BOOBS

Well...what do you expect...he IS a Canadian Soldier,

and there isn't any beer around....dah!

the SCI-FI POINT OF VIEW

"Peace is an extension of war by political means."

- Robert A. Heinlein

FRIENDS

IMBECILITY

"Moderation in war is imbecility."

- Admiral John Fisher

FLYING TANKS

PRACTICAL JOKE

SUCCESS

A PRAYER FOR CANADA

O Lord God of hosts,

it is your holy will that all nations of the earth dwell in peace.

We give you thanks for your favour and goodness toward Canada,

and for upholding us with your mercy from on generation to antoher.

Continue, we pray, your loving kindness towards us, that, united, free,

and mindful of our stewardship,

may we through your grace so fulfil your purpose,

that our country may be a witness to the nations of the earth,

to the advancement of your glory and the good of all mankind.

In your Holy Name we pray and give thanks.

Amen

THE DEAD RETURN

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"War would end in the dead could return."

- Stanley Baldwin

DIPLOMACY

YOUR FAMILY MIGHT BE TOO ARMY IF:

Your wife’s two favourite shades of lipstick are green and light green .

Before you hit the road on vacation you conduct rehearsals, backbriefs, and cover your convoy checklist.

Your kids call the yard their AOR (AREA OF RESPOSIBILITY)

You require your mechanic to replace the sandbags in your floorboard as a part of a tune-up

Your station wagon is equipped with blackout lights

Your kids call their mother “Domestic Niner”

Your kids use the “f” word at least five times in every sentence

Your doorbell sounds off with the current challenge and password

Your house has range cards posted by every window

You give the command “Fix Bayonets” at Thanksgiving Dinner

You make your daughter fill out a leave pass on Prom Night

Your kindergartner call recess “Smoke Break”

Your wife calls foreplay “prepping the objective”

Your wife conducts an AAR (AFTER ACTION REVIEW) after sex

Your wife “takes a knee” in the checkout line at Walmart

Your kids salute their grandparents

Your wife’s “high-n-tight” is more squared away than your CO’s

Your kids recite their ABCs phonetically

You divorced your wife and then you held a “Change of Command” ceremony

All your possessions are military issue

Your daughter’s first hair cut was a flattop

Your kids pull fire piquet

Your older kids call the youngest one “FNG” (F**KING NEW GUY)

A PRAYER FOR THE CANADIAN FORCES

Eternal God,

stretch forth, we pray,

your mighty arm to strengthen and protect the men and women of the Canadian Forces

in every peril of sea, and land, and air;

shelter them in the day of battle, and ever keep them safe from all evil;

endue them with loyalty and courage; and grant that in all things we may serve the good, the noble, and the just.

Amen

A TRINITY

"War is...a trinity of violence, chance, and reason."

- Clausewitz

The Unknown Future: a Sad Day for the Canadian Forces

What does the future hold for the CF now that Canada’s Number One soldier is retiring? His departure reminds me of an exercise many, many years ago.

It was early, zero dark buffalo, and we had been bugged out to start off a brigade exercise. I was engrossed in packing up our platoon’s stores vehicle when I heard a voice ask how I was doing. When I looked up I saw the brigade commander quickly walking along the column of vehicles towards me. It was Hillier. He stopped for only a moment, which at the time I thought was going to involve a huge interrogation of skill testing questions about military technical data such as the muzzle velocity of the service rifle or that I was going to be reprimanded for having one of my pockets were undone. To my amazement he only wanted to know if everything was alright and if there were any problems so far into the Ex.

Still in some shock, because of his genuine concern for my well being and my views of events so far, I ran through the encounter in my head. I realized that that no other person at that level had done such a thing so far in my career. It also occurred to me that there wasn’t huge entourage of lackeys parading around with him, he was alone. Alone checking up on his troops and at the same time showing us that he was actually there going out on exercise with us.

It wasn’t a significant event in my career but one that does stand out in my memory. The fact that a person of his position made that extra effort - which he would not consider extra but necessary - to make an unscheduled and covert visit amongst his troops.

