Few of my generation truly felt the effects of war. For many of us, awareness and appreciation for those who fought and continue to fight for those values we hold dear occurs once a year -- on Remembrance Day.

For some time, my wife and I have been members of the Legion, attending events and meetings, connecting with those people whose fascinating stories are filled with moments of courage and sacrifice. I am in awe of our veterans, and my gratitude for their sacrifices is beyond words.

My decision to participate in the Parliamentary Army program was as much a tribute to those who fight for us as it was my yearning to gain an understanding of their experience. For four days in August, I was embedded in Operation Maple Defender at the Canadian Maneuver Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta. This is a 620 square kilometer site where full time soldiers and army reservists prepare for the theater in which they are about to enter battle.

Units from across Canada and the US come here to properly integrate with each other before facing the real thing. In this case the Panjwayi District within Kandahar Province was recreated together with three small villages. My colleague Justin Trudeau and I were situated in Nakhonay Village. The villages have been staffed with Afghan-Canadian people who role-play positions such as the malik (mayor) and mullah (spiritual advisor). Afghan citizens cook and sew in front of their homes on the dusty dry streets of the village. Insurgents are dressed to detail and have trucks, weapons and re-created IEDs that explode among groups of people.

The camp consisted of over 100 troops housed in large army tents with cots and a small burner for cooking. We were given full army gear, as well as a special vest which detects shots from lasers attached to everyone's guns. These vests tell you if and where you are hit and whether it was fatal. If "wounded," a comrade can press other buttons on your vest and be guided through the necessary triage to revive you and get you to the medics.

I overheard an American soldier say that there is no better equipment in the US. This full combat experience -- albeit with blanks instead of shrapnel-provides for a very authentic environment. When told to "hit the ditch," there is no regard given to what you are jumping into. An order is an order and for the sake of your life and the safety of those around you, you obey.

After a briefing from senior officers, we were immersed into the life of a soldier -- unpredictable sleep; rations from vacuum-sealed aluminum bags; cleaning and re-assembling guns: even down to bugging the supply sergeant for more rations and water. Following a two-hour engagement with insurgents who hit two of our troops, we went into the village to establish relationships and act as mediators between disputing villagers.

One night, Justin and I joined a group of 40 soldiers who had been delegated the responsibility of marching into the hills to attack an abandoned Russian bunker that was being used by insurgents as a weapons cache. Eager to go, I attended briefings, slept for 30 minutes, and then departed at 1 a.m.

By 6 a.m., we were given orders to march towards the enemy, where we split into four groups: one to attack, the second as a backup, and two others who were to encircle the site and prevent outside insurgents from coming to the aid of those we were attacking.

Our section leader gestured a 10-second countdown, followed by a burst of organized chaos, shooting, running for cover, looking for insurgents, observing our success and finally watching a group of US engineers who had followed us who, upon command, rushed out of a bush to blow up the cache. After waiting on our stomachs for another hour to see if we could locate other insurgents Justin and I were brought back to camp to an awaiting Chinook transport helicopter

Interestingly, we also had the opportunity to observe the skill of our Canadian Forces firsthand through the eyes of the enemy. Justin and I went on to be outfitted as insurgents. We were deployed into a small forest several kilometers from the Afghan village. We spent a full day guarding a weapons cache before we came under fire. Most of our insurgents were killed and the rest of us were captured.

The balance of the day and next morning were spent in training and discussions with everyone from generals to privates discussing everything from the adequacy of military equipment, to the roles Canada should be playing in Afghanistan, to the effectiveness of programs to support the emotional needs of those returning from Afghanistan.

I am not by nature, training or cultural exposure, a soldier. It is not in my nature to engage in combat. It is in my nature to negotiate, to build bridges, to seek common ground. Sometimes negotiations fail, and in rare circumstances, military action is the last, but nevertheless necessary option.

This experience has given me a deeper insight into the professionalism of the Canadian forces and the conditions in which they train and fight, and ultimately the sacrifices they make in the name of our country.

We must support them regardless of the mission while they are there, and as importantly, when they return.

I shall look up to everyone I see in uniform or at the Legion all that much more appreciative now that I have actually walked a mile -- and a little more -- in their shoes.

Frank Valeriote

Member of Parliament for Guelph