Wounded soldiers
return home
Each awarded
medals for service
in Afghanistan!
Jim Farrell
CanWest News Service
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
"
EDMONTON - The three Canadian soldiers injured
by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan arrived home
yesterday, surrounded by family members and a
watchful military medical team.
The soldiers arrived at their home base following
a nine-hour flight from Germany, where they had
been treated for their injuries at a U.S. military
hospital since the Jan. 15 attack."
"Corporal Jeffrey Bailey, who took a turn for the
worse over the weekend, still managed to make
the journey. Last week, medical staff had warned
his precarious condition might mean he would
miss the chance to come home yesterday.
Of the soldiers injured, the 26-year-old member
of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment was the most
critically wounded, with a skull fracture and
extensive bruising on the left side of his brain.
Over the weekend, he underwent surgery to
remove a portion of his skull in order to relieve
pressure caused by swelling."
"Their flight home yesterday was delayed by
almost three hours.
"Each of these soldiers was essentially in their
own private hospital on board that airplane,"
Gen. Hillier told reporters after their arrival.
"We got nothing but compliments from the
families. They can't get over the level of care."
"Pte. Salikin, who is originally from
Grand Forks, B.C., and who suffered serious
head injuries in the blast, was the first taken off
the A310 military Airbus, surrounded by
medical staff. "
"He was followed by Cpl. Bailey, of Edmonton,
who was placed in the same ambulance.
Master Cpl. Franklin, also from Edmonton, was
the last of the injured to be removed.
The medic, who was the least seriously injured,
lost a leg in the blast but managed to administer
first aid to the other wounded.
His other leg was also badly smashed."
"The Jan. 15 attack killed diplomat Glyn Berry, 59,
the region's senior Foreign Affairs officer with
the 250-member provincial reconstruction team
that is conducting liaison and humanitarian work
around Kandahar.
His funeral, with military honours, is set for
tomorrow in England."
"There have been 13 suicide blasts in Afghanistan
since November. Some believe the increase in
attacks may be a way for insurgents to try to
keep NATO members from expanding their
peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan."
"More than 100 Canadian combat troops arrived
in southern Afghanistan yesterday.
By the end of February, Canada will have about
2,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, triple the former
level.
Most soldiers will serve six to nine months
before returning home."
© National Post 2006
LINK:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=78b7cf45-d0dd-44d7-90cb-2f78e04ecd40&k=80909&p=2
Welcoming these solidiers who are doing
Canada's peacekeeping in such a dangerous
Country should be the highlight of this week.
Canada has stood by its position as a world
peacekeeping country and to do this job
our soldiers should be more reconized.
Money for our military to keep our son's and
daughter's safe when in a dangerous country
should be the #1 priority.
It takes a special person to love one's country
and the people of the world that they
would willingly join our military to help defend
the good.
GOD BLESS CANADA!!
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