# Christmas in flak jackets -by Rick Mercer



## GAP (28 Dec 2006)

Thanks to Edward for posting the whole article

*Christmas in flak jackets*
*From a showbiz perspective, General Hillier is a tough act to follow, says RICK MERCER
RICK MERCER From Thursday's Globe and Mail
Article Link

A few months ago, General Rick Hillier promised me a Christmas I would never forget; turns out he is a man of his word.

This year, on Christmas morning, I was in Sperwan Ghar in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan sitting around a single-burner Coleman stove with a dozen Canadian soldiers. Rush was on the stereo and we were watching a pot of Tetley tea bags threaten to boil. Outside it was wet and muddy, but inside the sandbag bunker where these Royal Canadian Dragoons ate and slept it was warm and as comfortable as one could expect under the circumstances. Corporal Frank Farrell was in charge of the pot and there was no top on it this morning -- this was not to be rushed.

Gen. Hillier is a very persuasive man. He is also a Newfoundlander. And while he is the chief of the Canadian Forces it has been suggested that he might think he is the chief of all Newfoundlanders. He'll call you up and suggest to you that on Dec. 25 there is only one place you should be and it's so special that by agreeing to go there you render your life insurance null and void. You aren't asked so much as you are told.

This was my third trip to Afghanistan but my first at Christmas. Gen. Hillier was on a personal mission to shake hands with every man and woman wearing a Canadian uniform in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf and I was along for the ride. The way he described it was simple: "It's Christmas" he said, "and all we are going to do is pop in and say hello to a few folks." In Canada "popping in to say hello" at Christmas is just a matter of arranging for a designated driver or making sure you have cab fare in your pocket. This was a little more complicated.

It started with a nine-hour flight overseas, stopping in Croatia for gas, and then onward to a military base that dare not speak its name or reveal its location. Once there, we immediately boarded a Sea King helicopter for a night flight across the water so we could land on the deck of the HMCS Ottawa.

On this leg of the trip there were three other Newfoundlanders -- broadcaster Max Keeping, singer-songwriter Damhnait Doyle and my old colleague Mary Walsh -- and three members of the Conservative caucus -- whip Jay Hill, MP Laurie Hawn and President of the Treasury Board John Baird. I was happy they were issued flak jackets and helmets because I had a sneaking suspicion that the combination of Walsh and the three Tories might make some recent skirmishes with the Taliban insurgency seem tame in comparison. If it came down to a three-on-one donnybrook, my money was on the Warrior Princess.

And so, on the night before Christmas Eve, our little gang of Newfoundlanders along with 50 or so sailors closed the mess on the HMCS Ottawa. We laughed until we were stupid. It felt like Christmas. After sunrise, Gen. Hillier addressed the troops on the deck of the ship. This was the first of countless speeches he would give over the next four days. He is funny as hell and inspiring as anyone I have ever seen speak. He makes soldiers laugh and then he makes them cry. He thanks them all in a way that makes everyone grow inches. From a show business perspective, he is a tough act to follow, but follow we did. When it came Damhnait's turn to say a few words she sang a song, and if there is a better way to kick off an adventure than watching Damhnait Doyle and 250 sailors sing O Canada on the deck of a Canadian warship as it sails the Gulf I can't think of it.

After HMCS Ottawa, it was straight back to the base for a three-hour nap before a 3 a.m. wakeup call for the flight to Kandahar. Once in Kandahar, we had the standard briefing that is mandatory for visiting entertainers and or the head-injured. When the siren goes, do what you're told, when everything seems fine do what you're told and, when in doubt, do what you're told.

From there we went "over the wire." It was Christmas Eve and Gen. Hillier wanted to make it to all the forward operating bases. These bases are all former Taliban strongholds. For the most part they are high points of land that were hard-fought-for. Some of the bases are nothing but points of land with soldiers living in tents, trenches and bunkers. This is the front line of a war.

Charlie Company at Patrol Base Wilson was the first group we spoke to. These are the men and women who are working under maximum threat levels in Afghanistan. They are out there on patrol every day, for days at a time, engaging the enemy. They have all lost friends here. They have a bit of the 10,000-mile stare -- which is to be expected -- so from the point of view of a guy who stands around and tells jokes for a living, this is what you would call a tough crowd. Gen. Hillier was right, though; he told me that just showing up was enough and everything else was gravy.

