# McNeill man prepares for Afghanistan battle



## GAP (23 Mar 2007)

McNeill man prepares for Afghanistan battle 
By Teresa Bird Gazette staff Mar 22 2007 
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PORT McNEILL – Warrant Officer John Beddows spent a year trying to talk himself out of going to Afghanistan, but the death of a comrade inspired him to sign up. 

Beddows is an engineer for B.C. Timber Sales at the Ministry of Forests office in Port McNeill, where he has worked since 1994. But he is also a reservist with the 5th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery in Nanaimo. He has served as a reservist since 1999, but also served with the regular armed forces for 12 years with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. 

“There have been frequent calls for reservists for Bosnia and all over the world, but I didn’t have the opportunity to go,” says Beddows, who served in Cyprus during his regular service. “About two years ago they started asking for reservists to go to Afghanistan and some members of my regiment went.” 

But one of them didn’t come back. Last year, Bombardier Miles Mansell was killed in Afghanistan. 

“I had already submitted my name to go on tour but it wasn’t coming together well,” says Beddows. “Then last fall the call came again for reservists and this time they guaranteed deployment. I had spent a year trying to talk myself out of it, but when the call came for 500 reservists I thought about it, talked it over with my wife and decided to go. Miles’ death sort of inspired me and watching others from the regiment go, I thought this is the time for me.” 

But Beddows says it really comes down to more than that. 

“The most compelling reason I’m going is I feel that we as Canadians have made a promise to Afghanistan to help them in a very dark time. I believe in that mission. I believe we are doing a good job with NATO.” 

At the end of this month, Beddows will head to the Canadian Forces Base at Shilo, Manitoba for training. In February 2008 he will be deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan for a six-month tour. 

Beddows believes his part in the fighting is important to the future of Afghanistan. 
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## mckee19 (24 Mar 2007)

sounds like a stand up guy, wish him the best of luck

stay safe brother


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