Dozens of former and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces, along with friends, family, and community members gathered on March 12 for a melancholic evening at the downtown Afghanistan memorial to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the end of Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
Between October 2001 and March 2014, around 40,000 Canadians deployed to Afghanistan for what would become the nation's largest mission since the Second World War. In that time, 167 Canadian sailors, soldiers, air crew and civilians died, and a further 2,000 were wounded or injured.
One in 10 Afghanistan veterans currently receive treatment for PTSD. Dozens more veterans have died since the end of Canada's involvement in the war due to suicides, cancer, and more.
The event included the last post, two minutes of silence, the rouse and the act of remembrance.
