Sgt Bill McLeod
17 Wing Public Affairs
17 WING WINNIPEG, Man. –Brigadier-General Pierre St-Amand, Deputy Commander 1 Canadian Air Division, presented Sacrifice Medals to two deserving Team Winnipeg members at a ceremony held at the Warrants and Sergeants Mess on Tuesday, 6 December 2011.
Sergeant Mathew Ryan Turner and Master Corporal Bryce Gerard Alan Hooper were piped into the ceremony in front of senior staff including BGen St-Amand, 17 Wing Commander Colonel Blaise Frawley, Wing Chief Warrant Officer Mike Scarcella, as well as members’ families and friends. The Royal Canadian Air Force Band provided music before and after the ceremony.
“Those of us in uniform know that we have to be prepared to put ourselves in great danger,” said BGen St-Amand. “By extension, our families are also asked to make significant sacrifices in support of their loved ones. Today it is a great honour to be here to put these medals on the chests of these heroes.”
In 2008, Sgt Turner was deployed to Kandahar Air Field where he was the single electrician for approximately two months. From there he deployed to Camp Nathan Smith to assist with a rewiring project. While travelling by convoy to Forward Operating Base Wilson his convoy came under attack from a suicide bomber during which Sgt Turner sustained injuries.
MCpl Hooper was deployed with Task Force 3-08, Roto 7 in 2008 with the Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, leaving his family for the third time in four years. He was deployed for an extended tour in Afghanistan, which included serving as a Bison Crew Commander in over 50 combat patrols outside the wire.
During the ceremony Sgt Turner was also presented with the Canadian Forces’ Decoration for completing 12 years of honourable service to the country.
Sgt Turner presently works at 17 Wing Construction Engineering Squadron and MCpl Hooper works at 38 Service Battalion at Minto Armouries.
The Sacrifice Medal was created to provide a tangible and lasting form of recognition for the sacrifices made by members of the Canadian Forces and those who work with them who have been wounded or killed under honourable circumstances as a direct result of a hostile action or action intended for a hostile force.
For more information about the Sacrifice Medal please visit:
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/chc-tdh/chart-tableau-eng.asp?ref=SM
For more information about 17 Wing please visit:
http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/17w-17e/index-eng.asp
