After a seven and a half month deployment to Afghanistan I returned home at the beginning of November. My parents met me at the airport and took me to Fran’s in Dartmouth for lunch. While I sat there eating, still wearing my Desert Combat uniform, I had people giving me every look in the book, wondering what I was doing and what I was wearing. As we were finishing up, a young boy came over to me, politely interrupted my meal and said two words that made those seven and a half months worth it. Being away from my family and friends, and deploying over to Afghanistan all seemed to be a non-issue with those two simple words: “Welcome Home.” I was so caught off guard that the only thing I could think to say was “It’s good to be home.” To the young man, I’d just like to thank you for making it all worth while, I would have liked to shake your hand. For everyone else, follow this kids lead, and thank a veteran, thank the troops and make sure to support them. It’s not an easy job to do, and here on the east coast we really don’t get to show our appreciation like they do along the Highway of Heroes in Toronto. Take the time and thank a soldier, sailor or airman/airwoman.
–It’s good to be home
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2010.
From an old army brat my deepest thanks to you , your family and the folks you serve with. And yes, Welcome Home.
On a day when I’ve read nothing but bad news, it was so nice to read this. It’s great to be reminded that there are very thoughtful and respectful kids out there. And from the bottom of my heart, IGTBH, welcome home.
loved reading your message this mornning..welcome home and thank you for all that you do and have done..you touched my heart with this..
Man this story just gave me chills and made me teary eyed. Welcome home indeed!
Yes welcome home 🙂 and hat’s off the the young fellows parents..they are doing something right to have such a thoughtful young man 🙂
Since you just got back from there, and I know you had no choice, but I’d like to understand what our military is actually doing there?
To me it doesn’t seem like it’s doing anything productive.
Maybe you can shed some light on the matter since you’re an insider!
Yes welcome home.
In fact, I had every choice, and volunteered to go over. I refused to accept the “Globe and Mail” as my opinion of the war, and decided to go over and see for myself. Far too many individuals in Canadian society see one episode of W-Five or The National and believe that they are educated on the matter, and they really haven’t got a clue.
Contrary to popular belief, our military isn’t over there invading the country. We were invited there by the Afghan government. I can not comment on the exact reason that we are over there, you’d have to ask Mr. Harper about that one. But, we are helping the population and trying to rebuild the country. Unfortunately it’s a little difficult to rebuild a country when a group of people, who mostly have come from outside the country try to ruin all the work that you’ve done. It’s really no different than a gang taking over a part of town. The locals in the area don’t want them there, but don’t feel safe enough to tell the gang to leave, and the area becomes unsafe. We are there trying to make the place safe.
A lot of people in Canada think that progress in Afghanistan is taking forever, but you also have to realise that for the most part you can’t work after 10 am purely due to the heat. Working in 50 degree plus with all that combat gear on is not an easy feat. So all of a sudden your eight hour work day turns into a three hour work day. Not easy to get a lot done in a day.
The other main issue is that the Afghan people have grown up knowing nothing but war, having been invaded many times. A lot of them don’t even realise that their own government has invited us there to lend a hand. Because they are uneducated, and uniformed (as many people within Canadian society are) many Afghans feel that we are there as just another invading force. It is our job to convince them otherwise. They have known so much war that they don’t trust their neighbour and based on the corruption over there, everyone has an ulterior motive, so you couldn’t blame them for not trusting their neighbour. With so much working against the local Afghans, we are trying to change their mindset. We have enough trouble changing the mindset of groups within Canada (seperatists, youth gangs, theives) who have been given the opportunities that the Afghans of today won’t see for another ten to twenty years. So changing the mindset of people who don’t trust anyone, is a little more difficult.
I hope that these help shed some light on the matter and answer some of your questions. I only wish that more Canadians would continue to ask such insightful questions instead of jumping to conclusions about the Canadian mission, the troops that carry out that mission, and the Afghan people.
As Canadians, it is our job to help, no different than helping in Haiti at the moment, or in New Orleans during hurricane relief. To turn our back on these people, in my opinion, would be against everything that we as Canadians stand for.
Makes me think of the commercial where the public at an airport starts applauding the soldiers upon them entering the arrival gate. While I never would have the balls to actually do something like this when I see any of you, I am always secretly applauding.
I’m taking a moment to thank-you,
And for protecting what we hold dear.
Thank you to all the unknown soldiers,
Unknown only to me but not to their families.
Welcome home man !!! Thanks to all our forces for keeping canada the true north strong and free !!!!You all deserve our respect and thanks .
Wow that is a really sweet post man… Welcome home indeed. I’m not surprised that it would be a child who would know the right thing to say 🙂
Welcome home indeed!!!! Hope you’ve had time to relax, see family and spend time with your friends after such a long deployment. It’s also nice to see the support shown in this thread which shows as well, that not all have lost many of the values and beliefs that make Canada what it is today, a truly great Country. Now, go relax, drink some beer, eat some wings, or even have a Goslings and Coke!! 🙂
Proud to know you!!
Welcome home. 🙂 My cousin’s over there right now, and I miss home a lot – I can’t wait to say those words to him when he gets home again, too!