UPDATED MARCH 6 2014-
Prince Harry ushers in the Invictus Games
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Prince Harry is launching the Invictus Games, a new sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel.
Inspired by a visit to the Warrior Games in the United States, Harry described the Paralympic-style competition as “such a good idea by the Americans that it had to be stolen.”
He told reporters Thursday the he’d seen “how the power of sport can positively impact the lives of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.”
The games will be funded in part from a government fund holding proceeds of fines levied on banks for manipulating currency rates.
Jaguar Land Rover will be a sponsor of the September event featuring athletes from
Britain,
Afghanistan,
Australia,
Canada,
Denmark,
Estonia,
France,
Germany,
Iraq,
Italy,
Netherlands,
New Zealand
and the United States.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1191732-prince-harry-ushers-in-the-invictus-games
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THEY MADE IT... SOUTH POLE PROUD..... 2day December 13th 2013 is the Walking With The Wounded Allied Challenge 2013 day... inspiring the whole damm world..... DISABILITY IS ABILITY IN DISGUISE.... am so proud.... am dancing... near tears....joy, joy, joy - and Canada- we must remember VIRGIN.... FUNDING THE TROOPS.... and look at using the Virgin Tech products etc... and donations can be still made..... this is simply awesome... awesome...
From the right: Prince Harry, Team Glenfiddich - Heath Jamieson, Team Soldier On - Margaux Mange, Team Noom Coach - Duncan Slater, Team Glenfiddich— withSimion Roxana, Simion Maria, M Aria Roxana Mioara Simion, Mioara-Roxana Simion, Maria Mioara Roxana Simion and Mioara Maria Roxana Simion in Antarctica.
comment:
Just look at our babies.... SOUTH POLE TALKING... SOUTH POLE TALKING... wounded warriors... u rule on this day.... sorry Santa - u inspire almost a billion children and folks proving that disability is just ability in disguise... am so damm proud
The Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge Teams At The South Pole! Congratulations!
Send your CONGRATULATIONS and continue to show your support by MAKING A DONATION to help fund the re-training and re-education of our wounded servicemen and women: http://
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COMPLETE VICTORY 4 HUMANITY'S FINEST- DO THEY MAKE U PROUD- OH YES- Disabilities r Abilities in Disguise
SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME
Join us for our welcome home party for the UK South Pole team.
An evening of great entertainment, wonderful food and amazing auction items. All in aid of Walking With The Wounded with special guests from the charity.
Book early to avoid disappointment!
Saturday April 26th 2014, 6:30pm
Berties, Brook Street, Ellend, West Yorkshire
Tickets £35.00 per head
Buy your ticket here https://bit.ly/
Join us for our welcome home party for the UK South Pole team.
An evening of great entertainment, wonderful food and amazing auction items. All in aid of Walking With The Wounded with special guests from the charity.
Book early to avoid disappointment!
Saturday April 26th 2014, 6:30pm
Berties, Brook Street, Ellend, West Yorkshire
Tickets £35.00 per head
Buy your ticket here https://bit.ly/
Comment: Heroes.... we followed every damm move - from the planning stage... Princess Diana's youngest teasing one and all in that sweet saucy way he has.... 2 the pride of Canada, Aussies, UK and our USA- loyal 2 the death... proving 2 a billion folks.... humanity is incredible and we can do anything- disabilities are abilities in disguise... and don't cha 4get it..... some environmentalists got stuck on a ship in the South Pole trying 2 prove (and it's true) that our icelands are melting...... whilst Wounded Warriors of Nato raced and walked from Antarctica 2 the South Pole..... and darn well did it the whole way... with Santa and NORAD in the North Pole giving them all hugs along the way.... now on this day... does this make us proud.... it damm well does.... God bless our troops and supporters ... we love u so much... and also the sponsors.... Virgin... we won't 4get u.... hugs and love from ur Canada
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THE SITE
http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/
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HOME AT LAST DEC. 23- FROM THE SOUTH POLE... WE LOVE U AND ARE SO DAMM B-PROUD OF EACH AND ALL OF U...
WELCOME HOME!
On Monday 23 December at 9:00am GMT, the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge 2013 teams arrived at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 and shared an emotional reunion with their families, friends and loved ones. The expedition teams from the UK, the US and the Commonwealth (Australia and Canada) arrived back from a 5-week expedition in the harsh and unforgiving environment of Antarctica, where they undertook a gruelling 13-day challenge across 200km to reach the geographic South Pole.
Prince Harry, the Expedition Patron, who has been a member of Team Glenfiddich for the entirety of the expedition, spoke about how honoured he feels to have been involved, and the feeling of achievement by all:
“It’s an amazing feeling, it really is. I’m so proud, I’m so chuffed and so privileged to be here with all these guys and girls, and well done to Ed Parker and Simon Daglish and everyone who’s organised this. What an amazing accomplishment. Mission success.”
- Prince Harry, Expedition Patron and Team Glenfiddich member
Today the global community of wounded ex-service personnel salutes the team members for the inspiring journey they have taken and everyone who has supported, sponsored and been there every step of the way.
The money that you have helped raise for Walking With The Wounded will help make a difference to the lives of our wounded and injured soldiers, helping to assist them in finding a civilian career outside the Military.
The expeditions that Walking With The Wounded undertake look to raise awareness, to show the public who our wounded are, to tell their stories and to highlight the support they need. They are also to champion these extraordinary people who do not give up despite injury and continue to face challenges with determination and courage, just as the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge members have shown.
You can still visit the Virgin Money’s South Pole Allied Challenge hub to donate and help the teams raise their £150,000 target to support Walking With The Wounded.
http://walkingwiththewounded.createsend4.com/t/ViewEmail/y/3BDD4401E69E210D/35A25ECBC94E3C905281BC0AA5ABFD98
Prince Harry’s race to the South Pole may have been suspended for safety reasons but the group are more determined than ever to make it to the end together and will set off on the last leg today.
Harry had started off on the gruelling charity trek with a team of injured British servicemen and women against groups from the US and the Commonwealth in an expedition organised by the charity Walking With The Wounded.
Ed Parker, the expedition director, said yesterday he had taken the decision to suspend the race to the Pole, but is determined that everyone will make it to the South Pole as one group.
On the charity’s website, he said: “We have had a tricky couple of days. The weather remains good but the terrain is very difficult, far harder than we were anticipating and because of various factors, I have decided to suspend the race.
“The reasons for this are entirely safety based. I am looking at the three teams. They are going really well but people are beginning to get very, very tired.
“With our doctor here, who I am in constant contact with, we just feel we are beginning to push people a little too hard, so I have suspended the race.”
The charity’s website said this is “certainly not the end” for the challenge, but added that steps have been put into place to ensure that all of those involved are kept safe.
The team members are determined to prove their strength and courage but this must be done without jeopardising anyone’s well-being, the charity said.
The final leg of the challenge will begin from the team’s second allotted checkpoint, 112km (70 miles) from the South Pole.
The team will be driven to this point and, over the course of the next seven days, will move as one whole allied team to reach the South Pole together.
A post on the charity’s website said that on day five of the challenge, as the teams arrived at their first checkpoint, it “became obvious that underneath the concrete determination of all the team members, the harsh reality of the Antarctic was starting to take its toll”.
Mr Parker, co-founder of Walking With The Wounded, said: “This does not mean that the expedition is over. Far from it. We came down here determined to get 12 men and women, all injured in conflict, to the South Pole, and so we will.”
He added yesterday: “Tomorrow we start the last leg, 112 km, to the Pole, with no stress being placed on the teams, and with the new race format enabling them all to do this in their own time.
“Each evening, the expedition will be camping together, all able to enjoy and share each other’s experiences. By Friday or Saturday next week, I strongly believe that every member of the expedition will be standing on the South Pole, celebrating what will have been the most extraordinary shared journey.
“We feel your support every step of the way, please continue to follow us and support the walk.”
In total, 12 injured service personnel who have overcome life-changing injuries are taking part. They have tackled challenging training programmes to prepare themselves for the conditions in Antarctica.
Harry took part in some of a Walking With The Wounded expedition to the North Pole in 2011.
He has previously spoken of the Prince of Wales’s concerns about the expedition and voiced his frustrations at the bad weather delaying preparations.
He said: “My father was a little bit concerned, I obviously tried to keep him calm by saying the North Pole was the dangerous one because we were walking on frozen ocean, whereas this time, yes, there’s crevasses – but hopefully the guys will take us around that.
“Apart from frostbite and stuff like that you should be able to look after yourself.”
Harry’s team-mate on UK Team Glenfiddich, Guy Disney, said: “The first four days was a full-out slog. It really tested every single individual mentally and physically.
“I think everyone, including myself, has managed to get a hell of a lot out of it and it will be an experience that will live with us for the rest of our lives.
“However, due to a few small injuries – nothing too serious – and the weather, it is really putting us behind and so the race element has been stopped, but for very good reasons.”
He added: “We still have another seven days of walking, which should be great fun, and without the race element it means we can really focus on what the expedition set out to achieve.
“All is well, morale is good, everyone is rested, fit and ready to go. Another seven days to push. We will probably make about 15-16km each day.
“We are about 112km from the South Pole and we all can’t wait to get there as one big group.
“There is a bigger goal here, which we all set out from the start, and that is what we need to achieve. All is well.”
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http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/uk-news/2013/12/08/pole-trek-goes-on-as-race-suspended/
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Walking With The Wounded added 3 new photos to the album SOUTH POLE: ARRIVAL TOMORROW!
The Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge has only 27km left to the South Pole and Prince Harry, member of Team Glenfiddich, said that arriving at the South Pole on Friday 13 December is ‘unlucky for some, lucky for us
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=685827201448103&set=ms.685827201448103.685827234781433.685827231448100.bps.a.685827128114777.1073741878.120192621344900&type=1&theater
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Team Noom-USA
Team Soldier-On Canada/Australia
Team Glenfiddich- U.K.
Cheers! Current Virgin Money UK South Pole Allied Challenge leaders, #TeamGlenfiddich, enjoy a well-earned Horlicks at the end of Day 2, when they completed a whopping 23.3km!
Remember you can show your support for all the Walking With The Wounded teams’ and track their progress here: http://bit.ly/IcZIBb #Southpole2013
https://www.facebook.com/#!/walkingwiththewounded
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Thanks be 2 God- the race of our Three Teams is now a Walk.....
Team Noom-USA
Team Soldier-On Canada/Australia
Team Glenfiddich- U.K.