More recently, while serving in Afghanistan, he made several visits to a location where I had been deployed. His visits were almost always short and sweet. On most occasions he would only mingle about the camp greeting and speaking with the troops. Only once did he have a parade where he spoke to the majority of the camp and this was briefest brief in the history of the CF.

Now, upon his leaving it makes me wonder what the future holds for the CF. Who can fill the boots of a man who has inspired so many soldiers to excel? Who has led by example and who has show genuine concern and overwhelming support for his troops?

Believing the ‘glass is half empty’, the future quality of life in the CF will not be as good as is has been with Hillier at the helm.

- Author Unknown -

PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY(S)

Gracious God,

grant to the family(s) a sure confidence in your loving care,

that sharing their sorrow with you,

they may know the consolation of your love.

Grant them courage and strength to meet the days ahead

in the comfort of a holy and certain hope,

and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with their love one.

Amen

WAR SCIENCE

"War is the science of destruction."

- Abbott

the CF

An Australian Definition of a Canadian

You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian.

An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.

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"A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan. A Canadian may also be a Cree, Métis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians.

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A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

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A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

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A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services and the best minds. But they also welcome the least - the oppressed, the outcast and the rejected. These are the people who built Canada.

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You can try to kill a Canadian if you must as other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world have tried but in doing so you could just be killing a relative or a neighbour. This is because Canadians are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, can be a Canadian."

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- Written by an Australian Dentist

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Then pass it around again.
It says it all, for all of us 'Keep your stick on the ice'

A COMPARISON: CIVIE VS SOLDIER

Civie: Your alarm clock goes off , you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
Soldier: He stays up for days on end. __________________________________
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Civie: You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
Soldier: He goes days or weeks without running water. ________________________
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Civie: You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
Soldier: He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward._______________
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Civie: You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
Soldier: He still fights for your right to wear that shirt. ________________________
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Civie: You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
Soldier: He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.__________________
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Civie: You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
Soldier: He knows he may not see some of his buddies again. ___________________
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Civie: You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls/hot guys.
Soldier: He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.______________
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Civie: You complain about how hot it is.
Soldier: He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.____
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Civie: You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
Soldier: He doesn't get to eat today. _____________________________________
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Civie: Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
Soldier: He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.____
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Civie: You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
Soldier: He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today. ________________________
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Civie: You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
Soldier: He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months. _______________________
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Civie: You call your girlfriend/boyfriend and set a date for tonight.
Soldier: He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home._________________
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Civie: You hug and kiss your girlfriend/boyfriend, like you do everyday.
Soldier: He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume. ___________________
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Civie: You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
Soldier: He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.__
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Civie: You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
Soldier: He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
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Civie: You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
Soldier: He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded. ________________
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Civie: You see only what the media wants you to see.
Soldier: He sees the broken bodies lying around him. __________________________
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Civie: You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
Soldier: He does exactly what he is told.____________________________________
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Civie: You stay at home and watch TV.
Soldier: He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat._________
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Civie: You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
Soldier: He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap,only to be woken by gunfire.
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You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him. *
If only there were more men like him! _________________________________

A Soldier's Prayer

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Almighty God,

Help me remain true to my ideals

During my service to my country.

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Help me to be what is best in Canada,

A vast and wonderful land.

May I realize that I represent

What our country stands for.

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My uniform is a symbol of duty and

Valour both in peace and in war.

I take up arms to defend what all

Canadians hold dear: life, dignity, and respect.

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Grant me the strength to live

According to the courage of my

Convictions and the resolve to

Endure whatever dangers threaten.

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With you at my side I fear no evil.

I Resist every enemy secure in the

Knowledge that you hold me safe in the

Palm of your hand.

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Amen

WAR'S A BORE

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"War is an organized bore."

I guess he never saw THIS coming at him...

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- Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Definition: VETERAN

When a good Veteran leaves the 'job' and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased, and others, who may have already retired, wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know.
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1. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that fewexperience, it will remain as a longing for those past times.
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2. We know in the Military life there is a fellowship which lasts longafter the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet.
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3. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with everystep and breath that remains in his life. We also know how the verybearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.
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These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the Military world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing. Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You areonly escaping the 'job' and merely being allowed to leave 'active'
duty.
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So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.

