Behind Afghan lines

Photo: Contributed

A retired colonel will share his experiences from two tours of duty in Afghanistan during a visit to Penticton.

Penticton Art Gallery will host retired Col. James W. Hammond on July 22 as he presents a slide show and talk based on his experiences with the Canadian Armed Forces.

His talk, "Afghanistan: Myths, Realities and Prognosis," and will include a slideshow of images taken during his time there.

The presentation will give first-hand accounts of life on the ground in the war-torn country and provide insight into the role the Canadian military played during its 12-year involvement from 2001 to 2014.

Hammond has been posted across Canada and to Germany, Brunei, Bosnia, Afghanistan and England in a variety of command and staff positions in the infantry and special forces

In 2010-11, he served nine months in Kabul during his second tour in Afghanistan.

Hammond has  also worked on NATO and arms-control policy and was seconded to the Privy Council Office. He has published a number of articles and essays on leadership and military issues. He was awarded a British Division Commander’s Commendation for his work in Bosnia, and was also named to the Order of Military Merit.

The presentation coincides with two exhibitions at the gallery – Kabul Art Project: Contemporary Art from Afghanistan, and Gift of Conscience, by Allan Harding Mackay, which documents his work as a Canadian war artist in Afghanistan in 2002.

Doors open at 7 p.m.; admission is by donation.