Prince Harry
Called off: The Walking with the Wounded 208-mile race to the South Pole has been suspended for safety reasons
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=642849645761458&set=a.161463680566726.33704.161454230567671&type=1&theater
comment:
Thx 4 changing the RACING... 2 ... WALKING.... the South Pole...
comment:
Sad to hear it was called off but we'd rather have you all back home safely.
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Oh Lord... not like this... at all....
On Day 3, the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge claimed its first medical casualty as Team Soldier On‘s Polar Guide Eric Philips was pulled out of camp overnight by expedition doctor, Dr Dan Roiz de Sa for closer assessment and treatment.
Please click here to read more: http://bit.ly/1azyZp2
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On Day 5 of the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge the teams arrived at their first Checkpoint.
The first rest day has given the team members some much needed time to rest, recuperate and reflect on their first four days.
As the teams arrived, it became obvious that underneath the concrete determination of all the team members, the harsh reality of the Antarctic was starting to take its toll.
With the safety of all those involved at the forefront of Expedition Director, Ed Parker‘s mind, the decision to suspend the race has been made to ensure the well being of all those involved.
Going forward, the final leg of the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge will begin from the team’s second allotted checkpoint, 112 km from the South Pole. The team members will be driven to this point and over the course of the next 7 days, will move as one whole allied team to reach the South Pole together.
http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/2013/12/07/the-race-has-been-suspended-but-the-challenge-goes-on/
Hugs and love and a taps out 2 our gang of Military Wounded Warrior Angels walking/racing in Antarctica 2 the South Pole from Canada, Aussieland, USA and our beloved UK- 2day is another hard day...... and gots 2 tell ya all if Prince Harry wins over Canada and Aussies.... and is serving tea, a biscuit and that gorgeous big smile of his.... I just swear... now we all know God thinks Canadians are a saucy lot - thanks Stompin Tom... we told ya... just cause u could outdrink God does not mean ya gots 2 continue 2 brag on it.... them Atlanic Canada boys I tell ya.... If Princess Diana's son wins... we will nev-a hear the end of it all..... is this day 3 or Day 4.... pls visit their facebook page and give them all a hug.... walking with the wounded- hugs from old momma nova- here since 2001 for our troops- we love ya and so proud of u.... millions and millions of kids around the world and those with disabilities - visible and invisible- u lift up humanity.... thank u.See More
By: Nova Scotia
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Guy Disney, Team Glenfiddich, updates the voice diary on day three and talks about the harsh conditions that the team is facing every day.
“We’re still just ahead, which is great. But I think actually, at the moment, we’re just hoping ever...See More
![Photo: Guy Disney, Team Glenfiddich, updates the voice diary on day three and talks about the harsh conditions that the team is facing every day.
“We’re still just ahead, which is great. But I think actually, at the moment, we’re just hoping everyone stays in it and keeps battling on. [...] Unfortunately most of our iPods kaput after about an hour to an hour and a half. So you’re left with a while away of time just staring at the distant snow on the ground. The sastrugi we’ve been passing that’s interesting in shape and size, so you can let your mind fluctuate to different places. [...]“
Listen to his voice diary by clicking here: http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/2013/12/03/guy-disney-team-glenfiddich-updates-the-race-diary-on-day-3/](https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/936523_681775981853225_1241132214_n.jpg)
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“Dominic is shattered, as are the rest of the team, but is super strong and determined. He is a great and very amusing asset to the team and always has a funny line to keep his tent mates amused, along with endless impressions and lines from films, he is hilarious to be around and is coping really well with the Antarctic conditions.”
-Eric Philips, Team Soldier On Guide
comment:
Hugs and love and a taps out 2 our gang of Military Wounded Warrior Angels walking in Antarctica 2 the South Pole from Canada, Aussieland, USA and our beloved UK- 2day is another hard day...... and gots 2 tell ya all if Prince Harry wins over Canada and Aussies.... and is serving tea, a biscuit and that gorgeous big smile of his.... I just swear... now we all know God thinks Canadians are a saucy lot - thanks Stompin Tom... we told ya... just cause u could outdrink God does not mean ya gots 2 continue 2 brag on it.... them Atlanic Canada boys I tell ya.... If Princess Diana's son wins... we will nev-a hear the end of it all..... is this day 3 or Day 4.... pls visit their facebook page and give them all a hug.... walking with the wounded- hugs from old momma nova- here since 2001 for our troops- we love ya and so proud of u.... millions and millions of kids around the world and those with disabilities - visible and invisible- u lift up humanity.... thank u.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=717823548235670...
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Thanks to our satellite communications system supported by Arqiva, we are able to bring you live updates from Antarctica as the race unfolds.
In case you missed it, check out the video of the race start, on Sunday 1 December: http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/2013/12/01/the-race-starts-video/
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THANK U... THANKU... 4 inspiring the world- that we can do anything... millions of kids and folks are watching and cheering u on.... disability is just ability in disguise... and u are proving it...
The courage and determination of the servicemen and women that are taking part in the Virgin Money UK South Pole Allied Challenge is inspirational and wants to be an example for all of our wounded service personnel whom future outside the A...rmed Forces is unsure and have to face a long road to recovery.
Listen to this inspirational voice blog: http://bit.ly/1kp6eRu by Therese Frentz, Team Noom Coach, to get a better idea of the challenges the teams are facing every day.
In October 2004, Therese was severely injured when a suicide bomber entered the Green Zone in Baghdad. She sustained burns to 30% of her body as well as internal injuries, tissue loss on the left knee, and partial hearing loss.
Therese suffers from PTSD and depression, which makes isolation a big challenge for her.
With their example and your donations we are hoping to make a difference to the lives of our wounded. Please click here to support our cause: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/southpole2013/
Listen to this inspirational voice blog: http://bit.ly/1kp6eRu by Therese Frentz, Team Noom Coach, to get a better idea of the challenges the teams are facing every day.
In October 2004, Therese was severely injured when a suicide bomber entered the Green Zone in Baghdad. She sustained burns to 30% of her body as well as internal injuries, tissue loss on the left knee, and partial hearing loss.
Therese suffers from PTSD and depression, which makes isolation a big challenge for her.
With their example and your donations we are hoping to make a difference to the lives of our wounded. Please click here to support our cause: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/southpole2013/
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Team Noom Coach is eating vegetable lamb stew on their trek to the #SouthPole2013 - here's a healthier version for you to make at home... http://bit.ly/18kPIQb
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Dominic West, #TeamSoldierOn, woke up at 12pm today (as he landed at 5am from Novo with the rest of the #SouthPole2013 second party). Here's a photo of him about to enjoy (or not) some noodles for breakfast in his tent... The temperature outside was -30°C, but inside tents a warm +9°C !
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Treat yourself or your friends and family to this stunning 2014 Walking With The Wounded Wall Calendar featuring extraordinary photographs from our previous expeditions, along with photographs of the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge... teams training and a message from our Expedition Patron, Prince Harry.
The layout of the calendar offers plenty of space for writing on, ensuring that it is also practical.
The calendar is wire bound and A4 in size, opening up to A3 with a punched hole for hanging.
Please click here to buy one now: http://shop.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/product_p/mc11.htmSee More
The layout of the calendar offers plenty of space for writing on, ensuring that it is also practical.
The calendar is wire bound and A4 in size, opening up to A3 with a punched hole for hanging.
Please click here to buy one now: http://shop.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/product_p/mc11.htmSee More
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#TeamGlenfiddich's Ibi Ali updates the race diary ahead of day 3:
"It’s been a hard couple of days, since the race started on Sunday, we’re obviously very tired, and haven’t encountered this kind of physical exhaustion anywhere else before.... The training has been good over the past year, but is not quite the same as pulling pulks weighing 80 to 90 kg over some quite tough terrains and quite extreme conditions. [...] I’m sure I speak for all our Team Glenfiddich team mates when I say we are missing all our families and friends in England”
Please click here to listen:
http://bit.ly/1cWmq9QSee More
— with Vickie Baker."It’s been a hard couple of days, since the race started on Sunday, we’re obviously very tired, and haven’t encountered this kind of physical exhaustion anywhere else before.... The training has been good over the past year, but is not quite the same as pulling pulks weighing 80 to 90 kg over some quite tough terrains and quite extreme conditions. [...] I’m sure I speak for all our Team Glenfiddich team mates when I say we are missing all our families and friends in England”
Please click here to listen:
http://bit.ly/1cWmq9QSee More
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Ed Parker, Team Noom Coach, gets in touch from his tent at the end of day 2, to talk about the tricky terrain encountered: http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/2013/12/02/ed-parker-team-noom-coach-talks-about-the-tricky-terrain-encountered-on-day-2-of-the-race/ #SouthPole2013 Virgin Money UK
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Ed Parker, Team Noom Coach, updates the voice diary on day three and talks about how the teams are progressing and how they manage to stay warm over night in Antarctic temperatures: http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/2013/12/04/ed-parker-team-noom-coach-end-of-day-3/
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CANADA- AUSSIES TEAM FOLKS
Role: Team Member
Regiment: 5th Combat Engineer Regiment
Injury: Paraesthesia, chronic back pain, Mental injury – PTSD
Home Town: Quebec City / Pot-Rouge, Quebec, Canada
Date of Birth: 17/06/1981
Alexandre views this challenge as a way to prove that wounded service personnel are still able to not only go on with their daily lives, but to excel in their lives as well.
Alexandre views this challenge as a way to prove that wounded service personnel are still able to not only go on with their daily lives, but to excel in their lives as well.
Alexandre was born in Arthabaska, Quebec, and served five years in the 5th Combat Engineer Regiment as a sapper. Alexandre has trained all around Canada and the U.S. and was deployed to the Kandahar region of Afghanistan in 2009. While serving, he was thrown into the air by an IED. On landing, he broke his nose, sustained multiple facial lacerations, concussion and a back injury that resulted in paraesthesia in his left leg and chronic pain. ‘I was extremely pleased to learn that I had been chosen for the next stage of the Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge. It means a lot for me to take the next step. The doctors were discouraging when I was repatriated after my injury and the first year was very difficult.’
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Role: Team Member
Regiment: 2nd Commando Regiment
Injury: Gunshot wound through the neck
Home Town: Sydney, Australia
Date of Birth: 03/05/1978
After joining the Australian Army in 2006, Heath was injured during his third tour to Afghanistan in an engagement with
insurgents, leaving him barely able to walk. In order to regain his strength, Heath has been participating in beach
swims, biking, weight training and pack work on a weekly basis. In the midst of taking on rehabilitation exercises, he
has returned to work at the 2nd Commando Regiment in Sydney.
