Evans, Scott William: my Canadian Forces recollections (March 23, 2012)

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Interviewer: Conquist, Stefan

Rank: Corporal. Medals and Honours: General Campaign Star

Interviewee: Evans, Scott William, b. 1984

An interview/narrative of Corporal Scott Evan's experiences whilst serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. Interview took place on March 23, 2012.

ABSTRACT: Begins with introductions and his reasons for joining the Army Reserves in 2003. The unit he joined, the military trade he chose, and the nature of armoured reconnaissance are discussed. The training Mr. Evans engaged in before going overseas was at Shilo, Edmonton, and Wainwright. Weapons skills, cultural awareness, and vehicular training were all covered. Evans' job on both tours was in the Force Protection Platoon for the National Support Element. He trained closely with other reservists in this platoon as well as the Supply and Transportation company which they escorted. He describes the kind of duties his first tour (Roto 5) covered, both as gate guards and convoy escorts. His second tour (Roto 8) consisted entirely of convoy duties. He describes how he felt about the atmosphere of both Force Protection Platoons. The narrative then progresses towards Kandahar itself with the description of Kandahar Airfield (KAF) and what the trip from Canada to Afghanistan was like. Guarding the base was described along with working alongside local Afghans. For half of Roto 5, and the entirety of Roto 8, he was a vehicle driver and later gunner escorting convoys. These formations were widespread, as far east as Spin Boldak, to police substations in Ghorak (north), and as far west as Camp Pegasus. Personal protective equipment, most notably the deficiencies of the standard Tactical Vest, are explored in depth. Vehicles are discussed as well, namely the RG-31 “Nyala' mine-resistant armored vehicle and the LAV III RWS (Remote Weapon Station). Weapons employed are also an important consideration for the Force Protection Platoon. Issues with the newer 'Nanuk' remote-weapon station were a serious concern during the Roto 8 tour. After this, he described both HLTAs (home leave travel assistance) during his tours. Roto 5 he went to the United Kingdom, with a family member, and on Roto 8 he went to Australia. HLTA helped Evans cope with the constant exposure and lack of privacy overseas. The psychological strain of working with the same group of people for so long was alleviated with the arrival of new soldiers to take over the platoon's positions. Leaving the theatre and going to decompression was another point of contention on Roto 5, especially returning to the BCRs. Despite this experience, he decided to go again afterwards for Roto 8. The narrative is concluded with some final thoughts about his motivations for going overseas, as well as some thoughts regarding Afghanistan in general. 0:00 – 10:40 – Reasons for joining the reserves, initial and pre-deployment training. 11:10 – 14:35 – Arriving in Kandahar and a description of Kandahar Airfield (KAF) 14:35 – 18:40 – Gate guard and convoy escort duties overseas. 18:44 – 36:54 – Personal equipment, vehicles, and the Remote Weapon Systems. 36:55 – 44:50 – HLTA after living with the Force Protection Platoon. 44:50 – 48:37 – Training compared to the tour and the arrival of replacement members. 48:38 – 53:00 – Leaving Kandahar, decompression, and arriving back in Canada. 53:01 – 55:37 – Motivations for the tour and some views on the mission in Afghanistan.

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
  • Title of paper: "Op ATHENA: Enlisted Experiences from Kandahar".
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 33, 66
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (WMA) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • ES_709
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 23, 2012
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
Rights
  • This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
DOI

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file details Evans_S_0709_01.mp3 Public