Afghanistan Veteran and Mountaineer visits RMC

Afghanistan Veteran and Mountaineer visits RMC

By: 26173 OCdt (II) Emily Morgan

The 2011/12 Mount Kilimanjaro Expedition group has been hard at work in preparation for their December climb.  Intense fitness training has already begun, as well as the preparation of local fundraising events for LGen Roméo Dallaire’s Child Soldier’s Initiative.

The Expedition Group is committed to raising at least $20,000 which will be put towards creating a scholarship for former child soldiers to study their Master’s degree at a Canadian university in partnership with Child Soldier Initiative.

This past Wednesday Warrant Officer Quinn Beggs visited RMC to give a talk to the third and fourth year Army cadets.  He and Captain Schamuhn, 12 Squadron Commander, spoke of their fascinating experiences in Afghanistan as the command team of their platoon.

WO Beggs was seriously injured while on deployment in 2009. In 2011 he and three other wounded soldiers successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro with the support of Soldier On in order to raise money for the Orthopedic Surgery Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.  They raised over one million dollars with their climb that was put towards a new center for hip and knee care.

The mountaineer sat down with the Expedition Group for lunch and shared details of his climb as well as photos.  He provided training advice in preparation for the mountain and insight into what the experience would be like. Overall, the Expedition Group is grateful, and is more excited than ever to follow in the Warrant’s foosteps to the highest summit in Africa this Christmas leave.

Stay tuned for the next article where we will provide information on our fundraising activities and how to donate to Child Soldier Inititative.