That afternoon we made our way by convoy to Strong Point West, home to Bravo Company. This was still Christmas Eve and we arrived in time to help serve their Christmas meal. Gen. Hillier worked the turkey, senior officers worked the potatoes and vegetables and I pulled up the rear as chief gravy server. I must admit I felt pretty darn important serving the gravy. These guys get a cooked meal about every three to four days. For the most part they eat rations out of a bag wherever they find themselves. Plus they get shot at. Anything hot with gravy is a very, very big deal. As the guy with the gravy ladle I was probably -- for the duration of the serving line -- the most popular man on Earth.

And so this year for Christmas dinner I sat on the ground in the dust and ate turkey loaf and gravy on a paper plate. Everyone except me had a gun. There was lots of talk of home and, like anyone's Christmas dinner, there were lots of pictures. At one point, the designated photographers had 10 digital cameras in their hands at a time trying to get the group shots.

Everywhere you go in Afghanistan where there are Canadian soldiers you see Christmas cards and letters supporting the troops. Some of the tents and accommodations are decorated with so many home-made cards from schoolkids that you would swear you had wandered into an elementary-school lunchroom and not a mess hall. It's amazing to see groups of battle-weary soldiers wrapped in ammunition and guns stopping to read these things with the attention that is usually reserved solely for the parent. I was in a tent with two guys in their early 20s who were poring over a stack of letters and class photos and separating them into piles. I was a little taken aback that these young guys, in the middle of a war zone, would be so moved by support from Grade 4 classes until I realized the deciding factor for the favourites pile was which teacher was hotter.

On Christmas morning, the convoy headed to Sperwan Ghar. The troops here sleep in dugouts with sandbag perimeters. After the speeches and hellos, a corporal asked me back to his quarters for a cup of tea. He was, like so many guys here, a Newfoundlander. And so that's where I spent Christmas morning, watching corporal Frank Farrell stir the teapot while a dozen or so guys hung out and exchanged cards and had a few laughs.

The crowd in the bunker wasn't there just for the tea. They had been waiting a long time for Corporal Farrell to open the Eversweet margarine tub that he received a few weeks ago in the mail. In the tub was his mom's Christmas cake. When the tea was perfect and our paper cups were filled, the tape was pulled from the tub and we all agreed: Bernadette Farrell makes the best Christmas cake in Canada.

The trip carried on. We visited more forward operating bases. Gen. Hillier made good on his goal of shaking hands with practically ever soldier in harm's way this Christmas. And by late afternoon we took the convoy back through "ambush ally" to the main base in Kandahar for the prime show of the tour for about 800 soldiers in the newly opened Canada House.

Max Keeping was our master of ceremonies, Gen. Hillier gave a speech of a lifetime, Mary Walsh made me laugh like the old days, Damhnait Doyle sang like an angel and the Montreal rock band Jonas played late into the night. I was supposed to take the microphone for 15 minutes, but I stayed for 25. A tad selfish, but honestly I can't imagine I will have so much fun performing ever again.

Everywhere we went on this trip men and women in uniform thanked our little gang for giving up our Christmas to be with them in Afghanistan. I know that I speak for everyone when I say we gave very little and we received far too much. We met great friends, we had lots of laughs and dare I say had the best Christmas ever.

Rick Mercer is host of The Rick Mercer Report on CBC-TV.*


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## navymich (28 Dec 2006)

What a great article, and what a great thing for all of them to do for Christmas.  To your unselfish act...


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## Big Foot (28 Dec 2006)

Simply outstanding act by all those involved. Hats off to you.


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## Kat Stevens (28 Dec 2006)

Nice.......Just, nice.


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## Mike Baker (28 Dec 2006)

Very good read


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## karl28 (28 Dec 2006)

I think some one else said it best that was a great article to read


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## vonGarvin (28 Dec 2006)

Rick Mercer for PM! 

He rocks!  He rolls!  He dishes out gravy! 


Very nicely written article.


Thanks


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## Sapper6 (28 Dec 2006)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> Nice.......Just, nice.



+1 Kat

S6


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## beach_bum (28 Dec 2006)

Hauptmann Scharlachrot said:
			
		

> Rick Mercer for PM!
> 
> He rocks!  He rolls!  He dishes out gravy!
> 
> ...



I'll second that!


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## Robbie (28 Dec 2006)

Good read.

When the siren goes, do what you're told, when everything seems fine do what you're told and, when in doubt, do what you're told.


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## Strike (28 Dec 2006)

Put one of these on my face.


