From the Province
Newspaper.
Ask Abbotsford resident Ann Reekie what her son, Capt. Michael John Reekie, did in Afghanistan to earn him a medal of military valour and she'll offer an unusual answer: "I don't want to know."
"As a mother," Reekie said yesterday, "I don't know that I want the details, to be honest. It's hard not to be worried about him. He doesn't really tell me a lot, I don't want to know details. I'm just really trusting that he is safe and sound and knows what he is doing," she said. "Of course, we are very proud of him. He is very good at what he does, he loves what he does and he's doing well." In fact, it was her son's dangerous work with the Alpha Com-pany, 1st Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in Ma'sum Ghar on Aug. 19, 2006, that earned him the citation for military valour and a chance to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean. He was honoured for his "valiant actions during an intense fight with Taliban insurgents."
The battle lasted three hours and the Canadian soldiers were outnumbered. It was Reekie's ability to spot the changing advance of the insurgents and move his company's vehicle to avoid being outflanked that allowed the NATO forces to defeat the Taliban forces. "Capt. Reekie's selfless courage and exceptional leadership undoubtedly saved the lives of numerous Alpha company soldiers," the citation read. The 26-year-old University of B.C. graduate returned to CFB Shilo, Man., in March after a two-year deployment. The history major began as a young reservist who was moved to join the Canadian Forces after a volunteer experience in Bosnia. He married a fellow reservist and history major, Charissa, in 2003. The couple now live in Brandon, Man. His family, father John, a retired Abbotsford school district administrator; Ann, a retired teacher; and 23-year-old brother David, a University College of Fraser Valley student, hope to join him when he accepts the medal from Jean. Last Friday, Harper praised Reekie in a speech in Calgary, citing him and a fellow soldier's "selfless acts of courage, consummate skill and professionalism, and steadfast devotion to their comrades." "We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude," Harper said.
Another B.C. soldier, Cpl. Clinton John Orr of Chilliwack, was awarded a medal of military valor for his work in operation Archer in Afghanistan. During an assault in Pashmul he drove his armoured vehicle into the line of fire to help rescue others in a light-armoured vehicle at great risk to himself.