, water and pens.

One little girl in a green dress (pictured above) stopped me, and pointed to my pen. “She wants to know what that is,” an Afghan interpreter explained to me.

She looked puzzled when I handed it to her, and the interpreter tried to tell her how to use it. As I left, I wondered what would happen to that pen. Would she find paper? Would she ever be able to use it at school, if one eventually re-opens in the battle-scarred area?

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (20)

Fallen soldier heads home

Katherine O'Neill, 04/06/08 at 11:12 AM EDT

 As the hot Afghanistan sun began to slowly drift behind the mountains at the Kandahar Air Field this evening, thousands of NATO-soldiers gathered to bid farewell to Captain Richard (Steve) Leary. 

Capt. Leary, a 32-year-old Brantford, Ont. native, was killed by insurgents in an ambush southwest of Kandahar in the Panjwai district on Monday morning. A platoon commander with Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, he is the 84th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since Canada's mission in the war-ravaged country began six years ago.

Known as “Stevo” to his friends, it was the Shilo, Man.-based officer's first tour in Afghanistan.

Some members of Capt. Leary's bearer party who carried his flag-drapped casket into a waiting military transport vehicle openly cried, while others look tired and grief-stricken. The married soldier had been based at a tiny combat outpost deep in the volatile Panjwai district before his death.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dave Corbould, the battle group commander, said several members of Capt. Leary's platoon, who are still stationed at the outpost, plan to honour his memory later tonight. 

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (8)

The coffee war

Katherine O'Neill, 02/06/08 at 1:29 PM EDT

People love their coffee at Kandahar Air Field. Despite the often insufferable heat, a cup of piping hot Joe seems to be the beverage of choice on the dry military base. There are at least three different coffee shops to choose from, including Tim Hortons and Green Beans Coffee Co., a U.S.-owned company that operates cafes on overseas military bases.

I prefer Green Beans and my patriotism has been called into question more than once, even by Americans, including Colonel Pete Petronzio, the highest ranking U.S. Marine based in Afghanistan.

The affable commanding officer, who isn't a coffee drinker, said Tim Hortons is a “mystery” to him, considering free coffee is available at the cafeterias scattered around the massive base.

“There are soldiers who will line up for 20 minutes and more to buy Tim Hortons coffee. If someone has that formula, I want them to give it to me,” he said with a chuckle.

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (19)

Notes from Operation Rolling Thunder

Katherine O'Neill, 02/06/08 at 7:18 AM EDT

It's already been three days since I've returned to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) after being out with the Canadian battle group all last week, but I'm still quite jumpy. All it takes is for a door to slam to fray my nerves.

I was the only journalist embedded with the military during Operation Rolling Thunder, a secret mission conducted last week by Afghan and Canadian soldiers in Pashmul. The objective was to disrupt Taliban activity, including bomb-making labs, and for three extremely hot and dusty days Canadian soldiers engaged in combat with insurgents. It was the heaviest fighting troops have been involved in so far this year, and not one Canadian soldier was injured.

On the first day of the operation, I was standing in a wheat field with two soldiers from 2PPCLI, C company, 7 Platoon and an Afghan interpreter when bullets first starting flying.

We immediately dropped to the ground and then scrambled to safety behind a mud compound.

On two day, we were standing in a wheat field again when we heard the distinct cracking sound of bullets being fired from AK-47s. Stray bullets starting whizzing by us, so we dropped to the ground again. This time, an Afghan interpreter and I were stuck there – nose to the ground -- for what seemed like an eternity while soldiers tried to figure out where the gun fire was coming from and pick a suitable place to take cover (there weren't many).

By day three, I knew the drill when a lengthy gun battle erupted. Luckily, I was in a lush grape field, where there was ample cover and shelter from the shrapnel being sprayed from the constant artillery fire by the Canadians.

Each day lasted about 12-14 hours. At night, the soldiers would return to nearby forward operating bases to eat, rest and share war stories. For many, it was the first time they had ever been to battle.

Despite the stifling heat, long marches and early mornings (one started at 1 a.m.), I rarely heard soldiers complaining. There wasn't even a lot of grousing on Wednesday night when news quickly spread throughout the small forward operating base that senior officers from the battle group were holding a private BBQ beside the mess hall while they ate rations.

• E-mail this post
• Link to this post
• Comments (3)