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## Armymedic (28 Dec 2006)

:'(
I am so proud, it brings a tear to my eye.


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## PoPo (28 Dec 2006)

Great Article - thanxs for Posting....

Such a moral booster for our Troops

PoPo


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## xena (28 Dec 2006)

Rick Mercer for PM!

Well, he has my vote too!

He's been quoted as saying something to the effect that he's good at pointing out things that are wrong, and not necessarily good at fixing it or making good decisions.  Okay, I'll give him that, but I still think that someone who can figure out a pile of BS stinks is better than the lot of politicians we have now.

Just my vague thoughts.


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## NL_engineer (28 Dec 2006)

That was a good article.



			
				xena said:
			
		

> Rick Mercer for PM!



His got my vote  ;D


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## Pea (28 Dec 2006)

Outstanding!


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## Pte_Martin (28 Dec 2006)

Great Read!


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## gaspasser (28 Dec 2006)

St. Micheal's Medical Team said:
			
		

> :'(
> I am so proud, it brings a tear to my eye.


Ditto, {sorry, must turn away and be silent for a  moment
Well written, gotta love both Rick's!  
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen soldiers.


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## tlg (28 Dec 2006)

Simple things like this are what keep my pushing my limits (Even if my Warrant orders me not to)(A little pain in the foot never hurt anyone ..... right?)


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## warspite (28 Dec 2006)

Excellent, excellent article. 

Rick Mercer has my vote for primeminister. ;D


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## GUNS (28 Dec 2006)

Thats two "Rick's" in the running for Prime Minister - Hillier and Mercer.


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## Magravan (28 Dec 2006)

I am glad that they made the effort to speak to those who would otherwise miss out... Good form, all around.


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## simysmom99 (29 Dec 2006)

The Rick and Rick show is always good fun.  That article put a tear in my eye.  We are so lucky to have folks like Mercer and Hillier around.  I think it makes serving in such an awful place, so far from home, just a bit more bearable when they are around.
I can tell you, Mercer had a great time and he was quite honored to be able to travel and see the troops.


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## Lance Wiebe (29 Dec 2006)

Both of them (Rick & Rick) are class acts.

I cannot think of one CDS who has done the same.  Or one comedian.

God bless both of them.


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## El Gerco (29 Dec 2006)

Gen Hiller is the finest CDS we've had in my 23 years, bar none!! And Rick Mercer has always been a great supporter of the forces.


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## Globesmasher (30 Dec 2006)

I am impressed that they went "outside the wire" to spend time with the guys on the pointy end .....

It usually seems that these visits by diplomats, VIPs and other celebrities stay in the rear areas .... but this trip out to the forward operating locations was a great gesture ..


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## vonGarvin (30 Dec 2006)

Globesmasher said:
			
		

> I am impressed that they went "outside the wire" to spend time with the guys on the pointy end .....
> 
> It usually seems that these visits by diplomats, VIPs and other celebrities stay in the rear areas .... but this trip out to the forward operating locations was a great gesture ..


IIRC, PM Harper went outside the wire on his his visit there.


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## civmick (3 Jan 2007)

I would submit that having Mercer as head of CBC would be as good if not better for the CF than having him as PM.  8)

[edited to note that as head of CBC the next step would be GG - okay he's not female but he does fit the "ex-CBC" requirement]


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## Infantry_wannabe (3 Jan 2007)

Rick Mercer is for Canadian soldiers what Bob Hope once was for American soldiers.

Hillier is the first CDS I can remember being proud of. I don't know much about it but he seems like exactly what Canada needs as CDS in these times.

They both have my respect for life.


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## medaid (3 Jan 2007)

I'll be the first one at the local polling station when either of em runs for PM  ;D


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## Bzzliteyr (4 Jan 2007)

As Infantry_wannabe said, Hillier exactly who Canada needs as CDS in these times of war.. a soldier who knows what soldiers do and what soldiers need, both in equipment and on the morale side of the house.  I remember being really impressed with Lew Mackenzie when I joined the Army, I even have an autographed copy of his book, but Hillier impresses me as a "boss".. I respect him.

And to add to the growing list, I too would vote for either one of these two for PM!!


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## goodform (4 Jan 2007)

+1 Infantry_wannabe. Mercer has always openly supported the forces. I remember when he used his air time to show the troops in Bosnia and again to play around RMC. Hillier is a hard charger and very common sense. Up the Ricks!


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