The Olds branch of the Royal Canadian Legion honoured the soldiers who served in Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday with a series of events to mark Canada's contribution to the international effort there.
Saturday was capped off with retired Master Cpl. Paul Franklin speaking about his experience in Afghanistan and the legacy left by Canadian soldiers. Franklin was left as a double leg amputee above the knee after a suicide bomber attacked the convoy he was in on Jan. 15, 2006. He was serving with the 1 Field Ambulance of the 3rd battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton.
Franklin was saved by another soldier whom he taught just a few days prior to the incident how to tie a tourniquet to stop blood loss. The incident left Franklin without his left leg and his right was badly injured. It had to be removed at the Landstuhle Regional Medical Centre in Germany a few days later.
Franklin told the assembled audience at the legion that military medicine is making great strides that should help civilians in the months and years to come. He said the courage that disabled veterans show in their rehabilitation should be a lesson to everyone.
“We bring different ideas about what rehab should be,” he said.
Franklin said that Canadians went to Afghanistan thinking they could change the culture there. By applying Canadian sensibilities, they managed to help the local population as it continues to struggle toward democracy, he said.
Franklin challenged people to change the system in Canada to help bring civilians some of the advances that military personnel have been able to access – especially when it comes to medical care.
“We can do a lot of things overseas, but some of the most difficult things (are changes) at home,” he said.
In an interview prior to his speech, Franklin said it was important for small towns such as Olds to hold the ceremonies because that is where a majority of the casualties have come from in conflicts over the past century.
“They don't come from Calgary or Edmonton or Toronto, they're coming from Olds and Red Deer (for example) and all these great little towns, so when a little town does something like this, it shows that they're caring. It's not about the mission, it's about us as soldiers,” he said.
Franklin said as a result of individuals' efforts, Canada's military is considered the best small military in the world.
Franklin is currently the fundraising chair of the Amputee Coalition of Canada, the second largest amputee organization in the country. The mission of the coalition is research, education and support.
“I go around the country and I tell my story and I also tell the story of the charity. What's unique about the charity is we as soldiers were treated so well that we wanted others to experience that as well. That's the fun part of it is we're taking and applying what we've learned in war and then in the rehabilitation part after and applying it to civilians,” he said.
Other events that took place on Saturday included a special remembrance ceremony held at the cenotaph, at which a number of dignitaries laid wreaths in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the combat mission. Jack Whitley and Malcolm Bissette represented veterans from the Second World War while Lesley Manchur, who served in the first Gulf War, represented the Canadian Forces. Mayor Judy Dahl laid a wreath on behalf of the Town of Olds and Calvin Calbo laid one on behalf of the Olds business community. There was also a display of military heritage inside at the legion during the event.
