Pullout from Afghanistan brings up bitter memories for Maritime veterans who served there
International headlines showing Taliban forces taking over Afghanistan are creating waves in our region, especially at New Brunswick's CFB Gagetown from where many soldiers deployed to that country over a 13-year period.
The unfolding events are hitting close to home in Oromocto, N.B., too.
With Afghanistan in the headlines this week, Maritimers are looking to local military who experienced war there first hand.
"It hit Atlantic Canada hard and arguably we're still recovering from it and it's those people in recovery," said Lee Windsor of The Gregg Center. "I'm most concerned about and I think we can all help out today because those are the people who are struggling to watch the news these days."
Veteran and military historian Lee Windsor spent time in Afghanistan in 2007 doing research. He feels the current situation brings up a lot of questions.
"Vetrans and a lot of Canadians are asking the question: 'Was this worth it? Were the lives that we spent then in service, the 158 Canadian soldiers who were lost, and the journalists and the other civilians, were those wasted?'" Windsor said. "From my perspective, I think we have to consider that question carefully because it puts a lot of veterans at risk."
Oromocto Mayor Bob Powell says the community surrounding Base Gagetown has been quiet during this time.
"It's quite subdued and hasn't been too much talk about it, because Afghanistan does bring up some bitter memories we lost a lot of good men and women in that struggle," Powell says.
More than 40,000 Canadians served in Afghanistan and 158 were killed between 2001 and 2014.
One notable incident rocked the community during the war. On Easter 2007, six soldiers were killed, five of whom were posted at Gagetown.
Windsor is concerned for the mental health of veterans, the Afghan soldiers, translators, and others who aided the Canadian Armed Forces.
"A lot of veterans are reaching out to everyone that they can find so that no one's left alone to think about this without a chance to speak with a battle buddy," Windsor said.
Oromocto's Mayor Bob Powell says they'll be considering how to mark the current events happening in Afghanistan for this military town at the town council meeting tonight.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.