What matters to you: Veterans Week / Remembrance Day

“Hog Drivers Drink for Free!” Those were the instructions given to me by one of our very own veterans who had completed several tours in Afghanistan. He is a paratrooper in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.  Cole (PPCLI Vet) and I took the opportunity on the practice day of the Alberta International Airshow to head over to the tarmac and have a look at the A-10 Thunderbolt, affectionally known as the “Warthog” close air support aircraft, which was originally designed to hunt and kill enemy tanks, has proven itself time and time again as a close air support platform that is second to none.  This is demonstrated with that big 30mm cannon that the airframe was designed around gets to work with the distinctive “BRRRRTTTT” sound it is known for when in use. 

Cole went on to describe several occasions where our troops were at a distinct disadvantage in the field, vastly outnumbered, and when the call was made, the “Hog Drivers” answered.  The air support tipped the advantage into our soldiers’ favour, gave them hope, and delivered a healthy dose of fear into the enemy.  Many of my friends and I never would have made it home if it wasn’t for the A-10’s, our allies in the US Air force.  I had the chance over the next few days to get to know the captains of the “Hogs” that were performing at the airshow. I told them of the thanks of one of our soldiers, and they were visibly touched by the account.  They had just as much respect for our troops and a connection.  The captain noted that at the altitudes that they fly, they are right down in the weeds with the troops on the ground. Close air support is not for the faint of heart. They are right in mix with the troops and want to keep their brothers and sisters in arms as safe as they can.  They know when they get the call, it’s going bad fast, and time is of the essence.  Their cups were full that evening, and they didn’t pay for a drink, and extended thank you.

The airshow this summer in August was a true international airshow as we had several military personal not only from Canada and the USA, but from the UK as well.  The Army Red Devils from the UK are an elite freefall demonstration team from the parachute brigade, “Airborne”. Although a major parachute drop has not been made since Korea, these types of troops are used for specific missions where their skills are required.  As I heard one quote from an old paratrooper one time when asked if he was concerned about the strength of the enemy. “Being surrounded by the enemy, well that was what their job was, wouldn’t know what to do if they were just on one side of them…” 

I was asked if I’d like to go on a jump with the Red Devils on the practice day of the show.  I’ve never been thrown out of a perfectly good aircraft before, but the chance to jump with a group like this, how could I pass that up?  The coordination of the jump was simple, block off civilian airspace for a day of an internationally listed airport and give control to an air boss for that airspace.  Take one foreign elite team staged at another international airport, and make sure that they have the necessary access to an aircraft that can allow for their entire team to jump.  Said aircraft would be a USAF C-130 Hercules, crewed by a team out of Texas.  Get permission from a Canadian General for British Soldiers, to hitch a ride in a United States Air Force plane, flown out of a Canadian International Airport, to throw said British Citizens out of the Aircraft over another airport.  All of this would take place, at the same time, where the USA was pulling out of Afghanistan, where real-time engagements were taking place as not only soldiers from the allied nations withdrew, but coordinating the evacuation of foreign nationals, and thousands of Afghan Citizens while the Taliban took control of the country.  It was bittersweet to see the coordination of our countries pull off the demonstration but knowing full well that the soldiers I was getting to know, were in contact with their brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, as they were coordinating evacuation efforts, as well as engaging hostile forces as they withdrew.  I have the utmost respect not only for our soldiers, but for our closest allies. 

A few days later when I heard from one of the airshow patrons that he was disappointed that there weren’t any “warbirds” at the airshow. I had to pause and ask him what he meant, as we had a ton of warbirds at the show.  He looked puzzled and said we didn’t have a single mustang, spitfire, corsair, or hurricane.  I agreed, but then I said we had the Canadian CF-18’s, two Super Hornet Growlers, C-130’s, a KC-135 Tanker, and two Warthogs.  He then said, “Those aren’t Warbirds!”  I then had to point out, that these birds had been at war for over 20 years. We had a number of veterans in our midst, and that many of the performers, and demonstration teams were active members who were veterans themselves, and that at that point in time, their friends were taking fire in a land far away, to get our citizens home.  It was as if I hit him with a cold bucket of water.  The realization that war wasn’t something that happened 75 years ago, that the women and men in uniform right in front of him were continuing that fight, keeping us safe, and so many thousands of others all over the world.  Those war planes were all around him that day, and that they deserve our thanks.

I know it has been heartbreaking for our present-day veterans who served in Canada’s longest war, seeing people that they liberated only be taken over again by the same group.  I’d like to offer my thanks for their service, and hope that I can leave you with this.  You answered the call, you kept that darkness from again reaching our shores, we know that with certainty, as we have not had another tower fall since.  We know that our freedoms are fragile, and that without you, we would experience firsthand at home, what you have seen, and fought back against in other countries.  You have given an entire generation in Afghanistan a view of freedom that they never could have imagined.  It is my hope that because of that, they will push back before the space and freedoms you gave them are once again taken.

This Remembrance Day, please take the time to consider all the past soldiers that fought far from home, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, and as well as in our most recent, and longest war Afghanistan.  For those that gave their lives, to all those who served, and still serve, we are eternally grateful.  May God bless you, keep you safe, and watch over your families.

 MLA Shane Getson

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Source: The Buffalo Tribune

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