Media coverage
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Media coverage
Title Young Veterans Remember the Fallen Everyday Degree of recognition Regional Media name/outlet InfoTel Media type Print Country/Territory Canada Date 10/11/2015 Description Alexei Gavriel joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a 16-year-old and by 2008, at age 21, was on tour in Kandahar. The difference between Gavriel and some of his colleagues, is that he has never really left.
“Between 2010 and 2015 I worked in Afghanistan as contractor, where I served principally as a social scientist conducting research on local dynamics of conflict and advising policy-makers,” he says, adding after completing his PhD research at Queen’s University Belfast he plans on returning to the country to continue his work.
Gavriel concedes Afghanistan is a dangerous place, and while attacks are random they are constant.
“(Attacks) could be across town, where you were 15 minutes ago, or outside your gate. You run the risk of being killed at any moment.”
He recalls a story of near-international incident, and near death for him. Gavriel and a colleague were only two blocks away from their destination when it was attacked. They heard a bomb blast, turned their car around and returned to a secure location, all the while attempting to contact friends and family to ensure everyone was safe.
“There were few details at the time but the story eventually emerged that a suicide bomber blew up the front entrance, killing the security guards and several Afghans on the street. Two gunmen entered the restaurant and executed everyone inside,” Gavriel says.
But as was the nature of his job in Afghanistan, he was back to work and on the road again within a few short hours. During a only a few hours of decompression, talk time, his local driver told him 'in Afghanistan, if we lived in fear we could never live at all.' Gavriel says this was one of the most important things he learned while overseas.
Gavriel believes by wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day you can show a veteran you truly care, you empathize with their struggles and understand their sacrifices. He says it’s unfortunate the day has become so politicized, because it really should be for those who served.
“I don’t think anyone wants peace more than those who have seen war,” he says.URL https://infotel.ca/newsitem/young-kamloops-vets-remember-the-fallen-everyday/it24855 Persons Alexei Gavriel
Keywords
- Afghanistan
- conflict
- veterans
- Remembrance