Our guest speaker for this Remembrance Day service was Master Corporal Mark Verrall, a medic who has served in many missions and deployments, as well as provided training and support services.

Past-president and veteran himself, Joe Klassen introduced Mark. He told us of how Mark grew up in Airdrie and first joined the reserves in 1989 and transferred to the regular forces in 1995. He has had postings in Canada in Calgary, Edmonton and Cold Lake, as well as served for us and our country and others in Bosnia, the Middle East, Afghanistan (twice), as well as served our own country's citizens through assisting during the Winnipeg floods of 1997, the 1998 ice storms in Ottawa and Montreal and the massive forest fires in BC in 2003.

Mark has been married to the same wife since 1995 and has daughters aged 11 and 13.

Master Corporal Mark delivered a wonderful talk that truly allowed all of us to understand better the sacrifices and the lifestyle that those who sign up to serve our country must endure. Through humor and reality, Mark told us of his journey this past 12 years. At the beginning of his presentation Mark thanked those veterans in the room and those who were not who served before him for all they have done to make this a better country and world to live in. He also took the opportunity to thank all of the troops who continue to serve both at home and abroad.

Mark joined the armed forces as a reserve when he was just 17. His father had told him to get a job! He wanted to be in the artillery, his mom, said no, then he suggested tanks, his mom said no, so he suggested being a medic. His mom agreed. His father, who had served in the Navy, called him a "sissy medic", but supported him all the same. He has remained a medic since.

In 1995, two years later, Mark got married. He married a girl whom he had met in the reserves. As a result (as his father put it) he now had to get a "real job" versus the reserves. He joined fulltime and his journey began. Through the past 12 years he has worked here at home to assist Canadians in need during the ice storms, the floods and the forest fires. But, likewise, he has served overseas in peacekeeping in Bosnia, as well as active front line duty twice in Afghanistan as well as the Middle East.

He was originally based in Calgary and with the close of the base he was transferred to Edmonton. From there, he was stationed at Cold Lake with the Airborne. As he noted, after years in the Army "boy are the airborne different". During the six years stationed in Cold Lake he was probably at home less than 365 days. It was his wife who stood by him, supported him and raised their daughters and lived in Cold Lake while he served our country. This was truly an important message to all of us in the audience. The soldiers' families too need to be remembered on November 11 as we often are unaware or forget all they sacrifice to support these soldiers.

It was interesting to learn that the invasion of Afghanistan mission he served on, the Canadian Forces were not sure what part of Afghanistan they would serve in, so they brought everything! Winter and summer gear. He noted how the Americans laughed at them as they arrived in the desert surroundings of Kandahar in 2002 and unloaded their winter coats and toboggans from the airplanes! It was wonderful to learn of the challenges that our soldiers endure, but also learn, as Mark described it, "the efficiency with which we deliver service" and how what takes the Americans often a year to complete we can do in six months.

Mark left ample time for questions, of which there was still a line up of queries when the meeting closed. Each query answered delivered a unique and humorous story alongside the reality of the situation, ranging from quality of equipment and funding to media presence and "support".

Veteran Rick Guthrie thanked Mark in a most appropriate way, reminding all of us to remember not only the soldiers who have served, on Remembrance Day, but also their families who have served through absence and suffering in their own right. Rick presented Mark with our world famous Boltman!

This was our Remembrance Day service and we had a full house. It was an honor to see how many of our members served in the forces over the years as many wore their medals and dressed for the occasion. As well, at least half the club wore poppies.

In our presence, also, were several WWII veterans from the Museum of the Regiments who graced us with their presence and stories.

reported by Brent Barootes