Navy Lt. Nigel Tully pushes his nerves aside and calms his mind as he walks toward the young lieutenant waiting for him outside the morgue at a covert Canadian military camp in the Middle East.
Over the course of the long, hot day and into the next, Tully offers his support and a listening ear to Lt. Mike Yung, who is escorting the casket of his close friend, Saanich resident Lt. Andrew Nuttall, home to Canada. The 30-year-old platoon commander was killed by a homemade bomb while out on a foot patrol in southwest Afghanistan, on Dec. 23, 2009.
B次元官网网址�(Yung) was exhausted, he was tired, he had just flown in from Kandahar,B次元官网网址� recalls Tully, a CFB Esquimalt chaplain who was deployed for six months in support of the Afghanistan mission, in 2009 and 2010.
B次元官网网址淚 told him I would be there to support him,B次元官网网址� he says
The Anglican priest is one of 10 Protestant and Roman Catholic padres at the base, and about 180 regular force chaplains in the Canadian Forces.
They provide crisis intervention, referrals, confidential support and spiritual counselling to military members at home and abroad, and their families.
They also preside over church services, baptisms, weddings and funerals of military personnel, and are usually present when families are told a loved one has been killed.
B次元官网网址淭he privilege is that you are there to walk with them through an absolutely life-changing (event),B次元官网网址� says Maj. Doug Friesen, a Victoria resident who heads the chaplain team at CFB Esquimalt. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a sacred moment.B次元官网网址�
The Anglican priestB次元官网网址檚 career highlight was the 10 months he spent in Kandahar as the senior task force chaplain, from 2008 to 2009.
B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 move anywhere in Kandahar without facing the possibility of death,B次元官网网址� Friesen says. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e dealing with (membersB次元官网网址�) anxiety about taking life, or the possibility of taking life.B次元官网网址�
NuttallB次元官网网址檚 death was TullyB次元官网网址檚 first experience with a member killed in action. During his deployment, the padre presided over 14 more repatriation ceremonies honouring the fallen.
B次元官网网址淵ou pray that nothing would happen and then it happened,B次元官网网址� he says, recalling the days before NuttallB次元官网网址檚 death. The loss of the young man still brings tears to his eyes.
B次元官网网址淚 think for me it was just the realization that war is real ... that everybody is susceptible to the realities of war, not only the serving members but the families and the communities that support them.B次元官网网址�
Many times, Tully sat and talked with Yung on a bench outside the camp morgue, helping the soldier prepare for the next leg of his emotional mission.
B次元官网网址淗e really wanted to make sure (the Nuttalls) were comforted in the midst of the loss,B次元官网网址� Tully says.
Some chaplains were regularly flown to remote outposts to support battle-weary troops, even going with them on patrols. Padres going to the front lines is a tradition that dates back to the 14th century, when armies took monks to war.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 tradition, itB次元官网网址檚 integral to military history that a padre deploys with the troops as close to the front as possible,B次元官网网址� Friesen says.
B次元官网网址淭hat means that when you walk that walk, youB次元官网网址檙e walking in a soldierB次元官网网址檚 boots, or sailing with a sailor. YouB次元官网网址檙e sharing the risks, youB次元官网网址檙e sharing the hardships, youB次元官网网址檙e sharing the lifestyle B次元官网网址� then they talk to you.B次元官网网址�
Padres often must dig deep spiritually within themselves to remain strong so they, in turn, can provide strength to others in need.
B次元官网网址淭hose moments when you talk with a soldier, where they begin to disclose what they experience, we define it as a sacred space or a sacred time,B次元官网网址� Tully says. B次元官网网址淏eing a priest, I couldnB次元官网网址檛 imagine being anything else.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址⑩赌⑩赌�
Remembering the fallen
There are days when Jane Nuttall just has to hear the voice of her son, Lt. Andrew Nuttall.
The Saanich resident will listen to two voicemail messages her 30 year old left before he was killed by a bomb during a foot patrol in Afghanistan, on Dec. 23, 2009.
B次元官网网址淎 couple of days ago I got up and I thought, B次元官网网址極h, IB次元官网网址檝e just got to hear his voice,B次元官网网址� and put it on,B次元官网网址� Jane says. B次元官网网址淏ut I canB次元官网网址檛 do it lots of days because itB次元官网网址檚 too hard.B次元官网网址�
With her husband Richard by her side, Jane will once again attend Saanich Remembrance Day ceremonies today (Nov. 11) as a Silver Cross mother. She will lay a wreath for all Canadian mothers whose sons or daughters died serving their country.
Despite their extraordinary loss, RichardB次元官网网址檚 Remembrance Day message is simple.
B次元官网网址淭hese men and women did us proud,B次元官网网址� he says of the 158 Canadian military members killed in Afghanistan. B次元官网网址淭hey made a huge sacrifice and we should remember them for what they did.B次元官网网址�
Such events prove difficult for the couple, but they enjoy meeting people who share their stories about Andrew.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of comfort in it all,B次元官网网址� Jane says. B次元官网网址淛ust another little puzzle piece of his life.B次元官网网址�
The Canadian military took the Nuttalls, and other families of the fallen, to Kandahar in March, as part its next-of-kin program. It was a moving experience for the couple, reminding them of their sonB次元官网网址檚 phone calls and messages from the war-torn nation.
B次元官网网址淛ust breathing the air and the dust all over us and realizing we were looking out on the same hills that Andrew would tell us about in his phone call ... it was very powerful,B次元官网网址� Jane says.
