[Praxius]

The ChronicleHerald.ca
From just wanting to help, to fighting terrorism, to the money, soldiers have own reasons for being here:

THE EASY ANSWER is they’re here because the federal government sent them to Afghanistan. Officially, Canadian troops are here at the request of the Afghan government to help build a stable, democratic and self-sufficient society. But our soldiers have their own reasons for coming to this war-torn country. "Mainly it was just, ‘It’s my job,’ " said Pte. Alex Othen of Halifax. "I signed up to go somewhere. I didn’t sign up to be in the infantry to sit back in Canada and just collect a paycheque." Some soldiers have broad objectives. "I personally want to achieve a secure environment in Zhari district," said Maj. Dave Quick, who commands India Company. ""That’s my area. That’s my piece of the pie." Over the past three months, the district has changed considerably, Maj. Quick said. "When I came here in January, the company that I replaced was sitting on Route Summit," he said. "That company was consolidated in defence positions along that road, defending that road, making sure the Taliban couldn’t influence that road." Since then, India Company’s 150 soldiers have pushed out to the extent that they freely patrol an area of about 60 square kilometres on foot. But Canadians are also supposed to be supporting the government of Afghanistan by doing things like training local soldiers and police and working on development projects such as building schools and roads. "It’s not just boots on the ground," Maj. Quick said. He believes Canadians have gained a lot of respect from Zhari residents, pointing out that they were invited to a recent festival in the village of Spin Pi. "That’s a huge jump," Maj. Quick said. "In three months we went from sitting on that road in the trenches to sitting down next to local nationals, just average Joes in a village having lunch." Some soldiers assert that their efforts here send a clear message to the international community that the Great White North is not a soft target. "If the government shows that it’s willing to fight terrorism outside the country, then they’ll for sure know that we’re willing to fight it inside our country," said Warrant Officer John Blackmore of Glace Bay. Others, such as Cpl. Matt Elliott of Dartmouth, are here following family traditions of public service. His father is a Mountie at the New Minas detachment and his grandfather fought in the Second World War. "Personally why I’m here is my grandfather was in the war, my father is in the RCMP, my uncles are firefighters," Cpl. Elliott said. "Pretty much everyone’s done their part and I figured this is my way to do my part for my country." A lot of the Canadian troops are motivated by cold, hard cash. Soldiers will take home at least an extra $20,000 on top of their normal pay for coming to Afghanistan, said a sergeant who didn’t want his name used. "Money is the reason and that’s no joke. Twenty grand for the private, and a chance to kill somebody," he said. Some soldiers talk about using the money to go to school. Others need it to pay off student loans. Real estate agents know all too well that people on this tour have money to spend. One has gone so far as to send brochures to them in Kandahar. Car and truck dealerships back home also stand to cash in on the deployment. "Some guys pre-ordered Harleys before they left," the sergeant said. Other soldiers came here for the challenge of repairing a country racked by three decades of war. "The humanitarian side really appeals to me," said Warrant Officer Jim Hunter, a civil-military co-operation expert from Springhill who has been working to clear irrigation ditches in Zhari. "I hoped before I came over, and I found it’s true here, that I see a physical difference as I go along where things are changing and things are improving. It’s very small, very minute things, mind you. But it’s things that I can say I assisted with this. I actually did something that I can be proud of. Things I can brag about, even back home." Sending troops here has made Canada a more secure place, said the 32-year-old. "The safer it is here, the less export of terrorism," he said. "From a safety-of-Canada point of view, if we can keep the Taliban concentrated here and their efforts focused on trying to re-establish a power base, then they won’t have the kind of time, effort and resources to put into attacks outside of Afghanistan." Soldiers are always trained to fight. But Pte. Curtis LeBlanc of Halifax said that’s not his ultimate goal here. "I didn’t come so much to root out Taliban," Pte. LeBlanc said. "I came here and I really like that kids can now go to school and women can vote. That’s my main reason for being here. ""I like to help people. That’s why I joined the army. I didn’t join with the hope of heavy fighting." Pte. Matthew Oakley of Lower Sackville can’t come up with a personal reason for being here, other than it might help him get into the RCMP once his army contract is up in 2009. "I just want to get back home, to be honest," said the 19-year-old rifleman. "I don’t think I’ll really care about what’s going on over here once I’m home." Other soldiers have a deep interest in history and wanted to come to Kandahar to see it in the making. "I wanted to be here because I don’t trust anyone’s opinion on what’s going on but my own and I wanted to come see why there’s all this media coverage on Afghanistan," said Pte. Chad Wilkie. The 19-year-old from Summerside, P.E.I., is convinced Canadians are improving the lot of Afghans living without power, running water and proper food. "When you go out on patrol here and you see the people of Afghanistan and you see what they have to live with, and you talk to the people and you hear about how they’ve been oppressed, you get a really good consensus that they actually need help," Pte. Wilkie said. "And when you go out there and you patrol, you get to actually see the progress that’s made on the ground. When you go into a new town and you establish a positive presence, or you see kids and they want a pencil and you give it to them, or you just help a kid that doesn’t even ask for it one of the shy ones that’s just kind of there in the corner you really get to help those people. And that’s why Canadians are here."

I figured this perspective would help add a bit of a different angle as to what's going on over there.... well from a Canadian point of view I suppose.