Saskatoon soldiers remember strong bonds, sad losses in Afghanistan

Two young Saskatchewan veterans say it's the soldiers that didn't come home that they think of on Remembrance Day.

Sgt. MarkCalowand Sgt. Mike Wong were part of the North Saskatchewan Regiment for several years before they were sent to Afghanistan in 2009.

They're part of a younger generation of war veterans who will be standing at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon for today's Remembrance Day ceremony.

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"I think of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, the friends that I knew that didn't come home, the vets from the previous world wars:World War I, World War II, Korea," Calow told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

"Even members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have served in the past in all kinds of peacekeeping operations; every veteran that has served before me."

Becoming a soldier

Calow was 17 years old when he joined the North Saskatchewan Regiment.

He said it opened his eyes to the diversity of people who join the reservesand how many there are in Saskatoon.

"You see that there's high school teachers, carpenters, electricians whoever it would be within the reserves," he said.

"There's so many active serving reservists within the city of Saskatoon. I believe there's very little awareness, I guess, within Saskatoon as to how many serving, military members there actually are."

A typical day

He and Wong flew into Afghanistan about a week apart in 2009.

Part of their job was to provide security escorts for volunteers and members of the RCMP who were travelling to prisons, or to provide education to local police,in and around Kandahar.

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Back at the camp, they could be called to step into action with five minutesnotice ifanother regiment needed support.

The soldiers also offered medical assistance to local people in emergencies.

The good and the bad

Both soldierswere in Afghanistan from October2009 to May2010.

Calow said there are images imprinted in his mind from his service, includingbad memories from his time in Afghanistan.

The soldiers agreed their best memories are of the friendships and bonds they formed despite the hardships.

As they prepared to attend today's Remembrance Day ceremony in Saskatoon, the soldiers said they had noticed the public support for war veterans growing in the years since they joined the Armed Forces.

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"The change that [veterans] have seen in the last 20-30 years from people recognizing you as a soldier and the service and sacrifice and how thankful the public and civilians have become," said Calow.

Lasting 12 years, the Afghanistan military mission was the longest in Canadian history. Sixteen soldiers from Saskatchewan died there.