Facing a gymnasium full of about 350 students, teachers and local residents less than 24 hours after arriving home from a tour in Afghanistan likely wasn’t easy for Captain Rick Moyer.
But the Guelph-Eramosa resident seemed to easily handle the ceremony in his honour at Rockwood Centennial Public School on May 13 – and particularly a question about what he missed most while stationed in Kandahar.
“Family,” Moyer replied quickly. “Skype is a great tool … but to actually give a hug … it’s a pretty nice thing and it was a long time coming.”
Moyer, a father of two children and the husband of Rockwood Centennial resource teacher Andrea Moyer, spent seven months helping to train and develop the Afghan national police service.
He said cards and letters from Canadians, particularly the students in Rockwood, were appreciated during “a pretty intense time.” Gifts at Christmas time were also a great gesture, he added, as was the ceremony at the school.
“It’s very much appreciated from the bottom of my heart,” he told the crowd.
When asked about the reception he received from the people of Afghanistan, Moyer, usually a teacher at Orangeville District Secondary School, replied it was almost always positive.
“The kids would just go crazy,” he said, noting they loved to get candy. As for the adults, “They appreciate what we’re doing for them,” he added.
Moyer, who has been a reservist with the Queen’s Own Rifles in Toronto for 19 years, recounted his first night in Afghanistan when, “before we were even briefed on what to do,” he found himself face down and diving into bunkers during an insurgent offensive. That was probably his most “scary” moment, he told one student.
Another asked what the reaction was like in Afghanistan to the recent News that U.S. forces had killed Osama bin Laden. Moyer relayed that where he was stationed, everyone was celebrating by honking their horns and shouting.
“They’ve seen a lot of war and they knew [bin Laden] represented more war,” he said, adding most people viewed the News as a positive step towards peace.
Moyer called Afghanistan “the land time forgot” in many ways, but he noted despite the poverty, the people there are remarkable upbeat and very thankful for the help of Canadians.
“I personally found it very rewarding,” he said of his tour. “And there’s certainly a lot more work to be done there.”
Overall, Moyer said his experience gave him a newfound appreciation for how good Canadians have it at home – particularly their wealth, appreciation for others and a peaceful existence.
Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong said Moyer, and the tens of thousands like him who have served in Afghanistan over the last decade, have provided a remarkable service.
“We owe these men and women a great deal of gratitude,” Chong told the students.
He also thanked Moyer’s, wife and other family members, saying it surely wasn’t easy for them having Moyer so far away.
Chong said having armed forces composed entirely of volunteers like Moyer is what makes Canada’s military one of the strongest in the world.
Moyer told the Advertiser he had wanted to volunteer previously in 2008, but put off his first deployment because of the birth of his son, Jack, now 3.
“It’s something I’ve been trained for, so this was the chance to put it into practice,” he said.
He added he also embraced the opportunity to “make a contribution” to the biggest military operation Canadian forces have been involved with in recent years.
School board trustee Kathryn Cooper was also on hand last Friday to thank Moyer for his contributions to his country and his community, as both a soldier and teacher.
Moyer received several ovations of appreciation from the crowd, including one standing ovation that lasted at least one minute.
The ceremony was closed with the singing of O Canada.
