Dedication Ceremony Planned For Afghan Monument

Armoured vehicle dedicated to Alberta veterans, soldiers killed in recent conflicts

'It's these young men and women, that's what it's all about,' says organizer at Airdrie ceremony

CBC News Posted: Nov 06, 2016 4:17 PM MT Last Updated: Nov 06, 2016 4:17 PM MT


Retired British Armed Forces Sgt. Bill Drummond and Diane Kuhn read out names of 162 Canadians who died in Afghanistan during a dedication ceremony for a LAV III at Airdrie's Nose Creek Valley Museum.

Dedicated to Alberta veterans and soldiers killed in the Afghanistan, NATO and UN conflicts, a full-sized, demilitarized replica of a LAV III was unveiled Sunday at Airdrie's Nose Creek Valley Museum.

"It's these young men and women, that's what it's all about," said retired Canadian Forces Sgt. Bob McNevin, who led the committee tasked with creating the memorial.

"I did not realize how many veterans we have in the city of Airdrie."

A veteran of peacekeeping missions in Egypt and Cyprus, McNevin said in a release it is time for Canadians to honour younger generations of veterans and their families.

He called the LAV monument a way for the older generation to pass the torch of remembrance to veterans of more recent conflicts, such as Afghanistan and Bosnia.

Retired British Armed Forces Sgt. Bill Drummond, a fellow committee member, said many people only associate the Legion with veterans of the First and Second World Wars.

"I think it's a fitting tribute for the young fellas and women who put their lives on the line for world peace," he said.

"To them, it means that they are being recognized, especially someone who has any kind of PTSD problems."

The LAV III is a versatile fighting vehicle, able to reach speeds of more than 100 km/h. As a result, Canadians were "seen as the envy of all of the United Nations troops" because the LAV is "so adaptable," said Drummond.

"They were used as ambulances, they were used as mobile offices, they were used for taking troops out to advanced outposts," he said.

"And they were taken there in relative safety."

Donations from Airdrie businesses covered a majority of the $70,000 cost of shipping the LAV III from Ontario and building the concrete pad for it to sit on.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/airdrie-lav-soldier-remembrance-1.3839252

LAV III Memorial being placed at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of Sarnia Legion via Twitter.

Dedication Ceremony Planned For Afghan Monument

BY LEE MICHAELS OCTOBER 27, 2016 10:12AM
The Sarnia-Lambton Afghanistan Monument will be dedicated on October 30 at Veteran’s Park on Wellington St. behind the Sarnia Library.

Spokesman Ron Prior says members of the 1st Hussars Regiment, Cadets, veterans and First Responders will join Silver Cross Families from across the province at the Light Armoured Vehicle LAV III.

“This is the vehicle that was used the most by Canadian troops while in Afghanistan for 14 years,” he says. “It really signifies Canada and Canadian troops. This vehicle has been stripped down and 250 of them were made available to communities across Canada to be used as monuments.”

There are three plaques on the monument, recognizing the 40,000 members of the armed forces who were deployed in Afghanistan, the 159 who made the ultimate sacrifice and a separate plaque in memory of Pvte. Will Cushley of Port Lambton and Cpl. Brent Poland of Camlachie.

The dedication begins at 12:45pm and the public is invited to attend.

It will be performed by Captain Chaplain Jason Kouri of the 1st Hussars, assisted by Deacon Chuck Stevens of the Royal Canadian Legion.

http://blackburnnews.com/sarnia/sarnia-news/2016/10/27/dedication-ceremony-planned-afghan-monument/#!prettyPhoto