Dear Editor:
Retired Gen. Rick Hillier attempted to upgrade the Medal of Honour to the Victoria Cross (VC) for the heroic actions of Private Jess Larochelle during the Afghanistan war.
And now, a recent motion in the house of Commons by Nipissing—Timiskaming MP Pauline Rochefort has once again brought to the forefront the issue of our present government’s unwillingness to award the top honours to a true hero in every sense of the word.
Veterans such as myself and others are tired of the weak excuses reiterated time and time again. Excuses such as, “he didn’t meet the level required for the VC” or “more than 2 years has elapsed since the event.”
The reality is that the government just doesn’t care. The reality is veterans injured in Afghanistan still have to fight their own government for benefits they have earned.
To award Larochelle the VC “posthumously,” which was done in the past many times, would go a long way to help boost recruitment and retention today.
A quick refresher on the actions of Larochelle’s actions that fateful day … he volunteered to man an observation post which was attacked by a Taliban force of 20 to 40 equipped with rocket-propelled-grenades (RPG) and small arms. His post took a direct hit from an RPG. Two were killed instantly and three more were gravely wounded.
Jess was seriously wounded with broken vertebrae in his neck and back, a detached retina and a blown eardrum. In pain, partially deaf and with limited eyesight, Larochelle nevertheless mounted a brave and aggressive defence.
He got the damaged machine gun working again, but soon ran out of ammunition, turning instead to the post’s M-72 rocket launchers.
In total, he fired 15 of the 66-mm rockets at the enemy insurgents. His actions helped save his wounded comrades and the Taliban were eventually unable to reach the bivouacked rifle company, thereby saving many lives.
The same day, he received the Star of Military Valour and was medically discharged from the Canadian army and returned to Canada to start the much dreaded fight with the government for benefits.
Larochelle suffered from poor health due to his injuries, both physical and psychological (PTSD). He died at his home at the age of only 40.
Jacques De Winter,
Rockwood