Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sergeant Shane Stachnik
(2 CER)
3 September 2006
Sgt Stachnik and three other Petawawa-based soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the RCR were killed in one of the fiercest battles Canadians have fought since arriving in Afghanistan four years ago.
He was one of those people who helped keep spirits high in tough times. He tried to thwart the strict five kilometre per hour speed rule around the camp in Kabul, Afghanistan. “He’d of course insist he wasn’t speeding, that there were pedestrians passing him as he went along. So what he did was put a sign out in front of his ATV that said `I’m not speeding,’ ” said friend Warrant Officer Gerry Dale.
Dale noted that Stachnik was planning to get married, and become a stepfather.
“Whatever Shane did, he did well. Whoever he met, he touched. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
My prayers are with Sgt Stachnik's family. I am a step-father and I know that the family becomes one before the wedding.
Lt Jean Johns, a comrade, said his fellow soldiers will remember Stachnik as a dedicated, yet fun-loving soldier. "We remember the grin that alluded to the infectious sense of humour that all who were close to him knew," Johns said.
Stachnik lived in Chalk River, just north of Petawawa. Johns said his friends knew him for his love of simpler things like working on his motorcycle and wearing lumberjack jackets. He was also looking forward to marrying his fiancee, Darcy Mitton. The two had yet to set a date for their wedding. They wanted to wait until he returned home from his tour of duty to begin planning their future.
Stachnik was a quiet man, Johns said, but the first to diffuse a tense situation with humour. Stachnik never looked for any glory, Johns said. He joined the military out of a desire to help the world.
"Shane lived his life the way many of us dream of — he lived to serve, to give and to love," Johns said. "He was not one for fanfare."
From friends in 2 CER:
«RIP - Sgt Shane Stachnik (3 Sep 2006)»
Shane,
I am going to miss you friend!!! It was surely a joy to serve with during my stay in 2 CER. You were an outstanding soldier and an excellent leader. You being in the same Sqn, and at times, the same Troop was a real benefit. While not always receiving the clean end of the stick, you always conducted yourself professionally and absolutely reflected the best that 2 CER had to offer. I remember how you used to keep me in check when I was Sqn Ops and you were the CP Driver..........good times for sure!
I miss you Hank and will see you again soon.
Godspeed and Chimo!!!!!
Mike
«Reply #1»
Shane was a good friend of mine also when I did my tour with 2 CER. He was a great guy and could always count on him. I’m gonna miss him also. Chimo Brother beaver.
Mike
«Reply #6»
Shane was one hell of a great friend....
We did our Basic and QL-3 together and ended up as section members working for the infamous Grooter. We've been following each other around ever since. I think back to many good times like when he was left on the side of the road in Bihac taking a leak, him "accidentally" hitting the bilge pump switch on the APC while Dusty and I were grabbing the demo cable off the back in our Winter Whites, trying to use a Zoom boom on a piece of MR to move dock anchor shots during a driving snow and hail storm, hiding that stupid spy novel, "The Eiger Sanction", in each others kit for the last 8 years, which he was kind enough to send me last year. I will keep that stupid book till the day I die. When my Ex and I split up in 99, Shane was right there to help me move and gave me a place to stay until I got posted. We spent many weekends taking off into the woods shooting old TV's and stuff, joking about starting up the "Kings Road Chapter" of the "Chalk River Militia". I can't count how many times Nick, Skins and I destroyed his garage, but he never got mad enough to not forgive me after a couple bottles of Canadian. In a nutshell, Shane was a guy who could be counted on no matter how shitty and uncomfortable things got and there was no problem in the world that couldn't solved over a beer in the garage.
Shane, enjoy the eternal ride on your Sportster man. There will be plenty of furniture burning and guns 'n whiskey for everyone when we all meet up on the other side.
«Reply #13»
I served in 2 CER with Shane. I never had him in my troop, but always admired and respected his "quite Leadership" and outstanding morale.
Missed but not forgotten.
Chimo.
Chimo
National Post Article
National Post Article about Offensive
National Post Article about the memorial service (quoted here)
Alberta-raised soldier 'not one for fanfare' (Quoted Here)
RIP - Sgt Shane Stachnik (3 Sep 2006) (Quoted Here)
3 September 2006
Sgt Stachnik and three other Petawawa-based soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the RCR were killed in one of the fiercest battles Canadians have fought since arriving in Afghanistan four years ago.
