The Pashtun people have a saying: “You have the watch and we have the time.” This message always struck me while I was in Afghanistan, as it likely did for the 32,000 or so soldiers who served Canada for over a decade in the most dangerous country on the planet.
When it comes to guerilla warfare, he who waits endures. Unfortunately, it seems that this will need to be the strategy that Afghan war veterans have to take when dealing with the current leadership in government and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Valour in the Presence of the Enemy has been lobbying the government for just over two years for one simple thing: recognizing that when it comes to medals, Canada is the worst country in NATO for recognizing the heroics of our people. Our ask has been and continues to be simple: recognize that we (military and government) may have got it wrong and authorize an independent review of medals for valour that considers racism and sexism, and removes the popularity of a war from the spectrum of recognizing valour. Simply, let valour, regardless of any discrimination, stand for itself.
See related: Push for Larochelle Victoria Cross culminates on Remembrance Day
This is our only ask. It has been refused. It was refused by the Liberal government. It was refused by the Governor General. It was refused by the Chief of Defence Staff. It was refused by the Minister of Veteran’s Affairs. Government refuses to honour warriors of any war since the last great war for their sacrifice. They then muse as to why no one wants to join our Canadian Armed Forces.
Find below an excerpt of the response from the Chief of the Defence Staff denying the request from Valour in the Presence of the Enemy for an independent review of military honours, including for Jess Larochelle:
“While we appreciate your well-meaning intentions, I can assure you that the award of decorations for the Afghanistan mission was done with the greatest care and diligence and that the recipient [Larochelle] did receive the appropriate recognition for their actions and services. I personally reviewed all twenty Star of Military Valour files, the same that were reviewed in 2012, and I am satisfied that this thorough review reached the right conclusions at the time.”
For the full response, click here.
In those two years, the politicians have yet to even publicly say Jess Larochelle’s name. Think about that for a second. In a two-year campaign asking for a review that has mobilized millions of Canadians to the actions of some of Canada’s greatest sons and daughters, some of which paid the ultimate sacrifice, the
government of the day hasn’t even publicly uttered the name of the soldier our campaign revolves around.
See also: Local hero recounts actions under fire that could earn him nation's highest military honour
The politicians and their appointees don’t approach nor demonstrate Jess's loyalty to his brothers and sisters in arms, firing hundreds of rounds of machine gun fire into the face of a dedicated and menacing enemy that stood thirty against one. The politicos certainly don’t show the dedication Jess did, carrying the coffins of his brothers while in incredible pain with a broken back and injuries which would lead to his release from service. These Honourable Ministers and Prime Minister certainly don’t show the honour that Jess did, firing more than 20 rockets straight into the mouths of screaming Taliban warriors. With fire, smoke, unbelievable pain and death surrounding him, he stood glorious in a way that almost no Canadian will ever have to or ever has had to.
For this level of gallantry, the bureaucrats in Ottawa pass platitudes about regulations instead of doing what is right and just: issuing the first Victoria Cross any living person has received. Larochelle is a hero. Anyone who purposefully stands in the way of recognizing heroism is what then?
There simply is no political backing for properly recognizing the efforts of Canada’s sons and daughters who gave so much to fulfill the government’s goals of fighting the War on Terror. It certainly felt like a war, as I’m sure Korea did to the men who stood on Kapyong Hill. Both wars remain unrecognized by our
highest honour, the Victoria Cross. What does that say of our government’s view on our service?
There is no other way to put this, the war in Afghanistan was lost. The war wasn’t lost because of a lack of bravery or even the strategies used by military commanders. For the Afghans, it’s a way of life that has been ongoing since the times of the world’s great empires going back to Alexander the Great.
Afghanistan is unconquerable. The Afghans have known for thousands of years that all they have to do to be “free” from imperialism is wait and harass. It is an effective strategy as the Ancient Greeks, British, Russians, and now NATO can attest. The people of Afghanistan will not tolerate a foreign-imposed government.
If we can accept that a lost war is still a war, honour and decency dictate that the sacrifices of soldiers are no less deserving of the same recognition as those who fought a war that was won. Simply, don’t punish the soldiers since the politicians couldn’t figure out how to win. I can tell you from experience, every time you step outside of camp, you are acutely aware of the danger that surrounds you and can only hope that the Canadian people appreciate the sacrifices you and the thousands around you are making. I’m sad to report, that simply isn’t the case. It hasn’t been the case in over 80 years. The soldiers
who fought in Korea, the Balkans, and Africa, and those who stood in the Sinai or fought in Yugoslavia have all been forgotten. It took a decade for the government to officially admit that the Medak Pocket happened.
I hope the people of Canada get it right and recognize these heroic actions with a simple token of their appreciation, a coin and a piece of cloth. We are in no way undermining how prestigious a Star of Military Valour medal is. It is hard-earned every single time. However, Jess Larochelle and many more deserve the Victoria Cross and the government is afraid to admit that Canada’s warriors have fought wars for the past 80 years.
Until the politicians and their military appointees get it right, we want Jess to know this: every veteran of Afghanistan loves you, brother. We won’t stop fighting the government until they right this wrong. Governments come and go. They have the watch. We have the time.
Mike Harrison
Captain (Retired)
Board Member
Valour in the Presence of the Enemy
