One of our goals at this podcast is to preserve the memory of Allied and Coalition forces, so this episode is particularly poignant as we mark the 10th Anniversary of Canada's withdrawal from Afghanistan (which occurred on 12 March).

For this episode I am honored to welcome back Major-General Michel-Henri St-Louis, a Canadian Army General who is currently serving as the Canadian Defence Attache to the United States, and a warfighter who served in Afghanistan.

Major-General St-Louis is an Infantry officer who holds 3 masters degrees focused on war studies, military history, and strategy and defence. He has deployed on 5 overseas missions including Bosnia, Croatia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.

Notable highlights of the General's career include being the Commander of Operation Impact; Commander of the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Center; Deputy Commanding General for Operations for the US Army's First Corps; and serving for an extended period as the acting Commander of the Canadian Army and Chief of the Army Staff.

Major-General St-Louis has attended the U.S. Capstone Leadership Program and is a graduate of the National War College in Washington, DC; and he is also an Officer within the Legion of Merit in the United States.

I have had the privilege to meet the General on numerous occasions over the years, and I know him to be a kind, professional and passionate leader who genuinely cares about the people and mission of the Canadian Army and the Canadian Armed Forces in which he serves.

Major-General St-Louis' first tour in Afghanistan was in February 2006 as part of the Strategic Advisory Team (SAT), which brought together a team of strategic advisors for Afghanistan. 

His second deployment in Afghanistan was from November 2010 to July 2011, where he commanded the last Canadian battle group that conducted combat operations in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar Province.

The focus of this episode is to chat about the General's experiences in Afghanistan, reflect on this milestone anniversary, and chat about lessons learned.

We want to thank Major-General St-Louis for the time he extended to us and we thank him for his continued service to the country. We also thank and recognize all those that served in uniform in Afghanistan, and we pay respect to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. You are not forgotten.

Similarly, we want to thank the Afghan people who sided with Coalition Forces in hope of a better life, and in particular those who fought side-by-side with Coalition Forces, and their families, many of whom live in fear today. You went Bold, and you should never be forgotten.