http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/437311
Afghan mission: A tearful farewell to 'Stevo'
TheStar.com - World - Afghan mission: A tearful farewell to 'Stevo'
June 05, 2008
Rosie DiManno
COLUMNIST
" ... Be gentle as we walk our brother home ..."
Capt. Darren Persaud, battle group chaplain
KANDAHAR– It is the slow march back to Canada.
Or at least as far as a lost soldier's uniformed compatriots can take him – into the belly of a Hercules aircraft.
"Task Force Afghanistan: To your fallen comrade salute!" the base commander bellowed.
And thousands snapped to attention
Five long columns of troops – from Canada, the United States, Holland, France, Romania, Australia, Denmark and Britain – bade a solemn farewell last night to Capt. Richard "Stevo" Leary, killed in a firefight in Panjwaii district Tuesday morning.
The ramp ceremonies are always poignant, humbling and quietly overwhelming. There is such unnatural stillness in the tableau.
With the soldiers assembled, marching in precision form to their places, the LAV hearse appeared on the edge of the Kandahar Airfield, flag-draped coffin protruding from the rear.
The sun, just starting to set, cast slanting rays across the tarmac, silhouetting the turret gunner atop the vehicle.
Gently, the casket was removed and placed on the shoulders of eight pallbearers, seven men and one female, arms clasped to brace the weight of their burden.
In the front, Pte. Jessie Veltri struggled to contain his sobs but tears mixed with sweat as the bearer party approached the plane. At the back, Master Cpl. Jaison Levanen carried Leary's beret and badge and, behind him, Capt. Ludger Hacault piped a lament.
The dead platoon commander's men, most of them, were still out in the area of operations, unable to attend the ceremony, though saluting their captain privately in their combat post last night.
"Rich Leary – Steve as he was known to his family – was a very stoic individual, very solid leader, extremely loyal and renowned for his loyalty to his troops," Lt.-Col. Dave Corbould told reporters afterward.
It was always the mission and his men. They were always first, well before his own personal thoughts. He was a real inspiration to his troops."
Leary died of gunshot wounds when his platoon – on a joint patrol mission with Afghan forces – was ambushed by insurgents, in a chronically restive region west of the main base.
Leary, Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, graduated from officer training just two years ago but was apparently eager to serve in Afghanistan, where he was destined to become Canada's 84th military casualty.
He was at least the second officer struck down this past week – another, in a separate incident on Monday, was severely wounded by a roadside explosion during a dismounted patrol, and was flown to an American military hospital in Germany for further medical treatment.
All this means abrupt adjustments at the platoon command level and younger officers promoted to lead.
"They're handling it well, as could be expected," said Corbould of Leary's troops. "As Capt. Leary was loyal to his men, they're loyal to his memory. And they're getting on with the mission."
Capt. Darren Persaud, the battle group chaplain, gave a short but very moving eulogy for the fallen soldier.
"We stand at attention to honour the ultimate sacrifice of a son, husband and dear friend. His wish to serve his country by leading his troops into combat was one of his greatest desires. When he was informed that he was coming to Afghanistan, he could not have been happier.
"He loved his wife, he loved his work, and he loved his troops. His zeal for life was paralleled only by his fiery sense of humour, and a passion to lead. He was a soldier's leader and a great friend."
In the eloquent prayer Persaud delivered afterwards, he spoke tenderly of "unfinished conversations", long nights to come full of questions, pain, longing, anger, confusion.
"Let us not despair," he counselled.
Persaud ended with these words:
"Capt. Leary, it is for you I eternally pray, dear brother. Rest in peace."