Remembrance Day

[Herc Driver]

My crew had the honor of flying the remains of a fallen Canadian Army NCO from Kandahar to Bagram for his last flight home when I was last in Afghanistan. Standing with the Canadian soldiers were US Army, USAF, and French soldiers, all paying their respects to one so young that paid the ultimate price to protect his country. At a time like that, the only thing that mattered was making sure the utmost respect and honor was paid to that fallen soldier. It didn't matter what uniform anyone wore that night, only that we were all in the same fight, and one of our own was going home.

For those who have not seen that fallen comrade ceremony before...let me say it changes you forever. I didn't know that young Canadian soldier, didn't know his family or where he was from, didn't know where he was going to. But a brother in arms had died and that's all that mattered. It was our job to pay him the highest respect we could for his sacrifice.

It's our job here at home to remember them...remember the fallen, and remember those who still serve. That is all you hope for when you're serving in a time of war so far from home. When you're sitting there half a world away from family and friends, you hope somebody remembers and cares about what you're doing. You hope somebody else thinks your sacrifice is worth it.

Remember them.


Mark