Canada building world bridges

Nova Scotians interested in military affairs and heritage know at least something of Group Captain Everett Baudoux DSO: Second World War hero, Canadian jet-flight pioneer, former Greenwood commander and community development promoter.

It doesn't stop there.

Baudoux' brother, Stirling, was a young engineer officer in the Italian Campaign. During that tour, he and his comrades built a bridge in an Italian community as part of the war effort - an unexpected benefit of conflict.

Many year later, when Stirling returned to Italy, he went to the village, where he was greeted by the community, still grateful for what had become known as "Stirling's bridge."

Here in Canada, the war left such things as the Stanley airfield, as well as facilities that were retained for Cold War purposes and, more recently, slated for peaceful endeavours.

Nowadays, building infrastructure - hard and soft - is an integral part of Canadian military efforts, most noticeably in the Afghan mission. In that effort, defense, diplomacy and development are integral parts of the effort. In fact, in this modern era, there could be no progress in any one of the three without the other two components.

Canada's triple-D role has finally received a boost from our NATO allies, of whom France will contribute more troops so an additional American unit can come and help out in the Kandahar sector. The Poles have anted up with helicopter capability.

Canada is a heavy puller in the southern sectors, along with the British, American, Dutch and smaller contingents. It's a costly endeavour - in blood and treasure, but one that has to be accomplished.

There are other components to our modern military efforts. Programs such as the Military Training Assistance Program (MTAP), which operates serials at Camp Aldershot, bring this concept to our local area. Young officers from around the world come to learn and perfect their skills in command and staff duties, as well as see how our relatively peaceful society functions. It doesn't get closer to the overall aim than that sort of thing.

Back at Stirling's bridge, it stands for action, where people are assisted and development and peace are made possible.

(Mind you, folks won't always be as openly appreciative as those in that Italian community.)