Vanguard Magazine

42 APRIL/MAY 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com White recalls they were supposed to help the local Haitian population sort things out, but that never happened in the end. "If you're not able to deliver humanitar- ian assistance and assistance to the people, then what exactly are you doing there?" Today the focus of most deployments has changed, he acknowledges. With in- surgency operations, he points out you don't necessarily know who your enemy is, who you're fighting and why. In his past, targets were more readily identifiable. In southern Germany in the early 90s, White led over 100 men on a NATO mis- sion focused on deterrence: figuring out where Canada and its allies needed to be, what they needed to do, and what the combat power should be if they were sent into the Gulf region. They rehearsed de- ployment plans and went on crucial exer- cises with other NATO forces. "It's a deterrent factor, where you have a force ready to meet a force," he explains. It was a tense time; the Gulf War was heating up, as was the situation in Kuwait. His troops had to be ready to react at a moment's notice, and there came a mo- ment when they thought they might be tasked to deploy from Germany. "We made sure we had our tanks work- ing properly; we made sure we had our gunnery working properly," he recounts. It became as close to "real" as real was at that time in history he says, and it was also a pivotal time in his life. "It wasn't just going out and shooting paper targets any- more; it was the possibility of shooting at something that might shoot back at you." White's – and the squadron's - motto was "work hard and play hard." And they did. "I had a very energetic well-prepared squadron, and we looked after each oth- er," he remembers. Very fit and highly competent with their machinery – nineteen massive Leopard C1 tanks and 105 mm guns – White describes how they would complete trials to break equipment in order to challenge them- selves to fix it. They succeeded on both fronts. "We learned our craft," he says. As their leader, it was a rewarding time on the job. "You took pride in the level they had at- tained, and you took pride in the power that you had – and that's what held every- body together." Camaraderie and rapport were also huge components of their readiness and major contributors to overall morale, White says. "You develop that 'esprit' that you hope, if you ever have to go into actual combat, will serve you well together, so you're looking out for each other," he explains. "You depend on others; they depend on you." Joy & pain The military gave White his university edu- cation, and he graduated with a degree in history, political science and French. The military is where White forged lifelong friendships, and during his time spent in Gagetown, N.B., he met his wife Thérèse, a military officer at the time. Her guiding and supportive presence, he firmly be- lieves, allows him to this day to survive the ups and downs of his military past. With their two sons – both RCMP officers – the family tradition of safeguarding others continues. White describes being in the military as being part of a "big family." If you happen to spend time abroad, he says, it enriches your life in other ways: meeting new peo- ple, understanding new cultures, broaden- ing horizons, and learning how to put dif- ferences aside. With all the joy, however, comes sor- row. For those deployed, it can mean time away from family, weeks on end navigat- ing a new culture, and traumatic events. These are the lows. The incident that haunts White to this day happened while stationed in Germany; it resulted in the death of one of his troop members, and the member's wife. He chooses not to de- scribe what happened, but remembers the episode and aftermath in searing detail. He says nothing compares to the devastation of losing one of your own. "When you lose one of your own, I guess that's when it's the low point," he says solemnly. "When we had the low, we came together," he recalls of his troop. Prior to his deployment in Haiti, White like many others was prescribed an anti- malarial drug called Lariam (mefloquine). He believes it caused long-term health is- sues, but no one really talked about it at that time. Today, the topic has resurfaced and increased calls for more research and investigation into this drug, which is still in use, are underway. In the end, White believes these devas- tating personal experiences culminated in his eventual decision to retire from the military. From the frontline to the home front In 1998, White noticed something wasn't right with his body. He wasn't sure what the problem was, nor were any of the professionals he consulted. The range of symptoms was a huge red flag – more than concerning for someone used to an elevat- ed level of physical preparedness. "I was not able to do the physical fitness that I had normally done, and I decided it was time to voluntarily retire," he says. "I didn't feel like I could carry on doing what I was supposed to be doing." He decided it was time to transition back to civilian life. He was released from service on No- vember 11, 1998. Years later, he would hear presentations from other veterans and come to the real- ization he was dealing with similar symp- toms – and likely operational stress inju- ries. While no one was really talking about such injuries when he was in the field, White is pleased to see there is progress in how both the military and society are starting to recognize and treat them. "We've made so many advances," he says. He stresses the ongoing work needed in this area, with the increase in complex health issues faced by many of today's vet- erans. White believes his twenty-three years of military experience provided him leader- ship skills, strategic ability, and a breadth of knowledge that ultimately led him to oversee the National Headquarters of The Royal Canadian Legion in Ottawa. There, his focus turned to advocating for veterans, during and after service. For over twenty years, it has been his daily passion. Nujma Bond oversees communications at The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Com- mand. She has led communications depart- ments at several national Canadian organi- zations and previously was a journalist in Calgary and Regina. VeterAnS Brad (right) is speaking to a reporter at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

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