Not Hearing Her Voice

Heroes Remember

Not Hearing Her Voice

Transcript

Everything in kind of the fog of war, if you will, there are so many moving parts and you are only one set of boots on the ground. Obviously we rely heavily on the officers that commanded us and whoever is leading the patrol and there was a lot going on that day. Looking back when we kind of spooled up to go out in that area before we left PRT, Captain Goddard was in the kitchen getting a coffee and I thought, oh my god like there she is! She was this role model. I didn’t know her personally. But I had said, I went in to grab the last cold bottle of water or something before we went out on that event. And I’m like, “Coffee?” And she’s like, “Oh yes any time of day!” And she was very Lasse fair about it and I’m thinking it’s so hot out for one and you’re going to have to pee and to try and pee, I just think of those things right? And she just had this, she walked out of the kitchen with me before we left or I walked out with her I guess and she just had this cool, calm, collect Lasse fair attitude. But her voice over the radio. I close my eyes and think about it still so I think in the caous and everything that took place that day. When she got hit we couldn’t hear her voice anymore. And I think there were many people out there that day that that is what stuck with them as well. No matter what previously had taken place when I had the opportunity to be our foo attached to us, her voice no matter what was going on the cadence never changed. She never got excited. She was cool, calm and collect on that radio. And in that evening is when it unfolded into the evening and into the next morning not having her voice there. I think it was palpable. Everyone felt that, I think. And she was gone.

Description

The loss of comrade, Nicola Goddard, is remembered by army medic Larter as she shares her personal encounter hours before the ambush

Vanessa Larter

Ms. Vanessa Larter was born April 17, 1982 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. After graduating from high school Vanessa studied at UPEI and later made the choice to join the military as a medical technician. Her basic training took her to Gagetown, N,B, Camp Borden, Ontario for her first medical course, BC for paramedic school and then finally to settle with his first job in Edmonton, Alberta. She joined with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry with occupation of army medic. Along with In-Canada service Vanessa had two deployments to Afghanistan, 2006 and 2008. With a sixteen year career Vanessa is still in the military and resides at Camp Borden as a physician assistant holding rank of sergeant. Vanessa has great pride for her military service. She now resides in Ontario with her three children.

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