WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
DAVID RICHARDS went on to command the British Army and then serve as Chief of the Defence Staff for the United Kingdom. For outstanding service to his country, David was elevated as Baron Richards of Herstmonceux. Lord Richards now resides in the pleasant seaside town of Emsworth in southern England, where he and his wife Caroline enjoy their family, sailing, and private-sector work. Whenever we visit England, my wife and I make a point of dropping in on my dear friend and former commander.
OMER LAVOIE went on to command the Counter-IED Task Force after Afghanistan. He commanded the 4th Canadian Division (Ontario) and is now a major general and commander of the 1st Canadian Division Headquarters located in Kingston, Ontario.
IAN HOPE went to CENTCOM as our Canadian liaison officer, and then attended the United States Army War College and worked with AFRICOM. Ian is now a colonel teaching at the NATO Defense College in Rome where he shares his experience and insight with the next generation of leaders.
MIKE WRIGHT went on to command the 2nd Battalion PPCLI and is now a colonel commanding 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Petawawa, Ontario. Mike has not lost his sense of humour and continues to be a great example of leadership to thousands of troops today.
BILL “MOTHER” IRVING returned (with his Harley mirrors) shortly after Operation Medusa to take his warrant officer’s course in Gagetown, New Brunswick. He rejoined his regiment, eventually retiring from the regular force in 2014. Bill and his family then moved to Kingston where he continued to serve in the Army Reserve. Today he is regimental sergeant major for the Ontario Regiment in Oshawa. Having heard plenty of complaints in his time, he also acts as a complaint-management services agent for the Department of National Defence. Once a soldier, always a soldier, Mother continues to take care of his troops.
KARL EIKENBERRY served as Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. He became the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan from April 2009 to July 2011. I had the chance to visit him both at NATO and back in Afghanistan. He is now the Oksenberg-Rohlen Fellow and Director of the U.S. Asia Security Initiative at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, and is a member of other prestigious faculties as well.
BEN FREAKLEY went on following Afghanistan to be the commanding general of Accessions Command until he retired in 2012. Ben went back to teaching others. He is now the special advisor to the president of Arizona State University, and is responsible for Leadership Initiatives at the McCain Institute for International Leadership in Washington, D.C.
RICK HILLIER retired in 2008 as Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff. He served as the chancellor of his alma mater, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and wrote two bestselling books on leadership and his time as the CDS. Rick speaks publicly on leadership, supports soldiers to this day, sits on the advisory board for Provincial Aerospace, and still tells the most compelling stories. I doubt he will ever slow down.
MIKE GAUTHIER continued to command CEFCOM until he retired in 2009, and is now a senior mentor at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, passing along the wealth of knowledge and experience he acquired over years of senior command.
DON BOLDUC continued his stellar career and was soon promoted to brigadier general. He recently retired from the special forces community, and I am sure many bad guys out there are much relieved. Don is a now a leading advocate within the U.S. army for openness and innovation in the treatment of PTSD.
SHANE SCHREIBER went on to command the 2nd Battalion PPCLI, which I had the pleasure to see in action during the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010. He continues to be one of the most charismatic leaders I know. He is the author of Shock Army of the British Empire: The Canadian Corps in the Last 100 Days of the Great War, a wonderful read for any student of history. He is now the managing director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency at the Government of Alberta in Edmonton.
DAVID “BUCK” BUCHANAN went on to a successful career in the CAF, including a posting as the Canadian liaison officer to the British Army. He retired in January 2017 and joined Canada’s public service as a research officer in Kingston. He transferred to the Army Reserve and is now commanding officer of 30th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery in Ottawa.
DEREK PROHAR joined the Canadian Army Command and Staff College and is now commanding officer of 3 PPCLI. In his office he proudly displays the bulletproof, armoured plate that saved his life at Sperwan Ghar.
HARJIT SAJJAN returned to Afghanistan for two subsequent tours. He worked for my dear friend James Terry, who was deputy commander of 10th Mountain Division during our tour and who took Harj with him when he returned as the commander of 10th Mountain and RC South. Harj did his last tour in Kandahar Province with Jon Vance, Canada’s current CDS. Harj went on to command his own home unit, the British Columbia Regiment. He entered federal politics in 2015, winning his seat in southern B.C., and then was named as Canada’s Minister of National Defence.
