A local Thompson man is far away from the cold winds and snow of the North, currently deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force 3-09 battle group with the Canadian military.
Twenty-two year-old Corp. Mervin McKay, who was promoted from private to corporal last month, is a light armoured vehicle driver taking part in his first overseas deployment since joining the Canadian Forces in 2006. His deployment with the battle group began last September and will end this fall.
There are currently around 2,800 Canadian soldiers serving with McKay's task force, 1,200 of whom make up the battle group he is involved with. The group is based on the First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry stationed in Edmonton, Alberta.
Other units in Task Force 3-09 include the operational mentor and liaison team, made up of about 150 soldiers; the provincial reconstruction team, made up of about 180 soldiers; and the national support element, made up of about 460 Canadian Forces members.
McKay says he decided to join the Canadian Forces because he didn't have a set career plan. He wanted to go into firefighting but decided to try the army, more specifically the infantry because he wanted to be at the forefront of what was happening in Afghanistan. McKay says he was disappointed when he found out he didn't get to deploy when he first signed up in 2006, but was very excited when he heard he'd be deployed in 2009.
McKay says he spends most of his time outside the Kandahar Air Field operating out of a patrol base, but also gets to go on frequent foot patrols, which gives him a chance to take in the countryside and meet the locals.
"My experience has been that most locals are nice but they seem to be cautious when speaking to us," he explains. "I have had the chance to meet a number of locals and children and even hand out school supplies to the kids. The kids here, having nothing, were extremely excited to receive the items and wanted more. They surrounded me completely and although they were thankful for what we had brought, they were not shy to want more. I had to kind of push myself out of the circle of kids because they didn't want to see me go!"
McKay just returned to Afghanistan from his mid-deployment break, which he spent with his girlfriend in New Zealand for three weeks. He says he is excited to see the rest of his family when his tour is completed. He also says he'd encourage young people who are considering joining the Canadian Forces that it's a great experience.
"You get to meet people from all over Canada and help those who really need it," he enthuses. "This experience has made me more appreciative of the great life I have in Canada. I don't think I've changed because of this tour, but I definitely realize how lucky I am to be a Canadian after seeing how hard Afghans have to work to carve out a life for themselves in their country."
McKay says that he believes it is the moral obligation of Canada to help those in need, and believes the military should have a presence in Afghanistan, thanks to the resources and support from Canadians.
Canada's war against the Taliban in Afghanistan started in October 2001 with the deployment of around 750 Canadian Forces members. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is now saying that the Canadian Forces won't be undertaking any activity that requires a "significant military force protection." Instead, he says it will become a strictly civilian mission, with continued humanitarian and development missions, along with diplomatic activity in Afghanistan. Harper says Canada and its NATO allies have lowered their objectives for the Afghanistan mission, while stressing the need for a functioning, democratic state in Afghanistan.