Heath is eager to represent wounded soldiers who have given everything for their countries: ‘I believe this expedition
will raise awareness of their sacrifice, and allow charities to continue to provide much needed support to the men and
women transitioning from military to civilian life. Personally, I’m very much looking forward to sharing the challenge of a
great adventure with a team of like-minded and motivated people.
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Role: Team Member
Regiment: 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment
Injury: Gunshot wound through thigh
Home Town: Brisbane, Australia
Date of Birth: 01/06/1983
Seamus was wounded in action in Afghanistan in 2010 following six years of service to the Australian Army. As a part
of his rehabilitation, he has been doing a combination of cardio, weight, core strength, and flexibility training among
other activities, which he admits has been both a challenging and humbling experience.
Seamus is currently posted as a Section Commander at the Soldier Recovery Centre Brisbane whilst continuing his therapy efforts. Seamus could not be more honoured to be a part of the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge: ‘I believe the expedition will raise awareness of the sacrifices made by all physically and mentally wounded soldiers and acknowledge their on-going efforts in regaining health, wellbeing, and quality of life. I am proud to be involved and am
pleased to be able to contribute to a great cause.’
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Role: Team Member
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Injury: Burns, internal injuries, loss of right eye, facial rebuild
Home Town: Coldlake, Edmonton, Canada
Date of Birth: 25/05/1981
While Chris is excited about going to the South Pole, he is even more enthusiastic about the chance to be a part of Walking With The Wounded. He hopes to show others with injuries that they are not alone in their personal battles.
Being a soldier was always Chris’s dream and at the age of 18 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Aviation Systems Technician. Chris was posted to Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment in Alberta and was later selected for deployment to Afghanistan in early 2010. Whilst on a foot patrol, an IED detonated near Chris and his team, killing one of his best friends and Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Craig Blake.
As a result of the blast, Chris suffered shrapnel wounds, burns and lacerations to his thighs, upper body and face, a collapsed lung, a broken and shattered jaw and right hand, two aneurysms, the loss of his upper lip, all his front teeth, and upper gum, and the complete loss of his right eye. ‘This challenge provides the opportunity to complete another mission with my fellow soldiers, and a chance to prove that we can do anything despite our injuries… whether suffering with cognitive or
physical wounds, the challenges can be overcome with hard work, determination, and belief.’
Role: Polar Guide
Injury: None
Date of Birth: 30/04/1962
Having participated in expeditions all over the world and with specific polar experience, Eric is ready to get going with the unique experience Walking With The Wounded offers.
Eric lives in Tasmania with his wife and family and is Australia’s foremost polar adventurer. Eric has been undertaking expeditions to the Arctic/Antarctica for over 20 years. His passion for adventure has lead him to Greenland, Ellesmere Island, Iceland, Svalbard, the South Patagonian Icecap, Macquarie and the Heard Islands as well as the Antarctic Peninsula. Eric has guided multiple expeditions to the Poles and is the founder of the International Polar Guides Association (IPGA).
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Role: Team Mentor & Charity Co-Founder
Injury: None
Date of Birth: 29/08/65
A Co-Founder of Walking With The Wounded, Simon (Dags) was also part of the Charity’s inaugural expedition to the North Pole in 2011. Dags also undertook military training at Sandhurst College, and has a strong sense of duty to the military and its wounded.
Dags is extremely passionate about giving a voice to injured service men and women: ‘It is now up to those who are no longer serving to help those less fortunate and have given so much under that sense of selfless duty. These wounded men and women will soon fade from the headlines, but their injuries will forever be with them as they try to re-build their lives. Walking With The Wounded is my little way of saying thank you and helping to raise funds so vitally needed to help these brave people back into some sort of “normality”.
Dags’ ‘day job’ is as Commercial Director of ITV, and he lives in Battersea with his wife Emma and their two young sons. Dags has been to the South Pole before and is looking forward to the chance to re- introduce himself to the cross trainer and tyre pulling sessions around London.
DominicWest-Honorary Team Member
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#MyStory Series: Duncan Slater of #TeamGlenfiddich lost both his legs beneath the knees in Afghanistan. He was told he would never run or walk without pain after his injury. He's determined to prove his doctor was wrong and to demonstrate t...hat amputees can do anything. Listen to his #MyStory and how he is determined to prove naysayers wrong and show that the only limitations we face are in the mind, giving inspiration to others in similar situations through his involvement with #VirginMoney #SouthPoleAlliedChallenege. http://bit.ly/1ePNhtzSee More
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The Race
3 teams, 335km, 16 days, -35°C, constant winds, life changing injuries. This is not your average race!
Three teams of wounded servicemen and women are embarking upon on one of the most high profile expeditions of modern times, racing across 3° to the Geographic South Pole. Wounded from the UK, the US and the Commonwealth (Australia and Canada) will embark on this grueling challengeWhy? To show the world the extraordinary courage and determination of the men and women who have been wounded while serving our countries, and to remind us all of the help and support we owe them.
When? Following extensive training, from cold weather training in Iceland in March, to team training through the summer, and a final session of snow preparation in October, the teams will fly to Antarctica in November. They aim to reach the South Pole around 17th December 2013.
Where? The South Pole
Please follow their progress through training and during the race, and ‘Support the Walk.’
(Image Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio nasaimages.org)
http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/the-challenge/the-race/
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Reveille
Canada
Canada's
Military- PURE CANADA LOVE
Standing
Strong & True (For Tomorrow) Official Music Video (HD)
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Antarctica bound: Two women vets experience a once-in-a-lifetime send-off
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/living/travel/20131125_Parade_Antarctica_Bound__Two_Women_Vets_Experience_a_Once_in_a_lifetime_Send_off.html#46xCjslPhzhQ4YrO.99
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/living/travel/20131125_Parade_Antarctica_Bound__Two_Women_Vets_Experience_a_Once_in_a_lifetime_Send_off.html#46xCjslPhzhQ4YrO.99
Antarctica bound: Two women vets experience a once-in-a-lifetime send-off
Antarctica bound: Two women vets experience a once-in-a-lifetime send-off
The U.S. team for the South Pole Allied Challenge: (from left) Therese Frentz, Ivan Castro, Mark Wise, and Margaux Mange (Photo: Anthony Upton)
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Severely injured by explosions in Iraq, Therese Frentz, 33, and Margaux Mange, 28, and are about to embark on a new path toward recovery: Along with two other U.S. veterans, they are competing in the Walking with the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge, a 208-mile race across the Antarctic against a U.K. team and a Canadian-Australian team. The women will be blogging about their journey on Parade.com. Below, Frentz and Mange describe the expedition send-off from London.
Click here to lean why Frentz and Mange have signed up for this grueling trek in temperatures that average 31 below.
Therese Frentz, Retired Officer, U.S. Air Force
The day of the big South Pole Allied Challenge launch in Trafalgar Square, I found myself lying wide awake well before my 5 A.M. wake-up call. I was so nervous (and of course, exited as well) that I couldn’t sleep! Prince Harry [the expedition's patron] and Dominic West from The Wire [an honorary member of the Candian-Australian team] were going to be there along with hundreds of journalists and photographers, all looking to capture the big send-off. No pressure!
At about 8 am, the media started flooding the area. Team members were getting pulled in every direction for interviews and photos. The UK Team got the majority of the media attention (for obvious reasons), so much so, that they barely had a chance to eat or take a bathroom break. I feel like I was assigned the perfect amount of interviews. It was enough to feel the love and support, but not too much that I couldn’t sit back and take in this once in a lifetime experience. It was amazing to see how much support our journey is receiving. It really makes us feel like we are doing something important and worthwhile. However, it’s pretty safe to say that I will never be a part of such a crazy media frenzy again in my life. I’m thankful for that, but equally thankful for the experience of that day.
Following the launch, we had a few quiet days in London, until it was time to go to the airport and head to Cape Town. Call it naive, but I didn’t expect for there to be cameras waiting for us as we arrived at the airport (had I known, I would have put on some make-up!).
After a long flight, we finally arrived in Cape Town, and upon landing, we were informed that our flight to Novo, Antarctica, would be delayed by three days. Even though this delayed our journey, what a great city to be stuck in! No one from the U.S. Team had ever been to Cape Town before and we wanted to take advantage of our unexpected time here. The views are absolutely breathtaking. We went to Table Mountain, Cape Point, and even to the film set of The Giver that will star our very own honorary team member, Alexander Skarsgard. (I shook Jeff Bridges hand!)
Despite having a great time here, we’re itching to get to Antarctica and get this underway. The weather in Novo has finally cleared and our bags are being loaded onto the plane as I write this. There is just enough time for one more hot meal and shower before taking off. Wish us luck!
Margaux Mange, Retired Sergeant, U.S. Army Military Police
Wow! The last few days have been amazing, but extremely busy.
Meeting Prime Minister Cameron in 10 Downing Street was a humbling experience. It was such an incredible feeling to know that someone of such importance would be so genuinely interested in meeting us and knowing more about what we’re doing. Moreover, he was extremely down to earth and funny. When he entered the room, he went straight over to Ivan (one of our Team members who was blinded when mortar shells landed near him while he was serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom) and shakes his hand. Ivan, who is a bit of an entertainer, jokingly asks, “Who is this?” To which the PM responds, “The owner of this house.” It was just very relaxed, and was an absolute pleasure to meet him.
After meeting the Prime Minister, we were then given the honor of walking in the London Veteran’s Day Parade. Normally, foreign soldiers aren’t allowed to march, but an exception was made for us, which was just another indicator of how big this journey is going to be.
And just in case meeting the PM and walking in the Veteran’s Day Parade weren’t enough, our next appointment was with the Queen. Just walking into Buckingham Palace was an unreal experience. There was a crowd of people standing outside the gates watching and filming us, wondering who we were.
Once inside the palace, we were briefed on how to greet the Queen. The ladies had to curtsy and say, “Your Majesty.” She walked over to me and shook my hand, and we just stared at each other…I think. I can hardly remember, I was so nervous. I’ll tell you this, there was no lesson in the military about what to do when in the presence of royalty! I thought it was so cute that the Queen walked around with a purse and heels in her own house, while Prince Harry called her “Granny.”
We all have a very relaxed relationship with Prince Harry, so I had our team mentor, Ed Parker, go and ask him if I could be promoted to Duchess. When Prince Harry came over to chat later, he referred to me as Duchess Margaux. What more can you ask for? I don’t think my week could have been any better!
