Page 19 - Demo

the situation, but also heavily influential in assuring the safety of our soldiers - their professionalism was resolute, and their work ethic was beyond inspiring. The team was quick to identify the Centre’s needs, and to implement standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of everyone involved while also maximizing resources to ensure the best possible care and attention for the residents.
For their part, the soldiers took quite well to the unfamiliar situation with infantrymen, and pipers and drummers working side by side in support of a mission their individual military career paths had not trained them for. In some cases, relationships and even friendships were forged between the soldiers and the residents, or the soldiers and the staff members. The Saint Andrew Care Centre ultimately became less an element of the overall operation, and soon regarded within the platoon as specifically a Black Watch responsibility – most significantly, a definite labour of love. To this point, and with so much profoundly expressed loyalty to the Centre and its residents, the soldiers of F32 are eager to know when they can return to the Saint Andrew Care Centre, as they feel there is so much more yet left to do beyond the re-stabilization achieved during the mission.
On the 12th of June, F32 officially withdrew from the Saint Andrew Care Centre. The withdrawal was marked with a ceremony that saw laughter and tears accompanied by the skirling tone of Regimental pipes. It was a bitter-sweet moment: happy that the Centre was once again operating autonomously, but sad that it was time to go. This impactful experience has done much to reaffirm the citizen half of the citizen-soldier concept of the CAF Primary Reserves, as the members of F32 were charged with the care and support of our most at-risk citizens, our elders.
A Canadian Forces Reservist’s commitment to their community is a profound relationship, and one that has been highlighted significantly during Operation Laser. F32, as members of the larger Black Watch Regimental family, would like to fold the Saint Andrew Care Centre into our embrace as we feel that as capable citizens, their care is our responsibility. As our Regimental motto states, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit – No One Provokes Me with Impunity. This extends to all members of the Regimental family – which, as far as F32 is concerned, includes the residents and staff at the Saint Andrew Care Centre.
OPERATION LASER - CONTINUED FROM PG 17
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MCpl Crowley arm wrestling with
a patient (physio therapy) at St. Andrew’s seniors’ home in Montreal during COVID-19 op