Joining me now are two Canadian armed forces veterans
who served in Afghanistan.
Tyson Bowen served for two combat tours in 2007 and 2010
and Mike Akpata served in 2007.
Thanks very much to both of you
for taking some time out of your evening to speak with us.
I want to start if I can with your respective missions in Afghanistan
and Mike, just starting with you because you were in in Kandahar in '07.
What did you feel at that time you were accomplishing?
What we were doing
or what I believed I was doing
was just part of the responsibilities when
NATO went to Afghanistan.
I as a reservist
augmented 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment
and bottom line was this
reservists have fundamental beliefs in support of Canada
in support of Canadian missions.
My goal was to make sure that the gentlemen in the battle group
ladies and gentlemen and those four operating bases
got everything they need
and to do my duty when called upon to support Canadian missions
in accordance with government policy.
I want to pick Mike up on a word you use
'believed at the time.'
Is that just a phrase that you're using
or what -- has something shifted in your mind?
It has become hard now
watching the fall of Kandahar during the Fourth of July.
The Fourth of July from -- for our tour
dare I speak for Tyson as well resonates because
a number of Canadians were killed in an RG31
[Common] Yeah, so that's a fighting vehicle.
Yes sir.
An RG31 is an up-armored vehicle called an Ayala that we used in Afghanistan.
When Kandahar fell --
I have friends who have come home with visible injuries some with
injuries hidden and all of a sudden we as a collective began to wonder
what did we do, what was it worth?
But not so much for me.
For the families of the fallen and the 199 or some odd Canadian veterans
that have taken their lives.
It's for those families.
Because pundits are saying -- they're talking about the amount of money
that's been spent the amount of treasure
and I remember those faces of every ramp ceremony I went to
and those young men and women who I served with.
Tyson, listening to what Mike is saying
I imagine you're feeling some of the same things
but I wonder what do you hold on to
to remember what was achieved?
The biggest thing that we can hold on to
to keep our heads held high is that we were called upon
by the Canadian government to assist the government of Afghanistan
and we did our job to the utmost
professionalism degree.
And yet you must face people in your own lives
and Tyson I would go back to you on this
who question what it was all for?
Yeah absolutely and we do question what it's for
and that's going to be part of the healing process as we move forward.
A lot of us are struggling right now
and I believe you will see an increased rate of suicide amongst
veterans from Afghanistan
and veterans who are still serving that have yet to deal with their internal traumas
from while they were serving in Afghanistan.
But like I said the biggest thing that people need to know
and the men and women in uniform and that serving in uniform is that we did a job
we were called upon by our government
and we did it well
we supported the the people of Afghanistan and the government of Afghanistan
and now our role is to support the people of Afghanistan
who want to get out of there.
[Common] What is your concern now, Mike
in terms of taking care
of the veterans and and all of those who remain in Afghanistan?
My biggest concern is
during our missions
we were the number three RG31
so sometimes we had the interpreter in our vehicle.
I'm not going to suggest that we became friendly but I knew him.
I know his name, I have pictures of him.
I don't know if his dedication to keeping us alive has cost him his life
has cost his family their lives.
Is he in hiding? Is he out?
Briefly Mike, do you believe we have a commitment to people like that
and if so have we lived up to that commitment?
[Akpata] I believe this
when I took my oath to get into the military
I swore an oath to defend this country.
I swore an oath to her majesty her heirs and successors
like every other Canadian soldier has done.
Those people would not have done what they did
those women would not have run to be mayors
those female police chiefs and police officers would not have risked their lives
and exposed their faces in magazines and interviews
if they just thought that we were going to melt away into the evening.
So I truly believe that a country
an individual is only as good as his, her, the national word that we give to people.
I'm sorry but I'm very heartbroken
that I don't believe that we fulfilled our responsibilities
to those that trusted us so much.
Mike, Tyson, thank you both of you
and please do take care.
Thank you.