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Sgt. George Miok KIA Afghanistan Dec 30, 2009 41 Combat Engineer Regiment

Discussion in 'Roll of Honor & Memories - All Other Conflicts' started by macrusk, Jan 1, 2010.

  1. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

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    Slain soldier Miok was torn between the army and teaching

    EDMONTON — Sgt. George Miok wasn't sure he wanted to go back to Afghanistan a second time. The Edmonton-based reservist was also a teacher who had spent the 2008-09 school year at St. Cecilia's Junior High School in Edmonton.


    "George was torn. He had two loves. . . . He was torn between going back to Afghanistan and wanting to become a teacher full-time," said David Moss, who was part of a team that hired Miok to teach religion, math, gym and health to the school's Grade 7 students.


    "George was a unique individual. He was very enthusiastic and outgoing, had a huge smile. He was very gregarious. He bonded well with the kids."

    Miok — one of four Canadian soldiers killed in an IED explosion in Kandahar on Wednesday, which also claimed the life of Canwest News Service journalist Michelle Lang — was a member of 41 Combat Engineer Regiment and serving with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.


    Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard, Commander of Task Force Kandahar, said Miok was a "dedicated" officer who was well-liked by his troops. "The welfare of his soldiers came first, and they knew they could turn to him for advice and guidance."


    Moss said Miok, 28, already had one tour under his belt when he started at the school. He considered becoming a teacher full-time after that year, but positions were scarce and the second Afghanistan tour was a sure thing.


    Moreover, Miok had been promoted to Sergeant, and the tour that left Edmonton in September afforded him the opportunity to work directly with the Afghan National Army, Moss said.


    He kept in touch with his former school, though, sending e-mails that were shared with the students on Remembrance Day. Moss said he last got an e-mail from Miok right before Christmas.


    "All is well on this front as we are making as much progress as we can," Miok wrote in the e-mail, which he ended by including a poem based on the Night Before Christmas about a soldier alone for the holidays.


    "Working as an Infantry Section Commander with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team is a very dynamic and rewarding position," he continued. "It's not ideal to be spending Christmas here but I'm surrounded by some of the best Canadians that a guy can serve with."


    Miok, who was not married and did not have children, liked to keep busy. In addition to his duties as a reservist, he also bartended at the Rose and Crown, a downtown Edmonton pub.


    Dan Shaw, the pub's general manager, said he wasn't sure if he could break the news to his staff Thursday.


    "He was an unbelievable guy. I came out here last February. He was the first guy I met when I came out here," Shaw said Thursday morning.

    "I didn't realize he was in the reserves in the first few weeks. I just thought he was incredibly well-regimented and polite."


    Shaw said the pub had a big going-away party for Miok before he deployed in September. Most of the staff was surprised he decided to re-deploy, since Miok talked often of becoming a full-time teacher.

    "It caught us all off-guard, but we had to respect his decision," Shaw said. "We were all worried about it at the time."


    Shaw said Miok had a brother and parents in the Edmonton area. When reached at home, Miok's father said he wasn't quite ready to talk about
    his son.


    "He just, he did his duty," he said.
     
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Do you know how he was killed, Michelle?
     
  3. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

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    http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/abc/home/contentposting.aspx?isfa=1&feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V3&showbyline=True&date=true&newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20100101%2framp_ceremony_100101

    Four Canadian soldiers and a journalist who died in a bomb blast in Afghanistan are on their way home after a solemn ramp ceremony Friday at Kandahar airfield.




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    Thousands of soldiers stood at attention in the sun to watch the caskets loaded onto a transport plane, as a lone piper played.

    The casket of Calgary Herald reporter Michelle Lang was carried by five Canadian soldiers, one U.S. soldier and two Canadian diplomats ahead of the four slain soldiers: Sgt. George Miok, 28, and Cpl. Zachery McCormack, 21, both of Edmonton; Sgt. Kirk Taylor, 28, of Yarmouth, N.S.; and Pte. Garrett Chidley, 21, of Cambridge, Ont. All were members of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.

    The group had been travelling in the outskirts of Kandahar city Wednesday when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Four other Canadian soldiers and a Canadian civilian official were seriously wounded.

    "Wednesday, 30 December, 2009 was a dark day for Canada," said Padre Sandy Scott.

    "But the light that brings life to the world will never allow the powers of darkness to overcome the light of Canadians like these."

    Scott remembered Miok, who taught junior high school in Edmonton, as a soldier and friend who was always there for his comrades.

    "Even in the darkest places that visit us during a mission like this, George would shine light of ingenuity, flexibility and another hopeful plan," Scott said.

    McCormack, who was engaged to be married, was recalled as being a caring, "outstanding soldier," whose "tenacity made him a bigger man than his physical stature."

    Taylor was remembered for his "calm demeanour," while Chidley's sense of humour was celebrated for its ability to boost morale among fellow soldiers.
    Chidley, known as Chiddels, "wanted to help make a difference for the people of Afghanistan," Scott said.

    He also paid tribute to Lang, whom he called a "rising star" in Canadian journalism who was committed to getting "the whole truth" and "telling stories of hope, not just pain."

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai phoned Prime Minister Stephen Harper to offer his deepest condolences to the families of the dead. He also said that Canada has been a "good friend to the Afghan people."

    Wednesday's attack was the most deadly incident for Canadian troops in two-and-a-half years. After almost eight weeks without a fatality, five soldiers have been killed in the last week. In total, 138 Canadian soldiers have now been killed while serving in Canada's mission in Afghanistan, which began in 2002.
     

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