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/living/travel/20131125_Parade_Antarctica_Bound__Two_Women_Vets_Experience_a_Once_in_a_lifetime_Send_off.html#46xCjslPhzhQ4YrO.99
Severely injured by explosions in Iraq,
Therese Frentz, 33, and Margaux Mange, 28, and are about to embark on a new
path toward recovery: Along with two other U.S. veterans, they are competing in
the Walking with the
Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge, a 208-mile race across the
Antarctic against a U.K. team and a Canadian-Australian team. The women will
be blogging about their journey on Parade.com. Below, Frentz and Mange describe
the expedition send-off from London.
Therese Frentz, Retired
Officer, U.S. Air Force
The day of the big South Pole Allied Challenge
launch in Trafalgar Square, I found myself lying wide awake well before my 5
A.M. wake-up call. I was so nervous (and of course, exited as well) that I
couldn’t sleep! Prince Harry [the expedition's patron] and Dominic West
from The Wire [an honorary member of the Candian-Australian team] were
going to be there along with hundreds of journalists and photographers, all
looking to capture the big send-off. No pressure!
Teams Noom, Glenfiddich, and Soldier On (the U.S.,
U.K. and Canadian-Australian teams respectively) were the first to arrive in
the Square. It’s funny to be saying this considering I will be trekking across
Antarctica in just a few days, but it was quite cold that morning.
At about 8 am, the media started flooding the area.
Team members were getting pulled in every direction for interviews and photos.
The UK Team got the majority of the media attention (for obvious reasons), so
much so, that they barely had a chance to eat or take a bathroom break. I feel
like I was assigned the perfect amount of interviews. It was enough to
feel the love and support, but not too much that I couldn’t sit back and take
in this once in a lifetime experience. It was amazing to see how much support
our journey is receiving. It really makes us feel like we are doing something
important and worthwhile. However, it’s pretty safe to say that I will never be
a part of such a crazy media frenzy again in my life. I’m thankful for that,
but equally thankful for the experience of that day.
Following the launch, we had a few quiet days in
London, until it was time to go to the airport and head to Cape Town. Call it
naive, but I didn’t expect for there to be cameras waiting for us as we arrived
at the airport (had I known, I would have put on some make-up!).
After a long flight, we finally arrived in Cape
Town, and upon landing, we were informed that our flight to Novo, Antarctica,
would be delayed by three days. Even though this delayed our journey, what a
great city to be stuck in! No one from the U.S. Team had ever been to Cape Town
before and we wanted to take advantage of our unexpected time here. The views
are absolutely breathtaking. We went to Table Mountain, Cape Point, and
even to the film set of The Giver that will star our very own
honorary team member, Alexander Skarsgard. (I shook Jeff Bridges hand!)
Despite having a great time here, we’re itching to
get to Antarctica and get this underway. The weather in Novo has finally
cleared and our bags are being loaded onto the plane as I write this. There is
just enough time for one more hot meal and shower before taking off. Wish
us luck!
Margaux Mange, Retired Sergeant,
U.S. Army Military Police
Wow! The last few days have been amazing, but
extremely busy.
Meeting Prime Minister Cameron in 10 Downing Street
was a humbling experience. It was such an incredible feeling to know that
someone of such importance would be so genuinely interested in meeting us and
knowing more about what we’re doing. Moreover, he was extremely down to earth
and funny. When he entered the room, he went straight over to Ivan (one of our
Team members who was blinded when mortar shells landed near him while he was
serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom) and shakes his hand. Ivan, who is a bit
of an entertainer, jokingly asks, “Who is this?” To which the PM responds, “The
owner of this house.” It was just very relaxed, and was an absolute pleasure to
meet him.
After meeting the Prime Minister, we were then
given the honor of walking in the London Veteran’s Day Parade. Normally,
foreign soldiers aren’t allowed to march, but an exception was made for us, which
was just another indicator of how big this journey is going to be.
And just in case meeting the PM and walking in the
Veteran’s Day Parade weren’t enough, our next appointment was with the Queen.
Just walking into Buckingham Palace was an unreal experience. There was a crowd
of people standing outside the gates watching and filming us, wondering who we
were.
Once inside the palace, we were briefed on how to
greet the Queen. The ladies had to curtsy and say, “Your Majesty.” She walked
over to me and shook my hand, and we just stared at each other…I think. I can
hardly remember, I was so nervous. I’ll tell you this, there was no lesson in
the military about what to do when in the presence of royalty! I thought it was
so cute that the Queen walked around with a purse and heels in her own house,
while Prince Harry called her “Granny.”
We all have a very relaxed relationship with Prince
Harry, so I had our team mentor, Ed Parker, go and ask him if I could be
promoted to Duchess. When Prince Harry came over to chat later, he referred to
me as Duchess Margaux. What more can you ask for? I don’t think my week could
have been any better!
http://www.philly.com/philly/living/travel/20131125_Parade_Antarctica_Bound__Two_Women_Vets_Experience_a_Once_in_a_lifetime_Send_off.html
-------------------
WOUNDED
WARRIORS- THE SOUTH POLE CHALLENGE- 2013
WWTW
South Pole Allied Challenge Launch 2013
AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs program. AM sets the agenda for the nation's daily news and current affairs coverage.
Wounded soldiers race to the South Pole in Antarctic challenge
Philip Williams reported this story on Friday, November 15, 2013 08:26:00
ASHLEY HALL: Racing across the frozen Antarctic landscape on foot would be challenge enough for the able bodied, but three very determined groups of injured soldiers are planning to turn it into the adventure of a lifetime.
The walking-with-the-wounded South Pole Challenge pits three teams with various war injuries against one another. Prince Harry heads the British team. But the Australians are determined their Commonwealth group will be the first to the South Pole.
As Europe correspondent Philip Williams reports, the teams have been farewelled in London's Trafalgar Square.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: I'm standing here in Trafalgar Square and there are three distinct colours from the three teams. And there's a Commonwealth team, and that includes three Australians, two soldiers and one leader, a British team, and there's also the American team. So, quite competitive this race to the South Pole.
But of course, it's been a huge challenge just to get to this point.
Both Heath Jamieson and Seamus Donaghue both suffered gunshot wounds in Afghanistan. They're representing the Commonwealth team.
Heath, tell me, what's the biggest fear going into this?
HEATH JAMIESON: It's pretty cold down there. Just doing all the day-to-day things; it's a lot harder to do it in the cold - like going to the toilet, you know just scratching yourself - doing anything like that is a lot harder to do.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: And of course, you've all, most of you have disabilities of some sort. That adds to the layer of challenge, doesn't it?
HEATH JAMIESON: Yeah, everyone, we've done some training in Iceland earlier in the year in the cold there and everyone got a chance to work out how their injuries handled the cold and what precautions you need to take, extra precaution.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Seamus Donaghue, you suffered a severe leg injury. What sort of special precautions do you have to take?
SEAMUS DONAGHUE: I've got a bit of nerve palsy on the right side, so I can't actually feel from the knee on the outside of the leg all the way down to the foot. So I've got to be careful of cold injury in that regard.
We've modified the boots and the skis. I've got a leg length discrepancy as well, so I'm about four centimetres shorter on the right side, which is handy for going to the right, but not so much handy for going straight.
HEATH JAMIESON: We've got to be careful when he's leading that we don't go around in circles (laughter).
PHILIP WILLIAMS: You will win won't you, for Australia, for the Commonwealth?
HEATH JAMIESON: Oh, we'll give it our best shot to win, yeah. Hopefully we'll regain the Ashes in summer and when we come back we'll find out we've won a few Test matches and we'll also have got to the Pole first as well.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Prince Harry has said he'll be making you a cup of tea when he arrives at the South Pole; what do you think of that?
HEATH JAMIESON: We'll have it all boiling ready for him, he can just pour it for us when he gets there.
PRINCE HARRY: These guys aim to, they've already achieved it, but they're going to achieve something quite remarkable and in doing so will prove to everybody else that, even when you've lost a leg, lost an arm or whatever the illness may be, that you can achieve pretty much anything if you put your mind to it.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: They're not entirely on their own; they have absolute expert guides, including Eric Philips who's an Australian who comes from Hobart, who's been to the Antarctic and the Arctic many, many times.
ERIC PHILIPS: Look, flying in to an altitude of 3,000 metres and a temperature of 30 degrees below zero, hugely confronting. They're going to feel that cold slapping on their face; they're going to feel a numbness in their fingers and their toes pretty quickly, and then laid on top of that, a distance of 335 kilometres over the course of more than two weeks of travel - it's a pretty confronting prospect.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Beyond this particular event, it's all about raising money and awareness for the wounded from various wars to ensure that they have the best chance possible of integrating successfully back into a wider society.
This is Philip Williams in Trafalgar Square reporting for AM.
The walking-with-the-wounded South Pole Challenge pits three teams with various war injuries against one another. Prince Harry heads the British team. But the Australians are determined their Commonwealth group will be the first to the South Pole.
As Europe correspondent Philip Williams reports, the teams have been farewelled in London's Trafalgar Square.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: I'm standing here in Trafalgar Square and there are three distinct colours from the three teams. And there's a Commonwealth team, and that includes three Australians, two soldiers and one leader, a British team, and there's also the American team. So, quite competitive this race to the South Pole.
But of course, it's been a huge challenge just to get to this point.
Both Heath Jamieson and Seamus Donaghue both suffered gunshot wounds in Afghanistan. They're representing the Commonwealth team.
Heath, tell me, what's the biggest fear going into this?
HEATH JAMIESON: It's pretty cold down there. Just doing all the day-to-day things; it's a lot harder to do it in the cold - like going to the toilet, you know just scratching yourself - doing anything like that is a lot harder to do.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: And of course, you've all, most of you have disabilities of some sort. That adds to the layer of challenge, doesn't it?
HEATH JAMIESON: Yeah, everyone, we've done some training in Iceland earlier in the year in the cold there and everyone got a chance to work out how their injuries handled the cold and what precautions you need to take, extra precaution.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Seamus Donaghue, you suffered a severe leg injury. What sort of special precautions do you have to take?
SEAMUS DONAGHUE: I've got a bit of nerve palsy on the right side, so I can't actually feel from the knee on the outside of the leg all the way down to the foot. So I've got to be careful of cold injury in that regard.
We've modified the boots and the skis. I've got a leg length discrepancy as well, so I'm about four centimetres shorter on the right side, which is handy for going to the right, but not so much handy for going straight.
HEATH JAMIESON: We've got to be careful when he's leading that we don't go around in circles (laughter).
PHILIP WILLIAMS: You will win won't you, for Australia, for the Commonwealth?