ASADULLAH KHALID continued to serve as Governor of Kandahar until 2008. He then went on to serve as the Minister of Tribal and Border Affairs. In 2012 he was appointed as head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan secret service that had informed us about Taliban fatigue during Operation Medusa. There were several attempts on his life, the last of which severely injured him, forcing his retirement from the NDS in 2015.
MATTHEW SPRAGUE received the Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division), which is awarded to individuals whose specific achievements have brought honour to the Canadian Forces and to Canada. He became a lieutenant colonel and works with the army in Kingston.
GEOFF ABTHORPE went on to study at the Pakistan Command and Staff College, and then joined the Canadian Manoeuvre Centre in Wainwright as the chief plans officer. He left the regular force in 2014, moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and transferred to the Army Reserve. He now commands the 38 Canadian Brigade Group.
ADAM “SEEGY” SEEGMILLER still serves with the close protection unit within the Canadian Armed Forces. Highly regarded for his long practical experience, Adam has made great efforts to ensure that the training of mission-bound protection teams is based on a true understanding of the current threat.
ALLAN “DOONER” MULDOON is a reserve corporal living in Ottawa. Dooner has also become a City of Ottawa firefighter. He has not changed a bit. We always have a good laugh. Whenever we get together we reminisce about our various visits outside the wire when he was my personal bodyguard in RC South.
STEVE WILLIAMS went back to Alaska, where he finished off his command tour with the National Guard. Two years after leading Task Force Grizzly into action in Operation Medusa, Steve was presented with Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division) for his hard work, bravery and professionalism. He retired from the army in 2009 and now resides in Colorado Springs. He is a broker and doing well.
MARK GASPAROTTO was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his leadership of 23 Field Squadron in Afghanistan. After the tour, he co-wrote Clearing the Way: Combat Engineers in Kandahar, which I recommend. After commanding 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, Mark was promoted to colonel and deployed to Haiti in 2016 as the task force commander during Operation Hamlet. Mark lives in Ottawa.
ANDY LUSSIER received the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding service rendered with his ISTAR squadron in RC South. He became chief instructor at the Armour School (RCACS), then chief of operations at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown. He is currently commanding officer of personnel support services for the 5th Canadian Division Support Group.
MIKE “BOMBER” MACDONALD received the Meritorious Service Decoration for his steadfast leadership and went on to a successful career including teaching at the leadership academy in Europe. Mike retired and resides in Ottawa, from where he and his wife travel the world. He continues to play hockey to the chagrin of those who play against him. He remains the fit soldier that I always remember.
SIMON HETHERINGTON continues to serve in the CAF, where his career is still on the rise. He served in the United States as deputy commander for the 18th Airborne Corps and as the commander of the 3rd Canadian Division. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Edmonton before he moved to Kingston, whereupon after promotion to major general he now commands our Army and Doctrine Command. As always, our visits are filled with laughter and fine stories.
FRED LEWIS continued to enjoy great success, including postings as the commandant of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, commander of Joint Task Force Jerusalem, and finally as commander of the 4th Canadian Division in Toronto. Fred retired in 2012 and moved with his family to just north of Kingston. Fred enjoys hunting, and we get together about once a year for a bird shoot. It is always good to see my former deputy.
DAVE HOUTHUYZEN is a sergeant posted to the Military Police Academy in Borden. Dave organized the tenth anniversary of our tour, and most of the Posse was able to attend the very moving ceremony at the MP Academy with other members of the MP community and their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Adam Battista. I have visited the academy several times, and always take time to see Dave and his family.
TREVOR FRIESEN is now a major posted to 41 Combat Engineer Regiment in Edmonton.
GREG “MOONER” MOON is a warrant officer posted to the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick. He works at the Armoured Corps School.
JEFF “JEB” HAWES is a sergeant posted to the Joint Personnel Support Unit in Halifax and is transitioning into retirement.
KEITH “BROWNIE” BROWN is a warrant officer posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown, New Brunswick.
SHAWN WALSH is retired and residing in the Halifax area.
RICK TUCKER is a petty officer 2nd class posted to the west coast and is currently deployed.
KANE “PROJECT BRYANT” BRYANT is posted to 2 Military Police Regiment.
JAMIE OFFREY is a warrant officer posted to the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade.
MIKE “WOODY” WOODROW is retired and resides in New Brunswick.
JOHN “HODGY” HODGES is retired and resides in Ontario.
ARON POPE is retired and resides in Ontario.