Bob Reid, Veritas' Chief Media Strategist, spent a week in Afghanistan recently. Here is his report on how it came about, what he saw, what he experienced, and what he learned about Canada's mission.
THE CALL
“How about you come with us, play keyboards for our set, and then we’ll back you for ‘Highway of Heroes,’ for the troops, right there in Afghanistan?”
It was Nick Sinopoli, making the offer I couldn’t refuse. Just to get to play with The Carpet Frogs would be a huge thrill. I have been a fan – and friend of – the band for years, long before they started moonlighting as the backing band for my idol of the ivories, Burton Cummings. But to actually travel with them halfway around the world, and to perform my musical tribute to our fallen soldiers in front of several thousand troops at Kandahar Air Field?
That would be the experience of a lifetime. And it was.
TEAM CANADA 2010
Me & Default!
TASK FORCE KANDAHAR
Far more encouraging was the session led by Colonel Simon Heatherington, the deputy commander of TFK at Kandahar Air Field. He told us about the tremendous progress being made in bringing real security to this dangerous part of the country, with Canadian soldiers working in lock-step with the Afghan National Army troops they are mentoring. And, at roughly the same time as this briefing, news reports were being written about just how empowered the Afghan people are becoming to reject the Taliban themselves. We also learned about Canada’s three priority projects: rebuilding the Dalha Dam which will create thousands of jobs and irrigate a massive part of the region for agriculture; eradicating polio among the Afghan population; and building 50 new schools to help educate the nation’s children. Canada’s combat role is just one aspect of the much larger and arguably more important task at hand.
PEOPLE WE MET
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
It has been a long, tough haul for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. We naturally tend to think first and foremost of the combat mission: our soldiers in fire-fights with the Taliban, and grim ceremonies when any of them fall. It’s understandable that many Canadians are saying ‘enough is enough,” and advocating that we bring our troops home and out of harm’s way. There have been times when I have felt twinges of that myself, while standing with countless others on a freezing Highway 401 overpass, awaiting a cortege from CFB Trenton.
But now, having been there, and walking and talking with the men and women who proudly wear the Maple Leaf on their shoulders, I can honestly say that I didn’t meet a single one who wants to leave before the job is done.
They don’t get reported in the media to the degree that they should, but the tangible signs of progress are there. Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk told me himself that in just a few short months, he has seen noticeably larger swaths of green farm fields as he flies over the countryside.
People now feel secure enough – and that there is enough of a promising future – to once again make a commitment to the land. Kids are back in school. Infrastructure is being rebuilt and expanded. And Afghans are seeing and experiencing a positive, viable alternative to the tyranny which not only held them down, but which also gave rise to the global terrorism that has drawn blood in New York, Washington, London and Madrid.
If success in Afghanistan lay purely in military superiority, it would have been over long ago. This is a battle for hearts, minds and the future direction of a critically important nation that has asked for the world’s help. Canada has been doing its part, and doing it admirably well. The Canadians who are there, actually doing the hard work – soldiers and civilians alike – deserve our support and continued commitment until the goal toward which they have been so incredibly dedicated is achieved, and until the time when they can come home with their heads held high knowing that their mission has been fully accomplished.
Thank you for reading this.
Bob Reid
THE CALL
“How about you come with us, play keyboards for our set, and then we’ll back you for ‘Highway of Heroes,’ for the troops, right there in Afghanistan?”
It was Nick Sinopoli, making the offer I couldn’t refuse. Just to get to play with The Carpet Frogs would be a huge thrill. I have been a fan – and friend of – the band for years, long before they started moonlighting as the backing band for my idol of the ivories, Burton Cummings. But to actually travel with them halfway around the world, and to perform my musical tribute to our fallen soldiers in front of several thousand troops at Kandahar Air Field?
That would be the experience of a lifetime. And it was.
Left to right: Bob Reid, David Love, Sean Fitzsimons (drums, rear), Nick Sinopoli, Mike McDonald, Jim Nielsen
I wrote “Highway of Heroes” in September of 2008, and released it as a CD single last November. With help from some fantastic musicians (including Triumph legend Rik Emmett and my NewsTalk 1010 “Rock Talk” partner Blair Packham) and tremendous retail and distribution support from HMV and Universal Music Canada, the little song that could has been steaming away on the Canadian singles sales chart (#11 this week!) ever since it debuted – astonishingly – at #1 at Christmas time. It’s all tremendously gratifying to me as a songwriter, and especially since I am donating a share of proceeds to the Wounded Warriors fund - but I never in a million years would have thought that I would be so privileged as to have it bring me face to face with the men and women on the front lines.
Bob performing "Highway of Heroes." Lots of lighters aloft out in the crowd.
