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Canada expanding Kandahar soldier memorial to include Americans

It is a sign of unwavering respect, but also a sign of the times, and perhaps a sign of things to come.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — It is a sign of unwavering respect, but also a sign of the times, and perhaps a sign of things to come.

The Canadian memorial to soldiers at Kandahar Airfield is about to undergo a major expansion, adding two wings to the existing structure to accommodate American soldiers who’ve been killed serving under Canadian command.

The white marble and black granite cenotaph has grown steadily over the years. It started in 2006 as a simple boulder where plaques of fallen soldiers were hung.

But as the casualties mounted with heartbreaking regularity, the tribute quickly outgrew its place and the current open-air vault was created.

Over the past year, 26 American soldiers serving under a Canadian commander have died in action, the vast majority through insidious homemade bombs and mines. There are three U.S. army battalions — a couple of thousand soldiers — under the direction of Task Force Kandahar.

U.S. casualties started to outpace Canadian losses late last year and that is before the summer fighting season and NATO’s planned Kandahar offensive gets underway.

Brig.-Gen. Dan Menard, the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, says the two countries have been fighting alongside each other here for months and the losses should be recognized, regardless of nationality.

“This memorial is extremely important for Canadians, but we want to make it a more all-inclusive,” he said.

“When you look at this memorial, it is just not representative enough as far as I’m concerned. A lot of (U.S. soldiers) have paid the ultimate price and it’s important that there’s room here for them.”

Plans for the additions were drawn up by the task force engineers. They expect the job to be finished with the help of local contractors by the end of June. Each of the 142 Canadian soldiers and two civilians killed since the Afghan war started are remembered with their pictures etched on to a black granite plate.

Menard said the same honour will be accorded to each of the American casualties.

That has touched American commanders, such as the executive officer 1st Battalion, 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment, which has suffered the most casualties fighting grapefield to grapefield in Zharey district, northwest of Kandahar city.

“It is an honour for the soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment to be memorialized along our Canadian counterparts,” said Maj. Korey Brown.

“These soldiers have stood side-by-side in the most dangerous region of Afghanistan; Regional Command South, and their sacrifices will be remembered and honoured. This wall is a great tribute to these soldiers and we are very humbled at the recognition they will receive for years to come.”

One of the engineers in charge of the addition said since they can’t predict the number of casualties in the future, the expansion will utilize all of the available space around the existing monument.

Soldiers, often in the field when the caskets of their buddies are sent home, pay their respects at the foot of the memorial. The Canadian military often flies the family of dead soldiers over to Kandahar to visit the site and seeing their reaction touches the engineers who design and build it.

“It is important to us (and) it makes a difference when you go back after and see how people use the site, especially the families,” said Maj. Patrick Dube.

“It’s a bit emotional to see our soldiers who look at these sites. We’re a big family and it’s looking after each other, I think.”

Col. Brian Drinkwine, the commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, said the unique history of combined Canadian and American unit stretches back to the Second World War and the famed Devil’s Brigade commando unit.

One of Drinkwine’s battalions is under Canadian command in the Arghandaub district where the lush orchards and criss-crossing irrigation canals make it perfect country for the Taliban to launch ambushes and lay mines.

“Every ramp ceremony of my paratroopers that have fallen working in Kandahar, there has been a significant amount of Canadians who’ve paid respects and that’s not lost on me,” he said.

Dube said it’s unclear what Ottawa plans to do with the memorial after Canada pulls its combat forces out of Afghanistan next year.

But he said it will be possible to dismantle the structure and rebuild it back home.