career choices

a risk worth taking; for those who have the desire? until recently i thought this was a good viable career for those who wanted to make a difference in the world, to become peacekeepers within the canadian military. now, my stand is different, enlightened by the realms of afghanistan, canada's changing role within nato, and becoming a minion of the u.s..

perhaps my mind has change more, as i listened to a mother who's son is in the prime years of making a career choice. this son had the strong desire to have a military career, wanted to become a peacekeeper in canada's military; to him a risk worth taking. a mother who once supported this potential decision, knowing the risks.

to now. a mother who is doing her utmost to 'enlighten' her son, down right persuade him to make an alternate career choice. to hear her reality, to hear the fear echoed, of the greater potential of having her son return home in a body bag. 'not for afghanistan', not blood for the sake of americans; not for the new change/direction of canada's military expeditions; not for the changing role of nato.

Military recruitment swelling in Canada
March 19, 2006

CALGARY -- CP --Canada's fight to restore order to Afghanistan is bringing more recruits through the door, say military officials.

Despite a surge in attacks against soldiers in the war-torn country, recruiters at a Canadian Forces job fair in Calgary say their ranks are swelling with candidates.

A steady crowd took in yesterday's event watching demonstrations and inspecting Canadian Forces equipment, including an LAV III armoured fighting vehicle and a Griffin helicopter.

Captain Nolan Kemp, with the Calgary recruiting centre, says coverage of Canada's 2,200-member force in Afghanistan has led to the upswing.

He says he detects a growing sense of patriotism -- of people willing to go out there and make a difference.

Ten Canadian soldiers have been killed so far in Afghanistan, three from hostile action.

The Defence Department is looking to add five-thousand full-time personnel and another three-thousand reservists, bringing the totals to 67,000 and 33,000 respectively.