He was one of those people who helped keep spirits high in tough times. He tried to thwart the strict five kilometre per hour speed rule around the camp in Kabul, Afghanistan. “He’d of course insist he wasn’t speeding, that there were pedestrians passing him as he went along. So what he did was put a sign out in front of his ATV that said `I’m not speeding,’ ” said friend Warrant Officer Gerry Dale.
Dale noted that Stachnik was planning to get married, and become a stepfather.
“Whatever Shane did, he did well. Whoever he met, he touched. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
My prayers are with Sgt Stachnik's family. I am a step-father and I know that the family becomes one before the wedding.
Lt Jean Johns, a comrade, said his fellow soldiers will remember Stachnik as a dedicated, yet fun-loving soldier. "We remember the grin that alluded to the infectious sense of humour that all who were close to him knew," Johns said.
Stachnik lived in Chalk River, just north of Petawawa. Johns said his friends knew him for his love of simpler things like working on his motorcycle and wearing lumberjack jackets. He was also looking forward to marrying his fiancee, Darcy Mitton. The two had yet to set a date for their wedding. They wanted to wait until he returned home from his tour of duty to begin planning their future.
Stachnik was a quiet man, Johns said, but the first to diffuse a tense situation with humour. Stachnik never looked for any glory, Johns said. He joined the military out of a desire to help the world.
"Shane lived his life the way many of us dream of — he lived to serve, to give and to love," Johns said. "He was not one for fanfare."
From friends in 2 CER:
«RIP - Sgt Shane Stachnik (3 Sep 2006)»
Shane,
I am going to miss you friend!!! It was surely a joy to serve with during my stay in 2 CER. You were an outstanding soldier and an excellent leader. You being in the same Sqn, and at times, the same Troop was a real benefit. While not always receiving the clean end of the stick, you always conducted yourself professionally and absolutely reflected the best that 2 CER had to offer. I remember how you used to keep me in check when I was Sqn Ops and you were the CP Driver..........good times for sure!
I miss you Hank and will see you again soon.
Godspeed and Chimo!!!!!
Mike
«Reply #1»
Shane was a good friend of mine also when I did my tour with 2 CER. He was a great guy and could always count on him. I’m gonna miss him also. Chimo Brother beaver.
Mike
«Reply #6»
Shane was one hell of a great friend....
We did our Basic and QL-3 together and ended up as section members working for the infamous Grooter. We've been following each other around ever since. I think back to many good times like when he was left on the side of the road in Bihac taking a leak, him "accidentally" hitting the bilge pump switch on the APC while Dusty and I were grabbing the demo cable off the back in our Winter Whites, trying to use a Zoom boom on a piece of MR to move dock anchor shots during a driving snow and hail storm, hiding that stupid spy novel, "The Eiger Sanction", in each others kit for the last 8 years, which he was kind enough to send me last year. I will keep that stupid book till the day I die. When my Ex and I split up in 99, Shane was right there to help me move and gave me a place to stay until I got posted. We spent many weekends taking off into the woods shooting old TV's and stuff, joking about starting up the "Kings Road Chapter" of the "Chalk River Militia". I can't count how many times Nick, Skins and I destroyed his garage, but he never got mad enough to not forgive me after a couple bottles of Canadian. In a nutshell, Shane was a guy who could be counted on no matter how shitty and uncomfortable things got and there was no problem in the world that couldn't solved over a beer in the garage.
Shane, enjoy the eternal ride on your Sportster man. There will be plenty of furniture burning and guns 'n whiskey for everyone when we all meet up on the other side.
«Reply #13»
I served in 2 CER with Shane. I never had him in my troop, but always admired and respected his "quite Leadership" and outstanding morale.
Missed but not forgotten.
Chimo.
Chimo
National Post Article
National Post Article about Offensive
National Post Article about the memorial service (quoted here)
Alberta-raised soldier 'not one for fanfare' (Quoted Here)
RIP - Sgt Shane Stachnik (3 Sep 2006) (Quoted Here)
# posted by Willing Foe : 9/06/2006 08:42:00 p.m.
