BRANDON – Annastasia Lewis has waited for her husband Matthew while he served three tours in Afghanistan.
The latest lasted nine months, but it was the final few minutes before his arrival home that felt like an eternity.
“How do we miss him? Like crazy. The most you can miss someone ever,” said Lewis, who was waiting with their two-year-old son, Eli.
A transport plane arrived around 4 p.m. at the airport in Brandon, Man., carrying Shilo-based soldiers, including Sgt. Matthew Lewis.
“I was excited and glad to be home,” Lewis said after he greeted his family.
He is among the final 93 who arrived back on Canadian soil Tuesday.
The soldiers’ arrival came after the end of Canada’s training mission in Afghanistan and the longest military engagement the country’s history. Canadian troops had been in Afghanistan since 2002.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Tuesday in Ottawa that May 9 will be a national day of honour for those who served in Afghanistan.
“Together I know that all Canadians join with me and say welcome home and job well done,” said Harper.
But as this chapter ends, what will Canada’s legacy in this still-troubled and fragile country be?
“Overall I’m very satisfied with the Canadian mission,” said Col. Lee Hammond, deputy commander of the Canadian contribution training mission. “We are leaving at the right time; we got the mission where it needs to be. And the contributions were quite significant.”
Priority one isn’t nation building for Sgt. Michael Percey anymore. It’s about being with the most important people in his life — including his two kids.
“They don’t know I’m coming,” said Percey. “They think I’m coming home at the end of the month.”
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