Dear Editor:
An open letter to veterans of Wellington County.
Legion Magazine has learned that a well-earned Victoria Cross is not going to be awarded to Jess Larochelle. (From Legion Magazine article: “Larochelle was one of 20 soldiers awarded the country’s second-highest gallantry decoration, the Star of Military Valour, for their actions in Afghanistan. Badly wounded, surrounded by dead comrades and outnumbered by the enemy, he spearheaded the successful defence of his strong point during a 2006 Taliban attack”).
I noticed that our chief of defence staff “nixed” the idea of a Victoria Cross for Larochelle, and that’s easily explained, as he takes his orders from the prime minister, who steadfastly refuses to issue any medals such as a commemorative medal for our Queen’s 70th anniversary on the throne, the proposed Military Volunteer Service Medal, the Cold War medal, to name a few.
The five-year time limit to nominate or award a medal is complete nonsense! It took 38 years for Canada to award Canadians with their well-earned Korean War medals. The chief of defence staff doesn’t seem to mention this fact.
The fact is that there doesn’t exist a “will” to issue or award any medals. Consider the recent “rout” of senior Canadian military officers from our military. Also consider the failure to retain our serving military. And then consider the 10,000 positions in our military they can’t seem to fill. Finally, consider the one “globetrotting” person responsible for all this.
Jacques De Winter,
Rockwood