BARBIE FOR MEN

...the BAD.....

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"Don't try to be a good man, just be a man,

and let history decide"

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- Zefram Cochran

Sgt John Wayne Faught

the Anniversary of Sgt J.W. Faught's passing

Sergeant John Wayne Faught was killed by an improvised explosive device during a dismounted security patrol January 16.

Sgt Faught was a member of the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, Alberta. He was serving as a member of the Task Force 3-09 Battle Group.
“At the time of his death, Sergeant John Wayne Faught was taking part in a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army and the Canadian Battle Group near the village of Nakhonay as part of our efforts to protect Afghans from insurgents and to learn more about the villagers and their needs,” said Brigadier-General Dan Ménard, commander of the Canadian Task Force in Kandahar.

R.I.P.

To the Family, Friends and Fellow Soldiers of Sgt. John Wayne Faught

He was a soldier’s soldier crusty to the edge

He led and guided younger ones

Safely kept until and when

To bring them home when their duty done

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He died doing duty’s task

On behalf of a country so very proud

Now hurting at his pass

The hearts that pound, the tears that flow

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He looks on from angel’s arms

And growls a laugh, Stand proudly lads

Until your duty’s passed

Weep not for me for now I’ll rest

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In eternal loving arms

In hearts across a nation

Near mountains, seas and farms

In cities where we went to share

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In the company of having fun

For we’ve enjoyed those very things

We’ve tried to pass along

To a nation buried in an evil dust

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Of terror, hate, and war

That hasn’t had the chance to pass

Through freedoms opening door

So proud he walked the sands of time

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So proud to give his all

To protect and place his life between

This terror and us all

They say John was gruff

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Tough as Sergeants come

out for each and every one

To these youth he led in danger’s way

A father he’d become

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They placed a trust a bond in him

As each do in that brotherhood

He will be missed by all those near

For what he taught to them was good

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Oh Canada we rise salute

A soldier coming home

A son who rose to challenge’s hand

A soldier’s soldier it is wrote

For his family, friends, and loved ones

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We pledge a solemn vow

To remember and hold high the torch

He’s carried forth for us till now

Your efforts John, will not be forgotten.

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You are Canada, and you and your fellow troops are in our hearts.

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Sgt. John Wayne Faught we knew you not, but our prayers reach out for you, your loved ones, friends, and fellow soldiers. We do, so dearly, thank you and your loved ones for your efforts towards making our world a better place.

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By: Roger Borchert

ARTILLERY & DIGNITY

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"Artillery adds dignity,

to what would otherwise be an ugly brawl"

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- Unknown

Lay Me Doone - A Farewell to the Brave

PW - In Respect of our Military Families, Our Fallen, and Wounded on Remembrance Day

For what we take for granted

So many have died for

So many lives so vastly changed

At the dreadful cost of war

There is the good; there is the bad

A liberated nation cheers

Left in dread for those young souls lost

Devastated a world back home

Efforts to protect a peace

That no one thought was near

Laying lives upon the line

Visions at times so unclear

Lives touched by fear or lived in dread

Of wounded coming home

Of crosses lined in many rows

From a trip down a heroes road

I have been sitting on the bank

Of a river flowing by

Flowing heavy with the flood of tears

From their family’s eyes

For on this day of remembrance

Their thoughts, their dreams, their prayers

Are focused on a loved one lost

Leaving them in such despair

My heart it wants to reach out

Let them know I can’t forget

The gift they’ve laid for their fellow man

Tis the greatest gift to give

So humbled in a moment’s thought

So treasured was the step

That they took forth at their country’s call

Let it never be forgot

We measure freedom lightly now

For we’ve grown so familiar with

But if not for those who took this step

And gave this precious gift

Would we take it so very lightly

Would we have the chance to vent

About all that annoys and bothers us

Without retribution for what we’ve said

So thankful they stood so proudly for

All that we hold so dear

All that makes us Canada

For me it’s oh so clear

For some others they just don’t get it

They think so little of

What has been placed in front of them

At the cost of someone’s love

If I could send forth a message

Place it in a bottle, float it by

I’d provide a note of how much I care

For those whose tears are flowing by

If I could walk along this shore

Such a warming hug I’d give

To those who’ve lost a loved one

So we can live the way we live

By Roger Borchert

PW - A Soldier Goes Home Today

PWIn memory of our latest fallen soldier.

