John Faught never lost any of his troops in his three tours in Afghanistan.
The sergeant with the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry also never lost anyone during as many tours in Bosnia, said his uncle Ron Faught, 68.
But early Saturday, the family was told that streak ended when he was killed after stepping on an improvised explosive device during a patrol in southern Afghanistan.
John Faught, 44, was on routine patrol about 2 p.m. local time near the town of Nakhoney in the volatile Panjwaii district, about 15 kms southwest of Kandahar city.
No one else was hurt.
“His men nicknamed him Toast because he was so hard and crusty,” Ron said, but added that side of him was never seen by his family.
“But I guess he stepped on a few toes over there to make sure they stayed alive.
“He was like a father figure to them, they all looked up to him,” Ron said Saturday night. “And every tour that he’s gone on, he always brought his men home.
“He’s the first.”
Faught’s death brings to 139 Canadian soldiers and two civilians who have been killed in Canada’s eight-year mission in Afghanistan.
The incident was also the third lethal strike against Canadian forces by insurgents in as many weeks.
Ron said it’s been emotionally difficult for the family since it was notified of his death.
“The army was his life,” Ron said. “He was a career soldier.”
Faught was a 23-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Ron said.
“Before this all happened, his objective was to help people in Afghanistan,” he said. “He believed in the mission over there.”
Ron said he only saw his nephew about once a year when he returned to visit to his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie.
“The last time we saw him was before he went over in September,” he said.
Ron said the family would always be on pins and needles worrying about him while stationed in Afghanistan. “Always, always,” he said.
“When he came home, he’d always come home here to the Soo. I don’t know, he always seemed to be at ease when he was at home.”
He said his nephew, who was single, was “a caring person. Family meant everything to him, and his troops that he looked after meant everything to him. He put himself first. If he knew he stepped on this IED, he would tell his men to run away before this thing went off.”
Nakhoney, one corner of the so-called Panjwaii triangle and a long-time troublespot for Canadians, has been a hub of insurgent activity.
However, Canadian troops in recent months have made concerted efforts to secure the area.
Lt. Andrew Nuttall, who was killed during a foot patrol last Dec. 23, was among a group of soldiers who had been staying outside Nakhoney as part of the military’s new strategy of having troops live among Afghans.
At the time, senior defence officials were adamant the strategy was having “great success” despite Nuttall’s death.
They said locals had increasingly been approaching troops to point out the dreaded makeshift bombs, a devastatingly effective weapon of choice for the insurgents.
The combined patrol on which Faught was killed was part of Canada’s effort “to protect Afghans from insurgents and to learn more about the people of the village and their needs,” Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard said.
“He could always be counted on to tell it like it is when asked for his opinion,” Menard said in a statement late Saturday. “He was a very conscientious and thorough section commander who always put the needs of his soldiers above his own.”
- Files from The Canadian Press
rob.lamberti@sunmedia.ca
