The Faces of Today's Military

Feature

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(L) Capt. Andrew Champion, Margie Schott, Capt. Sarah Wuntke and Capt. Reid Wuntke enjoyed part of their military leave in Southampton

These are the faces of today's young men and women who serve in Canada's Armed Forces.

Andrew Champion, his sister Sarah Wuntke and her husband Reid are all Captains after graduating from Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston.

Even as a young volunteer with Chantry Island's Lighthouse restoration project, Andrew Champion kept up with all the challenges thrown his way and asked for more. Then, as a student at RMC, he spent his summers doing hard-core army training. "I wanted to explore my own boundaries both mentally and physically," he says.

Champion was recognized as a leader when he graduated first in his class of 200 at RMC to serve in Afghanistan.

He was promoted as a junior to Lieutenant. "As soon as I graduated from RMC in 2007," says Champion, "I was moved to Edmonton and immediately given a troop of 30 people as a Lieutenant. I started training 'Alpha Troop' and was made Troop Commander and given another 30 troops. We officially began specialty training in August of 2008 and by January, 2009 we were ready to deploy in February to Afghanistan."

Today, as an Engineer and communications specialist who is now fluent in French, he heads up the Task Force Kandahar Signal Squadron in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan on Kandahar airfield, Champion and his troops support the large communications infrastructure.

"Kandahar Province is our Canadian focus," he explains, " and it is a very large province. To the south is the Pakistan border and a lot of the province is desert and mountains. There is a very narrow strip of population along the Arghandab River and we see a lot of our activity where the population lives, including Kandahar City, the capital. My job is to provide communications, from the highest command down to all the units. There is lots of area to cover, 120Km wide and 200 Km deep, and provide access to data and maintain communication equipment and gear. It's very specialized."

While it's specialized, according to Champion, it is also very exciting. "I have very experienced section commanders who lead each section and they are all outstanding in their initiative and skills."

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Champion who is moving through the ranks very quickly, is setting his goal on Lt. Colonel. "I don't know what's going to happen down the road," he says, "and if there is a job that offers a little more stability in the event that I want to start a family, then that would be good too." In the meantime, Champion, who has been on leave, is about to head back to Afghanistan for a final three-month tour until the end of November.

Champion's sister, Sarah, who is also a Captain and graduate of RMC, is a Health Care Administration Officer who heads up a medical clinic for the Airforce in Comox on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. "The medical system in the military is excellent," says Champion. "All the doctors in Comox are flight surgeon specialists." Champion oversees approximately 50 medical personnel and says that they are gearing up for the 2010 Olympics. "We (The Canadian Forces) are working with the RCMP and security. The military is always on standby when it comes to important world events such as this." Her husband, Reid Wuntke, also graduated RMC and is an Aerospace Engineer who is also stationed as a Captain at Comox on Vancouver Island.

Margie Schott, will be going into a nursing program in the fall but her application to the military is pending.

When Andrew Champion is asked about the role the Canadian military plays in Afghanistan, his answer is simple. "We have to be there. We are providing security and stability to the Afghan people so that they can make their own choices in life. We aren't imposing our own beliefs, we are just helping them decide their own."