A Canadian soldier goes home today

His duty all but done

His friends gather round to see him off

And salute him one by one

To keep the peace he's done his best

And kept the foe at bay

And gave the children in a foreign land

A chance to run and play

They may never know this soldier's name

Nor the sacrifice he made

To leave his own fond loved ones
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At home they wish he stayed

But the work of keeping a fragile peaceIs a long and arduous one

Most times accomplished with an open hand

But sometimes with a gun

He is not the first to go this way

But we pray he is the last

With a few shed tears we say goodbye

And then from sight he's passed

Yes, a Canadian soldier goes home today

Draped in our National Flag

His duty for his country is done

Rest well my fallen comrade

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by Roland MacKinnon

ATTITUDE

FIREPOWER

QW: Soldier vs Civilian

"The moral difference between a soldier and a civilian is that the soldier accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic of which he is a member. The civilian does not."

- Robert Heinlein

from the book Starship Troopers

PW - THE SILENT RANKS

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens

But I am in the Army in the ranks rarely seen

I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give

But the military world is the place where I live

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get

But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget

I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line

But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man

And the call to serve his country not all can understand

Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free

My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me

I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life

But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Army Wife

- Mrs Henry Potter -

the RCD

QW: War & Deception

"All warfare is based on deception."

- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

PW - Thoughts of a Soldier

Ole Jack Layton ~ Thoughts From A Soldier
Dear Jack Layton,

You sit there in your quiet home, no fear is in your heart,
You sleep soundly certain that it won't be blown apart.
Your children they can go to school and play out in the park,
They've never seen a bomb explode, heard air raids in the dark.

They've never seen dead bodies piled up on the street,
Your wife, she won't be beaten, treated like a piece of meat.

You are free to form opinions, read any news print you can see,
You enjoy your rights and privileges in this country wide and free.

The reason you can live like that is because I fight your wars,
I fight and push the enemy back, I keep them off our shores.

I am here and you are there pretending you know best.
Well Ole Jack now listen close while I get this off my chest.

You have the right to criticize, you have the right to complain
You don't have the right to drag me down in a stupid political game.

The thing about your rights Ole Jack, the part you can't comprehend
Is you work in the very system, the democracy I defend.
I stand on fences around the world protecting those that need it,
It is not for you to determine Jack whether or not it's worth it.

Ask the people in Afghanistan if they want me to stay,
Women and children depend on me - you say just walk away.

I don't need your changing policy, trying hard to not lose face,
What I need is you behind me, helping protect this place.

You know its hard to do this when I think I'm all alone.
I hear stories of young punks pissing on memorial stones.

I read the papers over here and they tell me what is said.
Canadians are losing faith I can't get it through my head.

You say that it is hopeless, it really brings me down
Don't tell my mother we're losing, don't spread that rumour around.

I'm doing good, were winning here but no-one will believe
Because we are way over here where no one there can see.

Women here can work you see, children starting school.
We built a working government, we've broken Taliban rule.

We are so close to winning this, it's not too far away
History will show that we were in the right to stay.

When that brilliant day arrives, victory you'll claim is ours
You'll forget you said to run away - forget you are a coward.

