On the cover

The image on our front cover holds deep meaning for all members of the Posse. Ours was as tight a group as any serving in Afghanistan. We depended upon each other. This shot was taken by Greg “Mooner” Moon on April 21, 2006, at the end of our visit to the small village of Gumbad in Kandahar Province. There we met with tribal elders, soldiers of 7 Platoon from the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, and members of our civilian military cooperation (CIMIC) team. By day’s end we were thoroughly impressed with their success in re-establishing the presence of the Government of Afghanistan in the north of the province. The photo shows a Blackhawk lifting off to take me and some of the Posse back to Kandahar Airfield and our brigade headquarters. The four soldiers in silhouette are (left to right) Randy Payne, Rick Tucker, Dave Houthuyzen and Matt Dinning. They and the rest of the Posse returned by road. Tragically, the day after this photo was taken, their vehicles were hit by an IED, killing Matt, Randy, Bill Turner and Myles Mansell. Credit 1