HEATH JAMIESON: Oh, we'll give it our best shot to win, yeah. Hopefully we'll regain the Ashes in summer and when we come back we'll find out we've won a few Test matches and we'll also have got to the Pole first as well.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Prince Harry has said he'll be making you a cup of tea when he arrives at the South Pole; what do you think of that?
HEATH JAMIESON: We'll have it all boiling ready for him, he can just pour it for us when he gets there.
PRINCE HARRY: These guys aim to, they've already achieved it, but they're going to achieve something quite remarkable and in doing so will prove to everybody else that, even when you've lost a leg, lost an arm or whatever the illness may be, that you can achieve pretty much anything if you put your mind to it.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: They're not entirely on their own; they have absolute expert guides, including Eric Philips who's an Australian who comes from Hobart, who's been to the Antarctic and the Arctic many, many times.
ERIC PHILIPS: Look, flying in to an altitude of 3,000 metres and a temperature of 30 degrees below zero, hugely confronting. They're going to feel that cold slapping on their face; they're going to feel a numbness in their fingers and their toes pretty quickly, and then laid on top of that, a distance of 335 kilometres over the course of more than two weeks of travel - it's a pretty confronting prospect.
PHILIP WILLIAMS: Beyond this particular event, it's all about raising money and awareness for the wounded from various wars to ensure that they have the best chance possible of integrating successfully back into a wider society.
This is Philip Williams in Trafalgar Square reporting for AM.
Harry Lands For Trek To 'Rock-Bottom Morale'
Having been delayed for 48 hours in sunny Cape Town, Prince Harry touches down in temperatures of -10C.
Video: Prince Harry spends his first day in Antarctica ahead of his polar trek
Prince Harry has arrived in Antarctica joking that the extreme cold has made everyone's morale drop to "rock bottom".
Having been delayed for 48 hours in sunny Cape Town, the three Walking With The Wounded teams touched down at the Novolazarevskaya Station in temperatures of -10C."It's amazing how, in just six hours, your morale can go from pretty high, almost pouring over the edge, to rock bottom," the fourth in line to the throne told Sky News.
"The weather forecast was supposed to be alright, but it seems to be getting worse," added the Apache helicopter pilot.
But before they reach the start line on Monday on a plateau more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the teams will spend three days acclimatising to the hostile conditions.
Adventurer Inge Solheim, who is helping the US team, said: "The air gets thinner when you get up to the start and so we'll need a few days there to get used to conditions to make sure everyone's coping."
As the 29-year-old Prince stepped off the plane in his Antarctic clothing, he remarked that the wind and cold had brought back "a lot of bad memories" from his last experience in the North Pole in 2011.
"How they managed to identify where the runway was ... you just can't believe how the pilot managed to make such a controlled landing."
On Friday night the teams met together for their first dinner in Antarctica ahead of a full day skiing on Saturday in preparation for the challenge ahead.
- Related Stories
- Harry In Antarctica: Prince Begins Polar Trek
-------------------------
March to the Top a reminder of Canada’s walking wounded
Injured soldiers climb a mountain in March to t he Top, on CBC and the Documentary Channel.
CBC
In the documentary March to the Top, 12 wounded and ill Canadian veterans climb the 20,305-foot Island Peak. It airs Feb. 17 on the Documentary Channel and Feb. 18 on CBC.
March to the Top has all the right ingredients for what could have been superb reality television: Take 12 wounded and ill Canadian vets. Add one 20,305-foot summit. Watch the drama unfold.
Airing Sunday at 8 p.m. on the Documentary Channel and Monday at 8 p.m. on CBC-TV, the production follows the climbers as they attempt to reach the summit of Island Peak, a mountain near Everest in the Himalayas.
The doc takes viewers to Kathmandu, Nepal, for the month-long trek, offering a window into the lives of the soldiers as they climb while slaying inner demons.
Given the potential for physical and emotional conflict, and characters you want to root for, it should be compelling viewing.
But with so many characters, all with their own complex issues, the doc is too short at just over an hour running time to develop any kind of thoughtful back story. Viewers never develop a true connection.
So when the vets make it to the top — a remarkable feat given their injuries — it packs less of an emotional wallop.
March to the Top would perhaps be better as a series, where viewers could follow a longer narrative and get to know the vets.
But you take what you can get. And the show is ultimately a provocative reminder of the invisible society of walking wounded to whom Canadians owe much.
Producer and expedition leader Ben Webster says he got the idea after living in the United Kingdom, where he frequently saw soldiers integrated into society.
“It’s a small island and they have a history of supporting their armed forces. And there is lots of help for injured soldiers coming home,” said Webster.
“I think Canadians have the same sense of commitment, but we don’t have an outlet. Our country is so big you don’t see soldiers on every corner; it’s kind of out of sight out of mind.”
Webster wants to mobilize support for the Canadian armed forces through charitable institutions such as the True Patriot Love organization, which raises money for veterans programs.
“It’s really no different than what Terry Fox did in the sense that he brought an awareness to cancer research. In his case, his mountain was running across the country,” said Webster. “In this case, it’s an actual physical mountain.”
One of the climbers, soldier Peter Burcew, 29, said he jumped at the chance when he was asked to participate in the expedition.
“What’s more crazy? Going to Afghanistan or climbing a mountain? I’d say go climb a mountain,” said Burcew, who suffered burns to his left arm after his vehicle was hit by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2006. “For someone else it would be completely ridiculous, but nothing compares to some of the stuff I had to do in the military.”
When he did get to the top, it was “intense” he says. “Emotionally it feels surreal. It was a really calm day and perfect weather. It just reminded me how strong nature is and we’re just tiny humans on this huge planet.
“We may be able to build crazy things, go to space, land on the moon, but we’re just skin and bone.”
Torontonian David Macdonald, 28, said he reached for his camera to take a picture at the top but then realized it wouldn’t do the view justice.
“It took my breath away except there was no air in my lungs,” he said. “I remember hearing the wind. Everything just seemed to stop. I looked out and just saw peaks,” said Macdonald, who suffered leg, rib and pelvis injuries, a crushed left hand and bleeding in the brain when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in 2009.
But the journey was worth it, both men say.
“All the trials and tribulations over the last three years of my life, it just disappeared,” says Macdonald. “You forget about your own little problems. You’re just overwhelmed at the nature of things.”
“I think what it taught me was that this isn’t the end,” says Burcew. “You can still have great experiences in life. And it’s not just about being a soldier. It’s something that all Canadians can relate to.”
--------------
Wounded Soldiers Race to the South Pole
By MARK WISE
Veterans returning from conflict are confronted with an array of reintegration issues from post traumatic stress, unemployment, drug or alcohol abuse and suicide. Military leaders are taught to lead by example, and on this public stage, the participants in the South Pole Allied Challenge are trying to do just that. By sharing our stories of service, injury and recovery we hope to educate the public, inspire fellow service members and raise funds for programs that can assist those following in our footsteps.
Each of the four nations involved has a primary nonprofit organization to which people can donate time, money or other resources. For our team, that organization is Soldiers to Summits, which uses mountaineering to help build not just physical courage and strength, but also the mental capacity to cope with internal struggles.
Mark WiseMark Wise, who served as a platoon leader in Afghanistan, in August 2009.Nine days later I awoke at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, saw my family and asked, “What are you doing here?” The long road of recovery had just begun.
I was bedridden with all of my limbs immobilized. I was on a feeding tube and could not push my own pain-medication button or focus well enough to see faces. I was emotionally crushed. My family provided constant support as I struggled to come to terms with my injuries. Vanity was one of my initial worries, and I felt I needed plastic surgery on my face to feel normal again. Operation Mend, a nonprofit organization that provides surgical care in partnership with U.C.L.A. Medical Center, provided free reconstructive surgery that made me feel that I could go out in public again without being judged or stared at.
Initially, success came in small steps. Scratching my face on my own. Changing channels on the television. Feeding myself. But over time, improvements have come faster, though in fits and starts. There are days when I can run (what a sensation, even with discomfort), days when I can only walk and days when I can barely crawl. What counts is maintaining momentum.
Mark WiseMark Wise and his wife, Sarah, and their son, Mark Wise III.After I graduated from Georgetown, I found myself without a larger purpose. I was working at a Fortune 100 company when I received an e-mail from a group called Walking With the Wounded, which offered me the opportunity to trek to the South Pole as an advocate for veterans. I jumped at the opportunity.
We recently completed training for our expedition in Iceland. It was difficult, but as the military taught us, you can find ways to drive on. We endured whiteout conditions, with minus-40-degree Celsius temperatures and 60 mile-per-hour winds. On one mini-expedition, we skied with sleds for five days, covering roughly 16 miles a day while learning to live in Arctic conditions. But in our race to the South Pole, our team will not only be overcoming harsh conditions but also blindness, post-traumatic stress, amputated fingers, reconstructed joints and severe burns. Teamwork will be essential.
Most everyone who has held a leadership position in the military feels an obligation to serve, and I still do – not just to living soldiers but also to Private Michel and the other members of my unit who were killed in combat. Those men remind me daily of my responsibilities to other veterans. And maybe that is why I feel so confident that our team will overcome our adversities to reach the South Pole.
Mark Wise, 27, became an Army infantry officer after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. In 2009, he was deployed to Afghanistan as a platoon leader with Charlie Company, First Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment of the Fourth Infantry Division. After receiving a medical retirement, he earn an M.B.A. from Georgetown University and is chief financial officer for GORUCK, a manufacturer of military-grade backpacks.
--------------------------
Heaven
was needing a hero (Hommage Canadien 2012 Canadian Tribute)-Jo Dee Messina
-------------------
Music
Video of Canadian Heroes - One and All- God is watching.... each and all and
holding u close to Him- WATCH THE CHILDREN- can't stop crying
Music
video of "Canadian Heroes", written for the Canadian Forces Troops.
Check out: www.canadianheroes.com
This new song for the Canadian Troops is amazing!!
------------------
Waging Peace: Canada in
Afghanistan FULL DOCUMENTARY
Published on Dec 29, 2012
Canada's Only Independently
funded and filmed documentary on our mission in Afghanistan. http://www.wagingpeacefilm.com
Follows Canadian Richard
Fitoussi on a personal quest into the fiercest parts of Afghanistan's war-torn
southern frontier to learn why Canadian soldiers are dying in a mission that
has sparked more controversy than any other military intervention in Canadian
history.
Embedded with the Canadian
military alongside established war correspondents. Fitoussi sees for himself
what is at stake for the Afghan people and the Canadians who serve in our name.
