Canadian Forces Chief Engineer Briefs Rotary on Afghanistan

Major-General Chris Whitecross (shown above) gave the Rotary Club of Kemptville an overview of the accomplishments of the Canadian Armed Forces during the military phase of the engagement in Afghanistan.  Maj.-Gen. Whitecross is the Chief Engineer of the Canadian Forces, based at National Defence HQ, in Ottawa.  She is also the President of the Rotary Club of South Nepean.  During a 14-month tour of duty in Kandahar Province, where Canadian troops have been stationed longest, she had an opportunity to witness first  hand the many hundreds of miles of well-paved road that have been built by our soldiers where none existed before.  Clinics, schools and mosques, in addition to local government buildings and police stations have arisen all over the harsh but beautiful countryside.  In her spare time, Whitecross volunteered, helping women’s groups develop effective networking to ensure their voice is heard in shaping their new country, and in two schools, both co-educational, one of which is for developmentally challenged children only.  One child in four in Afghanistan is developmentally challenged.  In the past they received no education at all.  Whitecross, with other Canadian soldiers, made 40 desks, enough to seat 160 children studying at the latter.  Canada’s mission to Afghanistan is scheduled to end 31 March 2014.