Staying the course

Listening to those on the front lines of Afghanistan

LIAM BRENNAN

Having a family member overseas can be extremely worrisome for many individuals. But knowing that a family member is in a war zone, engaged in combat operations each and every day for seven months, is definitely trying, given the constant influx of tragic news stories featured in the media every day.

Stories of soldiers being ambushed by roadside bombs and their bodies being returned to Canada so as to receive a proper burial ceremony are popping up on front pages and television screens across the country each week. Naturally, such news is leading an increasing amount of people to demand the Canada’s war in Afghanistan be ended and that Canadian soldiers be brought home.

But what about the soldiers themselves? What are their feelings on this subject?

My brother, Captain James Brennan, is currently serving in Afghanistan. Given our weekly correspondence, things in Afghanistan are not as the media would have us believe. He is happy to be serving in Afghanistan, while sad to be away from his family and loved ones. But this mission is something he has been waiting his entire life for. And contrary to popular belief, Canadian soldiers are not being sent out on death missions and coming home in body bags each and every day. There are thousands of soldiers that are safe and sound, performing their daily duties to the best of their abilities, which is something they are very content doing.

My brother is optimistic in our weekly correspondence, preferring to focus on the good side of life in Afghanistan, writing:

“Life here is alright, work every day with Sunday mornings off but time is going by quickly, already been here six weeks. There have been a few good activities on the Boardwalk lately (the Boardwalk is our fun area with a few shops, Burger King, Subway and Pizza Hut, and where the Canadian ball hockey rink is located). They put on outdoor shows for us once in a while. A few weeks ago they had the Buffalo Bills cheerleaders visiting. The other night they had some comedians here and a British band performing some regular songs. All in all, not a bad place, except for the heat and dust all the time. Weird though, because if you were to leave the fence line of the camp it’s a different ball game entirely, as the bad guys are literally just a few miles down the road and they’ll get you when they have the chance.”

This is the side of things that most Canadians are unfamiliar with.

While it is of the utmost importance to relate stories of tragedy and death amongst our soldiers overseas, we must not forget to recognize that this life of danger is one that they have been anxiously waiting for, and is something they take great pride in.

Many do not wish to be sent home immediately, instead opting to stay and work to instill a change in a nation not privy to the same benefits that we have in Canada. These men and women are working to ensure that others can experience a small amount of what we so often take for granted. So, instead of demanding that our soldiers return home, as if they were children playing outside after dark, perhaps the public should consider the fact that our soldiers believe strongly in what they are doing and are happy to be helping.Liam Brennan is a Winnipeg writer.