As his journey unfolds,
Fitoussi is faced with the realites of modern day peacekeeping, and tries to
distinguish between the reality on the ground and the rhetoric of the U.S. led
"war on terror". In the end he witnesses the ultimate sacrifice of
young Canadians in a journey that nearly costs him his life.
COMMENT:
I agree, I believe that
Canadians are indeed the better basic soldiers and are more resourceful than
our soldiers. I just meant that the USA's military has more resources and a
larger budget to allow for more types of training.
Generally though, when
comparing Canadian and American soldiers, the Canadian soldiers tend to operate
better than ours.
Also, there is a large amount
of military cooperation between the? US and Canada too, so we're designed to be
interoperable with each other anyways. :)
-------------------
CANADA'S SOLDIERS OF
SUICIDE- STEPPIN UP 4 OUR CANADIAN
HEROES..... honour.... we must do more... 4 our precious sons and daughters
wearing our Canada/Nato flag-
Soldiers of Suicide/ Soldats du Suicide- Lise Charron
---------------
Sgt. Elton Adams- woke up the
world of the invisible soul stealer of our Nato troops
The Battle of the mind -
Operational Stress & PTSD
DOWLOAD This song for free at
http://www.eltonadams.com
I made this video in hope to
bring awareness to the number of soldiers dealing with PTSD & OSI -
Operational Stress Injury. The song "Hard" was written by a member of
The Canadian Forces MCpl Elton Adams and you can download from Itunes or http://www.eltonadams.com
Some Other resources:
US ARMY
Canadian Forces:
Blog of a OIF Veteran
Nick Horner Foundation:
AND...
Bed
Of Roses - British Forces Remembered- 4 all our broken heroes
----------------------------
The Purpose (Get Up Weary
Soldier)
A song to encourage and
inspire the Canadian and American soldiers who are serving in areas of conflict
and peacekeeping overseas, and their families who remain here at home. Our
hearts and prayers are with you.
COMMENT:
We christians can all take the words of this song to heart. At
times we are all weary soldiers in the army of the Lord. Be encouraged. Stand
up for your faith. Stand up weary soldiers, stand up. What an inspirational
song. Stand up young and old alike. Fight the good fight. The Lord is with you
Remembering
Canada's son's and daughters.... and all those beautiful Canadian children we
have lost..... and to our 6,000 wounded.... we got your backs.... of that you
can be sure.... no political games on this one... we will ensure it gets
fixed... and fast..... God bles you all.- and all our Nato Coalition Sons and
Daughters from 47 countries.... we are still here.... each and every day..
158
Canadian soldiers, two aid workers, one journalist and one diplomat have been
killed since the Canadian military deployed to Afghanistan in early 2002.
CANADA: Timeline: Death toll in Afghanistan 2013
Master
Corporal Byron Garth Greff Age: 28
Deceased:
October 29, 2011
Unit:
3rd Battalion Princess Patricias's Canadian Light Infantry
Hometown: Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Incident: Improvised explosive device, Kabul,
Afghanistan
Deceased:
June Francis Roy
Deceased:
May 27, 2011: Bombardier Karl Manning; Hometown: 5th Régiment d'artillerie
légère du Canada of the 1er Royal 22e Régiment Battle GroupIncident: Non combat
related
Deceased:
March 28, 2011: Corporal Yannick Scherrer : 24 of Montreal, Quebec: 1st
Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, based in CFB Valcartier in Quebec: Yannick's
First tour,Nakhonay, southwest of Kandahar City
Deceased:
December 18, 2010: Corporal Steve Martin -Age: 24-Hometown:
St-Cyrille-de-Wendover (Québec)-Unit: 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e
Régiment-Incident: Improvised explosive device, Panjwa'i District, Afghanistan.
Deceased February 10, 2010- at home but still on
active duty to Afghanistan- Captain Francis (Frank) Cecil Paul to the official
list of Canadian Forces (CF) casualties sustained in support of the mission in
Afghanistan. Capt Paul died in Canada
last February while on leave from Kandahar.
Deceased:
August 30, 2010 Corporal Brian Pinksen,
Age: 21, Hometown: Corner Brook , Newfoundland and Labrador ,Unit: 2nd
Battalion , Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Incident: Improvised explosive device,
Panjwa'i District, Afghanistan.
Deceased:
July 20, 2010 Sapper Brian Collier Age: 24 Hometown: Bradford, Ontariom Unit: 1
Combat Engineer Regiment Incident: Improvised explosive device, Panjwa'i
District, Afghanistan
Deceased:
June 26, 2010 Master Corporal Kristal Giesebrecht Age: 34 Hometown:Wallaceburg,
Ontario.Unit: 1 Canadian Field Hospital Incident: Improvised explosive device,
Panjwa'i District, Afghanistan
Deceased:
June 26, 2010 Private Andrew Miller Age: 21 Hometown: Sudbury, Ontario Unit: 2 Field
Ambulance Incident: Improvised explosive device, Panjwa'i District,
Afghanistan.
Deceased:
June 21, 2010 Sergeant James Patrick MacNeil Age: 29 Hometown: Glace Bay, Nova
Scotia Unit: 2 Combat Engineer Regiment
Incident: Improvised explosive device, Panjwa'i District, Afghanistan.
Deceased:
June 6, 2010 Sergeant Martin Goudreault Age: 35 Hometown: Sudbury, Ontario
Unit: 1 Combat Engineer Regiment Incident: Improvised explosive device,
Panjwa'i District, Afghanistan.
Deceased:
May 24, 2010Trooper Larry Rudd Age: 26 Hometown: Brantford, Ontario Unit: Royal
Canadian Dragoons Incident: Improvised explosive device, southwest of Kandahar
City, Afghanistan.
Deceased:
May 18, 2010Colonel Geoff Parker Age: 42 Hometown: Oakville, Ont.Unit: Land
Forces Central Area Headquarters Incident: Suicide bomber, Kabul, Afghanistan
May
13 Pte. Kevin Thomas McKay, 24, was killed by a homemade landmine while on a
night patrol near the village of Nakhoney, 15 southwest of Kandahar City.
May
3 Petty Officer Second Class Douglas Craig Blake, 37, was on foot with other
soldiers around 4:30 p.m. Monday near the Sperwan Ghar base in Panjwaii
district when an improvised explosive device detonated.
Apr
11 Private Tyler William Todd, 26, originally from Kitchener, Ont., was killed
when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while taking part in a foot
patrol in the district of Dand, about eight kilometres southwest of Kandahar
City.
Mar
20 Corporal Darren James Fitzpatrick, a 21-year-old infantryman from Prince
George, B.C., succumbed to wounds received from a roadside bomb that detonated
during a joint Canadian-Afghan mission 25 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
Feb.
12 Corporal Joshua Caleb Baker, a 24-year-old Edmonton-based soldier died in an
explosion during a "routine" training exercise at a range four
kilometres north of Kandahar City.
Jan.
16 Sergeant John Wayne Faught, a 44-year-old section commander from Delta
Company, 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry of Edmonton. Faught was
killed when a land mine exploded underneath him while he led a foot patrol near
the village of Nakhoney, about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City.
2009
Dec.
30 Private Garrett William Chidley, 21, of Cambridge, Ont.; Corporal Zachery
McCormack, 21, of Edmonton; Sergeant George Miok, 28, of Edmonton; Sergeant
Kirk Taylor, 28, of Yarmouth, N.S.; and Canwest journalist Michelle Lang of
Calgary. All were killed when a massive homemade land mine blew up under the
light-armoured vehicle that was carrying them on a muddy dirt road on Kandahar
City's southern outskirts.
Dec.
23 Lieut. Andrew Richard Nuttall, 30, originally from Prince Rupert, B.C., was
serving with the Edmonton-based 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry. died when a homemade bomb detonated as he led a foot patrol in
the dangerous Panjwaii district southwest of Kandahar City.
Oct.
30 Sapper Steven Marshall, 24, a combat engineer with the 11th Field Squadron,
1st Combat Engineer Regiment had been in Afghanistan less than one week when he
stepped on a homemade landmine while on patrol in Panjwaii District about 10
kilometres southwest of Kandahar City.
Oct.
28 Lt. Justin Garrett Boyes, 26, from the Edmonton-based, 3rd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was killed by a homemade bomb
planted while on patrol with Afghan National Police near Kandahar City.
Sep.
17 Private Jonathan Couturier, 23, of Loretteville, Que., with the 2nd
Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, died when an armoured vehicle struck an
improvised explosive device about 25 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City in
Panjwaii district. Eleven other soldiers suffered slight injuries.
Sep.
13 An armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device near Kandahar
City, killing Pte. Patrick Lormand, 21. Four other soldiers from 2nd Battalion,
Royal 22nd Regiment received minor injuries in the blast.
Sep.
6: Major Yannick Pepin, 36, of Victoriaville, Que., commander of the 51st Field
Engineers Squadron of the 5th Combat Engineers, and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin,
31, of Quebec City, who served with the same unit, were killed and five other
Canadians were injured when their armoured vehicle struck an improvised
explosive device in Dand District, southwest of Kandahar City.
Aug
1: Sapper Matthieu Allard, 21, and his close friend, Cpl. Christian Bobbitt,
23, were killed near Kandahar City by an improvised explosive device when they
got off their armoured vehicle to examine damage to another vehicle in their
resupply convoy that had been hit by another IED. Both men served with the 5th
Combat Engineers Regiment from Valcartier, Que.
Jul
16: Private Sebastien Courcy, 26, of St. Hyacinthe, Que., with the Quebec-based
Royal 22nd Regiment was killed when he fell from "a piece of high
ground" during a combat operation in the Panjwaii District.
Jul.
6: Two Canadian soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan when the Griffon
helicopter they were aboard crashed during a mission. Master Cpl. Pat Audet,
38, from the 430 tactical helicopter squadron; and Cpl. Martin Joannette, 25,
from the third battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment, both based in Valcartier,
Que.
Jul.
4: Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud, 28, died in a Quebec City hospital
from injuries he sustained after stepping on a landmine while on foot patrol
June 23.
Jul.
3: Corporal Nicholas Bulger, 30, hailed from Peterborough, Ont., and was with
the Edmonton-based 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
The convoy which transports Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan hit a roadside
bomb, killing Bulger who was a member of the general's tactical team and
injuring five others.
Jun.
14: Corporal Martin Dubé, 35, from Quebec City, Quebec with the 5 Combat
Engineer Regiment killed by an improvised explosive device, in the Panjwayi
District of Afghanistan.
Jun.
8: Private Alexandre Péloquin, 20, of Brownsburg-Chatham, Quebec with 3rd
Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment. Was killed by an improvised explosive device,
Panjwayi District, Afghanistan.
