CLS Comes to Town

Capt DW Gottfried
11 May 2009

 

Over the last two days the CLS, LGen Leslie, and his entourage consisting of the Comd LFDTS, MGen Hainse, CWO Ford, the Army Sergeant-Major, The Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr Fonberg, Mr Guimont the Deputy Minister, and Mr Wouters, Secretary of the Treasury Board, spent some time at FMG with the Sqn and the rest of the inhabitants of FOB Mas’um Ghar. They came to offer their wishes and see how our procurement of new vehicles and equipment has helped the soldiers who now use them. It was a bit of an eye opener for some who have never been here before, and to see the progress that isn’t often talked about was uplifting.

 

The CLS’s party had the chance to tour throughout the FOB and see the equipment that we use in its natural environment. SSM Stacey is seen with the CLS and Mr. Guimont on one of the run-ups. Several of the members received the opportunity to talk with the CLS and in fact, he promoted four members of the Sqn, Tpr Tonn, Tpr Lanthier, Tpr Lajoie, and Tpr McAulay. Tpr Tonn was a little late for the parade but he got promoted nonetheless. Even Cpl Malashevsky had the opportunity to talk with the CLS way back in KAF.

 

Of course being the CLS he wanted to drive himself around, so drive he did. Normally Sgt Connauton gets to be the Mayor, however, even he had to take a side seat to the CLS, who took over his gator. Maj Cochrane got into the fun and kind of blind sided the CLS into wearing our Oilers jersey that we are raffling off for Charity. He got him pose with the Sqn in front of the tanks. All in all it was a good visit and the CLS’s party, especially the ministers and the Secretary, got to see a side of Afghanistan that they had never seen before.