Class

The cynics among our readership might see this gesture as a calculated attempt to curry favour with the mainstream press covering CF actions over in Kandahar:

Saturday, a memorial was unveiled by the Canadian military; a small plaque on a nondescript wooden post.

It was placed between two media tents.

The acting Commander of Canada's task force in Kandahar, Colonel Simon Hetherington, tells The Canadian Press they wanted to honour Lang the same way they do fallen troops.

"The improvised explosive device on the 30th of December didn't discriminate between military or civilian, didn't discriminate between reporter or diplomat. Michelle Lang was a Canadian who died in the service of peace while serving in Afghanistan."

Lang's father tells CTV, the tribute means a great deal and will carry her memory forward.

Anyone who has spent any time around soldiers can assure you that self-interest has nothing to do with this initiative. Memorials are important. Hell, monuments get saluted back in Canada. And that's what this is: a salute, a gesture of respect to someone whose sacrifice may well be better understood by those she covered than by those in her own industry.

BZ to those involved in putting this memorial up.

And on an unrelated note, it's interesting to see Simon Hetherington's back in the mix in Kandahar. He has some pretty relevant experience, having previously commanded the KPRT.