Apr.
23: Major Michelle Mendes, based in Ottawa, Ont. was found dead in her room at
the Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.
Apr.
13: Trooper Karine Blais, 21, with the 12th Armoured Regiment based in Val
Cartier, Que., was killed in action when her vehicle was hit by a homemade
bomb.
Mar.
20: Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli of the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment,
and Pte. Tyler Crooks of 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, died when they
were hit by an IED while on a foot patrol in western Zahri District as part of
Operation Jaley. An Afghan interpreter was also killed. Five other soldiers
from November Company were wounded as was another Afghan interpreter. About two
hours later, Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Hayes from a
reconnaissance squadron of the Petawawa-based Royal Canadian Dragoons died when
their armoured vehicle struck an IED in Shah Wali Khot District about 20
kilometres northeast of Kandahar. Three other Dragoons were wounded in the same
blast.
Mar.
8: Trooper Marc Diab, 22, with the Royal Canadian Dragoons based in Petawawa
was killed by a roadside bomb north of Kandahar City.
Mar.
3: Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, a reservist from The Lincoln and
Welland Regiment, based in St. Catharines, Ont., Cpl. Dany Olivier Fortin from
the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 3 Wing, based in Bagotville, Que., and
Cpl. Kenneth Chad O'Quinn, from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
Headquarters and Signals Squadron, in Petawawa, Ont., were killed when an IED
detonated near their armoured vehicle northwest of Kandahar.
Jan.
31: Sapper Sean Greenfield, 25, was killed when and IED hit his armoured
vehicle while driving in the Zhari district, west of Kandahar. He was with the
2 Combat Engineer Regiment based in Petawawa.
Jan.
7: Trooper Brian Richard Good, 42, died when the armoured vehicle he was
traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive devise, or IED. Three other
soldiers were injured in the blast, which occurred around 8 a.m. in the
Shahwali Kot district, about 35 kilometres north of Kandahar City.
2008
Dec.
27: Warrant Officer Gaetan Joseph Maxime Roberge and Sgt. Gregory John Kruse
died in a bomb blast while they were conducting a security patrol in the
Panjwaii district, west of Kandahar City. Their Afghan interpreter and a member
of the Afghan National Army were also killed. Three other Canadian soldiers
were injured in the blast.
Dec.
26: Private Michael Bruce Freeman, 28, was killed after his armoured vehicle
was struck by an explosive device in the Zhari dessert, west of Kandahar City.
Three other soldiers were injured in the blast.
Dec.
13: Three soldiers were killed by an IED west of Kandahar City after responding
to reports of people planting a suspicious object. Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton,
26, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin, 26, and Pte. Justin Peter Jones, 21, members
of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment from CFB Gagetown, N.B., died.
Dec.
5: An IED kills W.O. Robert Wilson, 38, Cpl. Mark McLaren, 23, and Pte.
Demetrios Diplaros, 25, all members of the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian
Regiment based in Petawawa, Ont. All three are from Ontario - Keswick,
Peterborough and Scarborough respectively.
Sep.
7: Sergeant Prescott (Scott) Shipway, 36, was killed by an IED just days away
from completing his second tour of Afghanistan and on the same day the federal
election is called. Shipway, a section commander with 2nd battalion Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based out of Winnipeg, was killed in the
Panjwaii district. He is from Saskatchewan.
Sep.
3: Corporals Andrew (Drew) Grenon, 23, of Windsor, Ont., and Mike Seggie, 21,
of Winnipeg and Pte. Chad Horn, 21, of Calgary, infantrymen with the 2nd
Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry from CFB Shilo, where
killed in a Taliban ambush. Five other soldiers were injured in the attack.
Aug.
20: Three combat engineers attached to 2nd Battalion Batallion Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton are killed by an IED in Zhari
district. Sgt. Shawn Eades, 34, of Hamilton, Ont., Cpl. Dustin Roy Robert
Joseph Wasden,25, of the Spiritwood, Sask., area, and Sapper Stephan John
Stock, 25, of Campbell River, B.C. A fourth soldier was seriously injured.
Aug.
13: Jacqueline Kirk and Shirley Case, who were in Afghanistan with the
International Rescue Committee, died in Afghanistan's Logar province after the
car they were riding in was ambushed. Kirk, 40, was a dual British-Canadian
citizen from Outremont, Que. Case, 30, was from Williams Lake, B.C.
Aug.
11: Master Cpl. Erin Doyle, 32, of Kamloops, B.C., an Edmonton-based soldier of
3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was killed in a
firefight in Panjwaii district.
Aug.
9: Master Cpl. Josh Roberts, 29, a native of Saskatchewan and a member of 2nd
Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man.,
died during a firefight involving a private security company in the Zhari
district, west of Kandahar City. The death is under investigation.
Jul.
18: Corporal James Hayward Arnal of Winnipeg, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was rushed from the patrol in the
volatile Panjwaii district to Kandahar Airfield, where he died from his
injuries sustained from an IED.
Jul.
5: Private Colin William Wilmot, a medic with 1 Field Ambulance and attached to
2nd Battalion Batallion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry from
Edmonton, stepped on an IED while on foot patrol in the Panjwaii district.
Jul.
4: Corporal Brendan Anthony Downey died at Camp Mirage in an undisclosed
country in the Arabian Peninsula of non-combat injuries. He was in his quarters
at the time. Downey, 36, was a military police officer with 17 Wing Detachment,
Dundurn, Sask.
Jun.
7: Captain Jonathan Sutherland Snyder, a member of 1 Battalion Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton, died after falling into a
well while on a security patrol in the Zhari district.
Jun.
3: Captain Richard Leary, 32, was killed when his patrol came under small arms
fire while on foot patrol west of Kandahar City. Leary, "Stevo" to
his friends, and a member of 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, was based at CFB Shilo, Man.
May
6: Corporal Michael Starker of the 15 Field Ambulance was fatally wounded
during a foot patrol in the Pashmul region of the Afghanistan's Zhari district.
Starker, 36, was a Calgary paramedic on his second tour in Afghanistan. He was
part of a civil-military co-operation unit that did outreach in local villages.
Another soldier, who was not identified, was wounded in the incident.
Apr.
4: Private Terry John Street, of Surrey, B.C., and based with 2nd Battalion
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Shilo, Man., was killed when his
armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device to the southwest of
Kandahar City.
Mar.
16: Sergeant Jason Boyes of Napanee, Ont., based with 2nd Battalion Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Shilo, Man., was killed when he steps on
a buried explosive device while on foot patrol in the Zangabad region in
Panjwaii District.
Mar.
11: Bombardier Jeremie Ouellet, 22, of Matane, Que., died in his quarters at
Kandahar Airfield. He was with the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse
Artillery. His death is under investigation by the National Investigative
Service.
Mar.
2: Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze, 25, of Edmonton was killed by an IED just
days before his tour was scheduled to end. He was in a vehicle about 45
kilometres west of the Kandahar base. He was a member of the Lord Strathcona's
Horse (Royal Canadians).
Jan.
23: Sapper Etienne Gonthier, 21, of St-George-de-Beauce, Que., and based with
5e Regiment du genie de combat in Val Cartier, Que. was killed and two others
wounded in an incident involving a roadside bomb.
Jan.
15: Trooper Richard Renaud from Alma, Que., was killed and a second Canadian
soldier was injured when their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb Tuesday in
Kandahar's Zhari district. Renaud, 26, of the 12eme Regiment blinde du Canada
in Valcartier, Que., and three other soldiers were on a routine patrol in the
Arghandab region, about 10 Kilometres north of Kandahar City, when their Coyote
reconnaissance vehicle struck the improvised explosive device.
Jan.
6: Corporal Eric Labbe, 31, of Rimouski, Que., and W.O. Hani Massouh died when
their light armoured vehicle rolled over in Zhari district.
2007
Dec.
30: Gunner Jonathan Dion, 27, a gunner from Val d'Or, Que., died and four
others were injured after their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Zhari
district.
Nov.
17: Corporal Nicholas Raymond Beauchamp, of the 5th Field Ambulance, and Pte.
Michel Levesque, of the Royal 22nd Regiment, both based in Valcartier, Que.,
were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their LAV-III armoured vehicle
in Zhari district.
Sep.
25: Corporal Nathan Hornburg, 24, of the Kings Own Calgary Regiment, was killed
by mortar fire while trying to repair the track of a Leopard tank during an
operation in the Panjwaii district.
Aug.
29: Major Raymond Ruckpaul, serving at the NATO coalition headquarters in
Kabul, died after being found shot in his room. ISAF and Canadian officials
have said they had not ruled out suicide, homicide or accident as the cause of
death. Ruckpaul was an armoured officer based at the NATO Allied Land Component
Command Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. His hometown and other details
have not been released.
Aug.
22: Two Canadian soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb. M.W.O. Mario Mercier
of 2nd Battalion Batallion, Royal 22nd Regiment, based in Valcartier, Que., and
Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne, a member of Fifth Ambulance de campagne, also
based in Valcartier, died when the vehicle they were in struck a suspected
mine, approximately 50 kilometres west of Kandahar City during Operation EAGLE
EYE. An Afghan interpreter was also killed and a third soldier and two Radio
Canada journalists were injured.
Aug.
19: Private Simon Longtin, 23, died when the LAV-III armoured vehicle he was
travelling in struck an improvised explosive device.
Jul.
4: Six Canadian soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle.
The dead are Capt. Matthew Johnathan Dawe, Cpl. Cole Bartsch, Cpl. Jordan
Anderson and Pte. Lane Watkins, all of 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, and Master Cpl. Colin Bason, a
reservist from The Royal Westminster Regiment and Capt. Jefferson Clifford
Francis of 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo Man.
Jun.
20: Three soldiers from 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, died when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Sgt. Christos Karigiannis, Cpl. Stephen Bouzane, 26, and Pte. Joel Wiebe, 22
were on a re-supply mission, travelling between two checkpoints in an open,
all-terrain vehicle, not an armoured vehicle.
Jun.
11: Trooper Darryl Caswell, 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Dragoons, was killed
by a roadside bomb that blew up near the vehicle hewas travelling in, while on
patrol about 40 minutes north of Kandahar city. He was part of a resupply
mission.
May
30: Master Cpl. Darrell Jason Priede, a combat cameraman, died when an American
helicopter he was aboard crashed in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province,
reportedly after being shot at by Taliban fighters. Priede was from CFB
Gagetown in New Brunswick.
