Corporals Jean-François Belzil and Jean-Michel Landry are home

The two landed at Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Airport this past Tuesday, along with 24 other reservists of the Canadian Armed Forces. "It hasn't really hit me yet that I'm back in Canada, it's been so long since I left," confided Corporal Belzil to Courrier Laval upon his arrival. Welcoming the soldiers home were spouses, children, families, and friends, some smiling, some crying, many waving Canadian flags.

Within the framework of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, the reservists were responsible for securing and defending the base in Kandahar for a six-month tour of duty.

In August and September 2007, while escorting convoys toward Kandahar, Corporal Belzil was twice victimized by insurgent ambush. He feels lucky to still be alive. "Although we have good vehicles, deaths are frequent in Afghanistan. Our mission wasn't easy but we came home with all our soldiers and that's what's important," he stated. "Our soldiers are well-trained, we simulate conditions as best we can, but can one ever really be prepared for this kind of attack?" asks Colonel Richard Lapointe, commander of the 34th Canadian Brigade, from which came most of the soldiers for this particular mission.

Photo:Tears, Joy

(Photo: Martin Alarie)

Photo:Belzil

(Photo: Martin Alarie)