On that day just thank me for my courage and my trouble,
Find another place that needs help, and send me on the double.

by Josh Forbes

Calgary, Alberta

CANADIAN SOLIDERS

RULES OF COMBAT: RULE # 1

For the Family, Loved Ones, and Friends of Pte. Patrick Lormand

Private Patrick Lormand was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle on a road in Panwjai District.The incident occurred approximately 10 kilometres South-West of Kandahar City at around 1:00 p.m., Kandahar time, on 13th September, 2009. Patrick Lormand was from the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e RÈgiment based in Valcartier, Quebec. Private Lormand was serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e RÈgiment Battle Group, Quebec. HE was promoted posthumously to the rank of Corporal

In this the darkest hour

Of a parent’s loving time

We pray dear Lord

Please quell their pain

Though we know that you won’t find

Any comfort at this moment

As this unfolds on you

This loss, this empty feeling

Has engulfed you through and through

Please know our hearts

Are standing near

Wishing we could be

Holding you to help you stand

For he stood for all you see

For your young man stepped forth to show

So many a new way

Stepped forth to guide, to defend

Lead others to freedom’s gate

Young Patrick is a hero

A hero through and through

For he stepped forth where few would go

A helping hand to lend you know

Went forth endured the hardships

Most could never comprehend

Stepped forth with a smile that lit

The faces of his fellow man

Always a smile always in cheer

To lose a smile so bright

Has touched the heart the soul of those

Who smiled at his sight

They will not lose the laughter

We can never ever forget

These young men who have stepped forth

To overcome the terrors our world has met

They saw the picture differently

Like so many others near

They felt the difference they could make

For them it is so very clear

He joined our forces stood so tall

So brave a brotherhood

Tis hard to see him taken from

Those who do for us such good

We pray lord send your angels

To lift and take him home

That those who went before him

Will greet and show he’s not alone

Please smile upon his family

Friends and loved ones too

Let them know he will be so near

To them in all they do

Your efforts will not be forgotten.

You are Canada, and you and your fellow troops are in our hearts.

Pte. Patrick Lormand we knew you not, but our prayers reach out for you, your loved ones, friends, and fellow soldiers.

We do, so dearly, thank you and your loved ones for your efforts towards making our world a better place.

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By: Roger Borchert

QW - THE FIELD ARTILLERY

"There is NO job in the Field Artillery for the weak, the timid or the indecisive."

- Unknown

PW - THE FALLEN SOLDIER, ALL ALONE

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Fallen Soldier All Alone

Fallen Soldier Far From Home.

Trickling Down His Face A Tear,

Forgetting How It Feels To Fear

Death And All It's Fate And Glory.

Now It's Here, No Need To Worry.

Fallen Soldier All Alone

Fallen Soldier Far From Home

He's One Of Those They'll All Forget;

The Life He Lived, The Goals He Set,

The Ones He Loved, The Ones Who Wait

To See His Nearly Forgotten Face.

Fallen Soldier All Alone

Fallen Soldier Far From Home

Now Breathing's Just A Waste Of Breath

And Living's Just A Waste Of Death

As He Searches For A New Address;

A Brand New Home Free Of Loneliness.

Fallen Soldier All Alone

Fallen Soldier Far From Home

Lying Motionless On The Ground,

The Battle Raging All Around.

For Now He Is Not All Alone.

This Fallen Soldier Is Welcomed Home.

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-Unkown Author-

BLITZKRIEG

DEATH OF A POLICEMAN

Comdr Hussein & a member of a the POMLT

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During a tour overseas a person is involved in many things and with many people that form long lasting memories. Many are funny, exciting and happy memories. More recently our involvement has lead to many losses, which only leave us with those memories.

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We always remember our friends and comrades from home that have been lost but those who work along side us over here are sadly overlooked. Those who want a better life for their family and friends; those who stand along side us when bullets are whining overhead; and those who share a meal and a friendly laugh with us.

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Recently we have lost one of our own; a man who welcomed us to his home; who supported us and who treated us like one of his own. A Commander Hussein of the Afghan National Police stationed in the Zharay District, Kandahar Province was ambushed while on a foot patrol and lost his life.

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We just wanted to acknowledge his dedication and professionalism to his country and to us when we had the pleasure to working together.

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May God be with…RIP

HONOR

A poem written in thoughts of the loss of Maj. Yannick Pepin and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin

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Maj. Yannick Pepin and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin were killed by a powerful roadside bomb blast hit their armoured vehicle on 6 Sept 2009 on a road southwest of Kandahar, around noon local time in the Dand district.