I wrote “Highway of Heroes” in September of 2008, and released it as a CD single last November. With help from some fantastic musicians (including Triumph legend Rik Emmett and my NewsTalk 1010 “Rock Talk” partner Blair Packham) and tremendous retail and distribution support from HMV and Universal Music Canada, the little song that could has been steaming away on the Canadian singles sales chart (#11 this week!) ever since it debuted – astonishingly – at #1 at Christmas time. It’s all tremendously gratifying to me as a songwriter, and especially since I am donating a share of proceeds to the Wounded Warriors fund - but I never in a million years would have thought that I would be so privileged as to have it bring me face to face with the men and women on the front lines.
TEAM CANADA 2010
The Canadian Forces have facilitated a number of “Team Canada” visits, as they’re called. They take a bunch of musicians, a bunch of former NHL stars, and even the Stanley Cup over to Afghanistan to give the troops a break from the day-to-day routine of working so hard to bring security, stability and a productive future to that country. Along with me and the Frogs, this one included musical acts Default, Alan Frew and Sam Reid from Glass Tiger, and Luke McMaster, and a raft of hockey icons including Lanny McDonald, Tiger Williams, Jamie Macoun, Chris Niland, Mark Napier and a dozen others. The NHLers played a series of ball hockey games against the troops, while we musos entertained between periods and put on a huge concert at KAF plus a smaller show at another base elsewhere in southwest Asia on the way back home.
Alan Frew, Luke McMaster and Sam Reid perform between periods at a night game.
Me & Default!
Day game at KAF
TASK FORCE KANDAHAR
You might think it’s a long way to go for just a couple of ball hockey tilts and a rock show or two, but we were fully engaged all day, every day. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner in the mess halls with the soldiers each day – and they were very happy to tell us about the work they are doing, and to catch up on the news from home.
At other times, we were immersed in a series of briefings, seminars and hands-on demonstrations on all aspects of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. One of the most impactful was the IED (Improvised Explosive Device) training range, where we were given a Reader’s Digest version of the training given to the Canadian troops who work “outside the wire.” We learned the grim facts of how these deadly booby-traps are made, planted and triggered, and how our soldiers are trained to spot and defeat them.
IED pressure plates made from saw-blades and other cast-off items.
Old Soviet-war era ordinance repurposed into an IED, hidden in a culvert.
We were all affected greatly by our visit to the Canadian-run hospital on the base, where wounded soldiers and insurgents alike are cared for. Many of us were moved to tears by the sight of two young Afghan children in the intensive care unit, one of whom had been critically injured by a landmine. I will never forget the cry of an innocent child, lying in a hospital bed, wounded forever by a war he’s not even old enough to comprehend.
Far more encouraging was the session led by Colonel Simon Heatherington, the deputy commander of TFK at Kandahar Air Field. He told us about the tremendous progress being made in bringing real security to this dangerous part of the country, with Canadian soldiers working in lock-step with the Afghan National Army troops they are mentoring. And, at roughly the same time as this briefing, news reports were being written about just how empowered the Afghan people are becoming to reject the Taliban themselves. We also learned about Canada’s three priority projects: rebuilding the Dalha Dam which will create thousands of jobs and irrigate a massive part of the region for agriculture; eradicating polio among the Afghan population; and building 50 new schools to help educate the nation’s children. Canada’s combat role is just one aspect of the much larger and arguably more important task at hand.
PEOPLE WE MET
This is me with my new friend Sean Wilson, a civilian working at KAF, whose brother Mark was killed in action in 2006. Read a news story about Sean from just a few days ago here.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
It has been a long, tough haul for the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. We naturally tend to think first and foremost of the combat mission: our soldiers in fire-fights with the Taliban, and grim ceremonies when any of them fall. It’s understandable that many Canadians are saying ‘enough is enough,” and advocating that we bring our troops home and out of harm’s way. There have been times when I have felt twinges of that myself, while standing with countless others on a freezing Highway 401 overpass, awaiting a cortege from CFB Trenton.
But now, having been there, and walking and talking with the men and women who proudly wear the Maple Leaf on their shoulders, I can honestly say that I didn’t meet a single one who wants to leave before the job is done.
They don’t get reported in the media to the degree that they should, but the tangible signs of progress are there. Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk told me himself that in just a few short months, he has seen noticeably larger swaths of green farm fields as he flies over the countryside.If success in Afghanistan lay purely in military superiority, it would have been over long ago. This is a battle for hearts, minds and the future direction of a critically important nation that has asked for the world’s help. Canada has been doing its part, and doing it admirably well. The Canadians who are there, actually doing the hard work – soldiers and civilians alike – deserve our support and continued commitment until the goal toward which they have been so incredibly dedicated is achieved, and until the time when they can come home with their heads held high knowing that their mission has been fully accomplished.
Thank you for reading this.
Bob Reid
1 comments:
Bob - thanks so much for sharing your amazing experience with us.
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