For this Afghanistan vet, no memorial can ever rival this hallowed ground
asserted
memorial → rival → ground
On Remembrance Day, retired colonel Mark Gasparotto will visit the graves of the fallen at Beechwood Cemetery
Retired colonel Mark Gasparotto hasn't been too bothered by the controversy surrounding a new national memorial for Canadian service members who died in Afghanistan.
asserted
who → visit → Afghanistan
As a veteran of that conflict, Gasparotto prefers the relative quiet of the National Military Cemetery at Ottawa's Beechwood Cemetery.
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Gasparotto → prefer → Cemetery
That's where he'll be on Remembrance Day—first for the official ceremony, then to walk among the rows of graves with other veterans who will gather there.
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who → walk → veterans
Gasparotto recognizes about 15 of the names listed on the headstones in the first few rows at the military cemetery, all from his time in Afghanistan.
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Gasparotto → recognize → Afghanistan
"It shifts from processing of grief, the solemn ceremony that is Remembrance Day," Gasparotto said as he stood among the graves.
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he → shift → graves
Nothing comes close to my connection to the people buried here and [their] sacrifice.
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Nothing → come → people
Gasparotto spent 20 years as an officer with the Canadian military.
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Gasparotto → spend → military
In addition to his time in Afghanistan he was deployed to Bosnia and Haiti.
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he → deploy → Bosnia
He has received two Meritorious Service Medals, one for his actions under fire in Kandahar, the other for his time as a senior leader in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
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He → receive → Haiti
This spring, the federal government officially broke ground on a national memorial on Ottawa's LeBreton Flats to honour the sacrifice of the Canadians who served in Afghanistan.
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who → break → Afghanistan
More than 40,000 Canadian Forces members served in the war-torn country following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
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members → serve → States
The last Canadian soldiers were withdrawn in 2014, making it this country’s longest combat deployment.
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it → withdraw → 2014
Over the years, Gasparotto has followed the controversy surrounding the National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan, which began back in 2014 but was delayed many years amid concerns over its location and design.
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which → follow → location
In an email to CBC on Tuesday, Veterans Affairs Canada said the monument is scheduled to be completed in 2028, and said the final cost is not currently available "as related procurement activities remain ongoing."
Gasparotto said he intends to visit the monument when it's finished, but Beechwood will always be more meaningful to him.
"Nothing comes close to my connection to the people buried here and [their] sacrifice," he said.
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he → say → people
A total of 158 Canadian Armed Forces members lost their lives in Afghanistan, as well as a Canadian diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor and a journalist.
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total → lose → Afghanistan
Gasparotto served in Bosnia, Haiti and Afghanistan.
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Gasparotto → serve → Bosnia
As Gasparotto walked among the rows of headstones on a sunny fall day, he pointed to the names of soldiers he knew: Cpl. Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger, who died when his jeep ran over an explosive device in 2003; Sgt. Shane Stachnik, one of four soldiers killed during a Taliban ambush in 2006; Pte. Mark Graham, killed in a friendly fire incident the very next day.
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jeep → walk → incident
And of course, Cpl. Robert Thomas James Mitchell, whose death during another Taliban offensive Gasparotto witnessed.
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Gasparotto → witness → offensive
There are many more stories Gasparotto could share from Beechwood, including Sgt. Gregory John Kruse, who was on his third overseas tour of duty when he was killed by an explosive device in 2008.
uncertain
he → be → 2008
Canada's National Military Cemetery is located at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa.
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Cemetery → locate → Ottawa
On Remembrance Day, Kruse's widow bakes his favorite cookies and shares them with those who come to Beechwood to pay their respects.
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who → bake → respects
"Usually flasks of whisky come out," Gasparotto said.
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Gasparotto → come → whisky
Gasparotto left the military in 2017 and today runs a consulting firm, but it took some time to find his footing after his return to civilian life.
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it → leave → life
"Coming home from war was harder than going to war," said Gasparotto, who's sought professional help in the years following his return.
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who → come → return
On Wednesday, he'll be thinking of all those who made it back, and all those who didn't.
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who → think → it
"We sign up willingly and we were not forced to do any of this," he said.
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he → sign → this
"So there's a certain amount that is on us to accept in terms of that ... the burden and the sacrifice that requires.
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that → be → that
"But until you're there, you never really know what it's like."
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it → know → what
The Aporia