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As we look forward to the harvest

Tis that time of year

When nature paints its beauty

As new colours now appear

We recall that spring unfolded

And blossomed forth the new

And summer brought its sunshine

And all about us grew

It is so hard to see this good

When news of a tragic loss

Tells of those who have stepped forth

And paid for us such cost

They allowed for all to rest assured

That freedom stands between

The terror and this nation’s gates

To keep us safely screened

They stepped forth to change

A future for a country in distress

To place a glimpse of freedom in

An eye, a mind, that’s been oppressed

Oh Lord the cost, this task we sent

Our precious youth to bare

Is breaking hearts and bringing tears

To so many families near

Let us not forget their anguish

Let us not forget their pain

Let us stand, be ready, let them know

Their loss is not in vain

We must know the endless tears which flow

From a broken hearted mom

A father who shows not the tears

But feels them every one.

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Remember the loss the pain that’s felt

By a child who wished them near

To help to bring their future forth

And quell their endless fears

A spouse who’s left with shattered dreams

A loved one who feels the same

A friend who holds the memories of

More times that should have been

Oh yes there is such emptiness

That we must help to share

For if we Canada remain not near

Then why becomes not clear

Rest easy our fallen heroes

Our brave and precious ones

Who’ve stepped forth for all

A better world to make

For each and everyone

Your efforts will not be forgotten.

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You are Canada, and you and your fellow troops are in our hearts.

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Maj. Yannick Pepin and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin we knew you not, but our prayers reach out for you, your loved ones, friends, and fellow soldiers.

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We do, so dearly, thank you and your loved ones for your efforts towards making our world a better place.

***

By: Roger Borchert

the GOOD...

Don't try to be a good man, just be a man, and let history decide"

- Zefram Cochran

Scout personnel of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. These men have killed a total of 101 men through sniping operations. 9 Oct 1944, Camp de Brasschaet, Belgium.

RAW

PW - HERE LIES A SOLDIER

As I mourn at the graves of a million men,

The sky turns to black then back to blue again,

My tears are not that of pain and sorrow,

But the pride for those warriors who fought for tomorrow.

The trust in each other to bring them home safe,

Received an end to there life, or a life filled with pain,

For to live with such memories, and never forget,

Is to survive with the thoughts of your comrades last breath.

For the years they have fought, while blinded from truth,

Quickly leaving behind there precious short youth.

Some know not their struggle, there battles, there war,

Sad, we shall not here there voices anymore.

As I mourn for the grief of a million men,

The march of the soldiers shall begin,

My tears are not that of pain and sorrow,

But the pride of those warriors who fought for tomorrow.

***

***

And all of those men alive or broken,

I give my praise, so loudly spoken,

Because our pride is enough, even to drown,

The pain of our soldiers, there cries all around.

Some never take notice, of those brave men,

While standing on soil, they died to defend,

Some peoples ignorance is remarkable, there selfishness more,

They live on this land, without living through war.

But as I stand, I mourn for my brother's,

To join in there fight, took no time to ponder,

As i see there names, carved deep in the stone,
Here lies a soldier, that is never alone.

***
By: Adam Stratil
***

Dedicated to Cpl Chad O'Quinn, 2 Headquarters & Signal Squadron

Killed in Action, March 3rd, 2009

GIRLS & GUNS

Symphony of Desrtuction

PW - NO EASY TASK

We can't bend to oppression

Terrorism we must fight

Ignoring their challenge

Could never be right.

*

With fear they control

They conquer the weak

Conflict they bring to us

It's not something we seek

*

*

Now faced with this burden

We cannot walk away

It's no easy task

But there's no other way
*

So whether it's the long haul

Or a short term for peace

Our Troops protect the innocent

As we pray fighting will cease

***

by Nancy Crossman

Crash - Tactical Armoured Cab

PW - THE INFANTRYMAN

The Infantryman

He was born of the earth, on the day he enlists
He is sentenced to life on the soil,
To march on it, crawl on it, dig in it, sprawl on it,
Sleep in it after his toil.