May
25: Corporal Matthew McCully, a signals operator from 2 Canadian Mechanized
Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron, based at Petawawa, Ont., was
killed while on foot patrol and another soldier was injured when a roadside
bomb exploded near them during a major operation to clear out Taliban. The
soldier, a member of the mentorship and liaison team, is believed to have
stepped on an improvised explosive device.
Apr.
18: Master Cpl. Anthony Klumpenhouwer, 25, a special forces member, died from
injuries sustained in an accidental fall from a communications tower in
Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is the first death of a special forces member while
on duty in Afghanistan.
Apr.
11: Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, 30, and Trooper Patrick Pentland, 23, were
killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. Both men were members of the
Royal Canadian Dragoons based at CFB Petawawa, Ont.
Apr.
8: Six Canadian soldiers died in southern Afghanistan as a result of injuries
sustained when the vehicle they were travelling in hit an explosive device.
Sgt. Donald Lucas, Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, Cpl. Brent Poland, Pte. Kevin
Vincent Kennedy, Pte. David Robert Greenslade, 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian
Regiment, based in Gagetown, N.B. were killed in the blast. Cpl. Christopher
Paul Stannix, a reservist from the Princess Louise Fusiliers, based in Halifax,
also died. One other soldier was seriously injured.
Mar.
6: Corporal Kevin Megeney, 25, a reservist from Stellarton, N.S., died in an
accidental shooting. He was shot through the chest and left lung. Megeney went
to Afghanistan in the fall as a volunteer with 1st Batallion, Nova Scotia
Highlanders Militia.
2006
Nov.
27: Two Canadian soldiers were killed on the outskirts of Kandahar when a
suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of military vehicles. Cpl. Albert Storm,
36, of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard, 46, from
Bouctouche, N.B., were members of the Royal Canadian Regiment based in
Petawawa, Ont. They were in an armoured personnel carrier that had just left
the Kandahar Airfield base when a vehicle approached and detonated explosives.
Oct.
14: Sergeant Darcy Tedford and Pte. Blake Williamson from 1st Battalion Royal
Canadian Regiment in Petawawa, Ont., were killed and three others wounded after
troops in Kandahar province came under attack by Taliban insurgents wielding
rocket propelled grenades and mortars, according to media reports. The troops
were trying to build a road in the region when the ambush attack occurred.
Oct.
7: Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson, a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons of
Petawawa, Ont., died after a roadside bomb or IED exploded under a Nyala
armoured vehicle. Wilson was a gunner in the Nyala vehicle. The blast occurred
in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan.
Oct.
3: Corporal Robert Thomas James Mitchell and Sgt. Craig Paul Gillam were killed
in an attack in southern Afghanistan as they worked to clear a route for a
future road construction project. Both were members of the Petawawa, Ont.-based
Royal Canadian Dragoons.
Sep.
29: Private Josh Klukie was killed by an improvised explosive device while he
was conducting a foot patrol in a farm field in the Panjwaii district. Klukie,
of Thunder Bay, Ont., was serving in the First Battalion Royal Canadian
Regiment.
Sep.
18: Four soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber riding a bicycle detonated
explosives in the Panjwaii area. Cpl. Shane Keating, Cpl. Keith Morley and Pte.
David Byers, 22, all members of 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry from Shilo, Man., and Cpl. Glen Arnold, a member of 2 Field
Ambulance, from Petawawa, Ont., were killed in the attack that wounded several
others.
Sep.
4: Private Mark Anthony Graham, a member of 1st Battalion Royal Canadian
Regiment, based at CFB Petawawa, Ont., killed and dozens of others wounded in a
friendly fire incident involving an American A-10 Warthog aircraft. Graham was
a Canadian Olympic team member in 1992, when he raced as a member of the 4 x
400 metre relay team.
Sep.
3: Four Canadian soldiers - W.O. Richard Francis Nolan, W.O. Frank Robert
Mellish, Sgt. Shane Stachnik and Pte. William Jonathan James Cushley, all based
at CFB Petawawa, west of Ottawa, were killed as insurgents disabled multiple
Canadian vehicles with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Nine
other Canadians were wounded in the fighting that killed an estimated 200
Taliban members.
Aug.
22: Corporal David Braun, a recently arrived soldier with 2nd Battalion
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was killed by a suicide bomber
outside the gates of Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City. The soldier, in his
20s, was a native of Raymore, Sask. Three other Canadian soldiers were injured
in the afternoon attack.
Aug.
11: Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom died during an attack by a suicide bomber
on a Canadian convoy that was resupplying a forward fire base south of Kandahar
near the border with Pakistan. A medic with the 1st Field Ambulance based in
Edmonton, he was in his mid-20s and had been in the Canadian Forces for four
years.
Aug.
9: Master Cpl. Jeffrey Scott Walsh, based out of Shilo, Man., with 2nd
Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was shot in a friendly
fire incident, just days after arriving in Kandahar to begin his tour of duty.
He arrived in Kandahar less than a week earlier.
Aug.
5: Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt of the Edmonton-based Loyal Edmonton Regiment was
killed when a G-Wagon making a supply run collided with a civilian truck. Three
other Loyal Edmonton Regiment soldiers were also injured in the crash.
Aug.
3: Corporal Christopher Jonathan Reid, based in Edmonton with the 1st Battalion
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, was killed in a roadside bomb
attack. Later the same day, Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller and
Pte. Kevin Dallaire were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade as they took on
militants around an abandoned school near Pashmul. Six other Canadian soldiers
were injured in the attack.
Jul.
22: A suicide bomber blew himself up in Kandahar, killing two Canadian soldiers
and wounding eight more; the slain soldiers were Cpl. Francisco Gomez, an
anti-armour specialist from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in
Edmonton, who was driving the Bison armoured vehicle targeted by the bomber's
vehicle, and Cpl. Jason Patrick Warren of the Black Watch in Montreal.
Jul.
9: Corporal Anthony Joseph Boneca, a reservist with the Lake Superior Scottish
Regiment based in Thunder Bay, Ont., was killed as Canadian military and Afghan
security forces were pushing through an area west of Kandahar City that had
been a hotbed of Taliban activity.
May
17: Captain Nichola Goddard, a combat engineer with the Royal Canadian Horse
Artillery and Canada's first female combat death, was killed during battle
against Taliban forces in the Panjwaii region, 24 kilometres west of Kandahar.
Apr.
22: Four soldiers were killed when their armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside
bomb near Gombad, north of Kandahar. They were Cpl. Matthew Dinning, stationed
at Petawawa, Ont.; Bombardier Myles Mansell, based in Victoria; Lieut. William
Turner, stationed in Edmonton, and Cpl. Randy Payne of CFB Wainwright, Alta.
Mar.
28-29: Private Robert Costall was killed in a firefight with Taliban insurgents
in the desert north of Kandahar. A U.S. soldier and a number of Afghan troops
also died and three Canadians were wounded. Costall was a member of 1st
Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton. An
American inquiry, made public in the summer of 2007, determined Costall was
killed by friendly fire.
Mar.
5: Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson of Grande Prairie, Alta., succumbed to injuries
suffered in the LAV III crash on March 2 in Afghanistan. Wilson died in hospital
in Germany.
Mar.
2: Corporal Paul Davis died and six others were injured when their LAV III
collided with a civilian taxi just west of Kandahar during a routine patrol.
The soldiers were with 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry.
Jan.
15: Diplomat Glyn Berry was killed and three soldiers injured by a suicide
bomber in Kandahar. They were patrolling in a G Wagon.
2005
Nov.
24: Private Braun Scott Woodfield, Royal Canadian Regiment, was killed in a
traffic accident involving his light-armoured vehicle (LAV III) northeast of
Kandahar. Three others soldiers suffered serious injuries.
2004
Jan.
27: Corporal Jamie Murphy died and three soldiers were injured by a suicide
bomber while patrolling near Camp Julien in an Iltis jeep. All were members of
the Royal Canadian Regiment.
2003
Oct.
2: Sergeant Robert Alan Short and Cpl. Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger were
killed and three others injured when their Iltis jeep struck a roadside bomb
outside Camp Julien near Kabul. They were from 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian
Regiment.
2002
Apr.
18: Sergeant Marc Leger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte.
Nathan Smith were killed by friendly fire when an American fighter jet dropped
a laser-guided 225-kilogram bomb on the soldiers during a training exercise
near Kandahar. All served with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
CANADA'S
TROOPS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
Portraits
of Honour (Canadian Forces) 2012
The
hand painted Portraits of Honour 10' x 50' mural features the faces of the 157
Canadian Forces troops who have lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan.
The
Portraits of Honour National Tour will travel across Canada starting June 1,
2011.
For
more information, visit www.portraitsofhonour.ca
or
call 1-888-9-HONOUR
comment:'
Visited
Dave at the studio, there are now 158 portraits on the canvas.
Amazing
tribute.
WOUNDED
WARRIORS.CA- Amazing Grace
CANADA: "Freedom" Support our troops
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I'd
prefer to be a poster girl- on the wrong side of the world....... because I
wish the wrong side of the world had our rights......the actual fight 4
freedom- Aussie Poster Girl is the Vera Lynn song that reflected WWII- it's
passion of r troops over callous judgements; and deep caring 4 children who
have no other chances outside our Nato troops fighting and dying 4 simple basic
freedom-
-u
wave placards and scream freedom- our troops actually fight and die 4 freedom.
Aussie
Digger Tribute : POSTER GIRL (this
beautiful brave song and words- fit all Nato troops..... God bless u all)
AUSSIE
TRIBUTE- BECCY COLE- POSTER GIRL 4
AUSSIE DIGGERS
USA-Wounded Warriors
When
Johnny Comes Marching Home-Dolly Parton- America ...America
UK-Australia-New
Zealand-The Soldiers with Robin Gibb - I've Gotta Get A Message To You
[Official Video]
Save-A-Vet
Rescues Hero MWD Dexter
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December 2013
Would u please go 2 Facebook and 'like' Walking With The Wounded
https://www.facebook.com/walkingwiththewounded
NATO TROOPS- HONOUR- ALL COUNTRIES- Do I Make U Proud-
Pls. hug r vets, all serving r flags- then, now always, Troops, Wounded, Soldiers of Suicide, Homeless, and hurting- from.. home and away-yelling real, real, loud or signing- HELL YA...u all make us soooo proud.... thank u, thank u, thank u
2 families of Nato Nations from Nato troops- Do We Make U Proud: tears and prayers yes, oh yes... on this day- u are the true heroes of this earth....
Tribute to all the NATO and ISAF soldiers in Afghanistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2CF1i31iXU
