It was an emotional time for Lt.-Col. Mark Thibert Friday afternoon.
Thibert, who was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2008 as part of the Role 3 Multinational medical unit, was at the Royal Canadian Legion Port Arthur Branch No. 5 Friday for the Afghanistan Veterans Appreciation Day ceremony.
“I’ve recently been to Europe and had the honour of visiting both Vimy Ridge and the cemetery in Groesbeek in the Netherlands and to see part of our history and heritage in that time and now, to have our veterans association embrace this part of our Canadian military heritage to those of us who have deployed to Afghanistan is another important chapter in our military heritage and history,” he said.
The Afghanistan Veterans Appreciation Day is a national initiative being held in legions across the country and Thunder Bay’s Master-Cpl. Chris Drewes said it’s nice the legion decided to host the event.
“It just lets people know that other people are thinking about you, not necessarily you but the people who are deployed,” he said.
Drewes completed two tours in Afghanistan, one in 2008 and another that began in 2009 and ended in April 2010 when he was injured by a roadside bomb while on foot patrol outside of Kandahar.
Drewes suffered an injury to his shoulder. Kitchener’s Pte. Tyler William Todd was killed in the blast.
“It’s also a reminder of the people who couldn’t make it that we wish could make it,” Drewes said of the appreciation day.
Branch No. 5’s first vice president Rob Cutbush said the event is to show appreciation for the men and women who have served in Afghanistan and to thank them personally.
“Thunder Bay has quite a few veterans that have gone to Afghanistan and the citizens of Thunder Bay and the district have really supported the troops when they are over there – schools, the legions, private citizens sending well wishes, care packages and so forth,” he said. “This afternoon, we wanted to give an avenue to the people of Thunder Bay to thank Afghanistan veterans.”
