Hey Piper 
... are you not my chivalrous Piper who lifted me in your arms out of a carrier at the VE Day Ottawa parade day that happened on the grand opening of the Ottawa War Museum, me being an arthritic Old Ma Yappy Vets Dottir (at least I have some kind of memory of you lifting me in your arms for some reason, if this is indeed you) ................... 
If it is you, my god, I had no idea what you later went through and still do and I'm really sorry I wasn't aware of any of this.
I was at the opening of the museum with Normandy Platoon, Highland Light Infantry of Canada (my regiments reenactment group). And I was there as the piper... and I think I was the only reenactment piper there.... sooo...
If this is the piper you remember:
And this is the carrier (one of them anyway):
Then, it was probably me. That was quite a while ago, and I have the memory of a goldfish sometimes. What I do remember about that day was being approached by the parade Sgt Maj (CWO I think) about 10 min before the beginning of the act of remembrance, at the national war memorial, and asked to play the lament... the piper who was supposed to do it was late and the Sgt Maj was concerned. Of course I said yes, and found a quiet corner to practice a bit. But as my luck would have it; the piper showed up just moments before the whole show started. Would have been pretty awesome to play at the national memorial though... oh well.
Besides that; the rest of the weekend was a healthy mix of playing the pipes, shooting blanks from a Lee Enfield and drinking heroic amounts of alcohol... good times.
I haven't done much with the reenactment group since I've been home, due to school, work and health issues, but I'm hoping to get back into it soon. I really miss those days.
Congrats on your marriage, and I thank god you came home to share with the rest of us, the truths and realities in your purely "was and is" voice, so that everyone can know you better, and know what things are really like from "those who were there perspectives" ... the better the rest of us know and understand what our deployed troops experience and sacrifice, the better we all know how to relate and respond ... and know better how to respond to and support our troops on our ends. So many people "don't get it" because so many people really don't know, and people like, you, your voices, are SO important for the rest of us. I also think that when someone breaks the ice and talks, then more people have the courage to honestly open up too, and that can only be healing ?
I read through EVERY post from beginning to end last night and thank you so much for your outpourings because your telling it like it was and is for you is also telling it like it is and was for our troops and more will open up because you broke the ice ... opened doors of understanding and communication between our troops and the rest of us. None of us can ever know how to respond and be there for someone else if we don't know and understand them. We don't know what to say, or how to act, and feel helpless. They need to tell us ... which you did and I can only guess that your post and this thread has opened up a LOT of people to understanding each other and a LOT of progress has been made in relationships, healing, and even understanding ... communication doors are opened ... and because of that, doors for progress and better ways of handing things for our troops.
General population Canadians, need to know and understand our military types better and how important what they do is, for them, and what it costs. General Canadians need to connect the dots in their own understanding about the importance and value of the military for their own survival and freedoms.
When people like you open up and tell us all publically the real "is/was" that goes a long way in doing away with misunderstandings and stereotypes and towards working together as civis and troops (etc) working together as teams and helping each other, which makes for a stronger "Canada". Family eh? 
I appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad the bond between soldiers and civilians is growing stronger... I'm also glad that I was/am able to contribute to that bond (if I am)... but, As I've said in previous posts, the reason for my original post here was to get things off my chest; to vent and try to move on. And all the other writing (Outside the wire) was really because someone asked. I'm not much of a writer; I can really only write what I know and what I've done. So unless I keep doing interesting/painful things, which the wife won't allow
, or people develop a taste for books about an engineering student, or a part time soldier, I don't think I'll be writing much more.
I really was hoping to make another jaunt back over to the sand box, but there have been a lot of obstacles; school, health (PCAT), the wife (understandably)... and, somehow, I doubt I'll have it all sorted out before we're out of there.
Either way; if the repercussions of my writings include encouraging my fellow soldiers to come fourth with their experiences; I believe the Canadian Forces and the general population will be better for it. And I'm glad to have a small part to play in it all.
If you are my chivalrous Piper of VE Day (and I'm pretty sure you are) I have a photo I took of you that day somewhere that I'm trying to find again, of you in your kilt, and you weren't drunk like the one you posted in here 
I'll post or send it you if I can find it again.
Heh... at least not that you know of...
That weekend involved quite a bit of alcohol. heh... I really do miss those days. (not the drinking; the fun and adventure.)
What else can I say? I don't know. Thank you is kinda sorta how I feel, but it's so much more than that. Your life is redirected since you were hurt and I hope you find a new happy niche that feeds your soul if you can't pick up the threads of your original hopes and plans.
Again, I appreciate the kind words.
As for picking up the pieces; unfortunately, I have skewed quite a bit from my original plans... but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. If I were on the same road as I was before tour, I would probably be an out of work machinist. I doubt I'd be living where I am now, and I would probably be putting in for a transfer to the big R (regular force).
As it stands; I'm in school for Mechanical Engineering while I recover, and I'm tailoring my education in one of two (or both, haven't decided fully) directions; Defense research and development or renewable energy resources. Currently, I'm finishing up a co-op placement with a defense contractor who focus on vehicle survivability... Every day I go into work, I see people working to ensure our soldiers come home. And they're fiercely proud of their work. (their motto is "do it right the first time"). I see the products they are sending out and I would, most definitely, put my safety in their hands.
On the military side; I'm fighting medical release, but I have amazing support from my assisting officer (
3VP Highlander ), my home unit, 31 CBG and LFCA. Even if I am deemed unfit for my trade, I will still stay with the unit as a bandsman. If I am deemed unfit for the CF in general, I will just be a volunteer bandsman. I could never leave my family.
Physically, I am improving steadily; about a month ago, the unit conducted a Battle Fitness Test... I hadn't done one since before deployment, and was slowly working up to it. My original plan was to be ready to do the BFT by the end of the summer... I did it that night with the rest of the troops. I didn't pass, but I finished the 13K (2h 40min or so). My goal was just to finish and I did. By the end of the summer, I believe I'll be able to pass.
Anyway, nothing will ever be the way it was before; but that's the dynamic nature of life. As Robert Frost put it;
"TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both...
...Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Did I take the one less traveled by on purpose? maybe not. Am I sorry for it? Hell no. Has it made all the difference? Yes!
There will be more roads, and I will take the ones of lesser travel because they're more interesting, more adventurous, and most of all, because I know how far I can go. I've been close to the end, and I've found that there is a great buffer between us and our limits... It's in this soft, self imposed limit that we can make the most difference; we just have to learn to accept the consequences, good or bad, and accept the challenge.
Example; I could spend my recovery time sitting on *** in an office doing something cushy (yes, recruiting was cushy). Why would I burden myself with school? Especially Mechanical Engineering (it's much more difficult than I thought)? Simply because I have the opportunity, the time and the resources at hand, right now... and when I'm finished.. and I will finish.. I will be better for it. And I will use it to face the next challenge. The military has taught us; "Seek and accept responsibility". I say; seek and accept challenges. Whether you succeed or fail, you will be better for it... you just have to accept that you could fail, and learn from the experience.
Anyway, sorry for turning this into a novel; I've had a lot on my mind about the way I'm conducting my life (not in a bad way), and it just throws me into rants sometimes... someday, I'll write a book of rants. I wouldn't want to publish it before I'm dead though... too much flak.
Thanks again for the kind words... and I hope I am/was the piper of which you write... he sounds like a nice guy.