Bee it sand, rock or ice, gravel, mud or red loam
He will fight on it, and die,
And the crude little cross, telling men of his loss
Will cry mutely to some foreign sky.

He’s the tired looking man in untidy garb
Weather-beaten, footsore with fatigue,
But his spirit is strong, as he marches along
With burdens for league upon league.

He attacks in the face of murderous fire
Crawling forward, attacking through mud.
When he breaks through the line, over wire and mines
On the point of his bayonet is blood.

Should you meet him, untidy, begrimed and fatigued
Don’t indulge in unwarranted mirth.
For the brave infantryman deserves more than your sneer,
He is truly the salt of the earth.

-A Gunner-

10 signs you might be a Taliban

10. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer.

9. You own a $300 machine gun and a $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes.

8. You have more wives than teeth.

7. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.

6. You can't think of anyone you HAVEN'T declared Jihad against.

5. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry ammunition in your robe.

4. You've never been asked, 'Does this burka make my ass look big?'

3. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.

2. A common compliment is, 'I love what you've done with your cave.'

And, the NUMBER ONE SIGN you might be a member of the Taliban:

1. You wipe your ass with your bare hand, but consider bacon unclean.

The Canadian Soldier

He is profane and irreverent,

living as he does in a world full of capriciousness,

frustration and disillusionment.

He is perhaps the best-educated of his kind in history,

but will rarely accord respect on the basis of mere degrees or titles.

He speaks his own dialect,

often incomprehensible to the ...layman.

He can be cold, cruel,

even brutal and is frequently insensitive.

Killing is his profession

and he strives very hard to become even more skilled at it.

His model is the grey, muddy,

hard-eyed slayer who took the untakeable at Vimy Ridge,

endured the unendurable in the Scheldt and held the unholdable at Kapyong.

He is a superlative practical diplomat;

his efforts have brought peace to countless countries around the world.

He is capable of astonishing acts of kindness,

warmth and generosity.

He will give you his last sip of water on a parched day

and his last food to a hungry child;

he will give his very life for the society he loves.

Danger and horror are his familiars and his sense of humour is accordingly sardonic.

What the unknowing take as callousness is his defence against the unimaginable;

he whistles through a career filled with graveyards.

His ethos is one of self-sacrifice and duty.

He is sinfully proud of himself,

of his unit and of his country

and he is unique in that his commitment to his society is Total.

No other trade or profession dreams of demanding such of its members

and none could successfully try.

He loves his family dearly,

sees them all too rarely and as often as not loses them to the demands of his profession.

Loneliness is the price he accepts for the privilege of serving.

He accounts discomfort as routine and the search for personal gain as beneath him;

he has neither understanding of nor patience for those motivated by self-interest,

politics or money.

His loyalty can be absolute,

but it must be purchased.

Paradoxically,

the only coin accepted for that payment is also loyalty.

He devours life with big bites,

knowing that each bite might be his last and his manners suffer thereby.

He would rather die regretting the things he did than the ones he dared not try.

He earns a good wage by most standards and,

given the demands on him,

is woefully underpaid.

He can be arrogant,

thoughtless and conceited,

but will spend himself,

sacrifice everything for total strangers in places he cannot even pronounce.

He considers political correctness a podium for self-righteous fools,

but will die fighting for the rights of anyone he respects or pities.

He is a philosopher and a drudge,

an assassin and a philanthropist,

a servant and a leader,

a disputer and a mediator,

a Nobel Laureate peacekeeper and the Queen's Hitman,

a brawler and a healer,

best friend and worst enemy.

He is a rock,

a goat,

a fool,

a sage,

a drunk,

a provider,

a cynic and a romantic dreamer.

Above it all,

he is a hero for our time.

You, pale stranger,

sleep well at night only because he exists for you,

the citizen who has never met him,

has perhaps never thought of him and may even despise him.

He is both your child and your guardian.

His devotion to you is unwavering.

He is a Canadian soldier.

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