High military honours for ex-McGill athlete Prohar

Feb 19, 07 Ice Hockey (M)

By Earl Zukerman, CP and CBC Newsworld

MONTREAL -- Capt. Derek Prohar, a former McGill football and hockey player from Avonlea, Sask., was among six soldiers awarded military valour decorations on Monday.

These were the first such decorations Canada has awarded since they were created in 1993 to replace the British honours system.

Prohar, who received the Medal of Military Valour, helped launch a successful September 2006 counter-attack against the Taliban while working with U.S. special forces in southern Afghanistan.

"We're no better or no worse than anybody over there," said Prohar, who added it was "nice to be recognized."

Prohar was assigned as liaison officer with the United States Special Forces in Afghanistan during the battle at Sperwan Ghar, September 5-12, 2006.

Prohar told CBC Newsworld he was hit by shrapnel during the operation.

"My mother's watching this [interview] right now and that might be the first time she's heard this," he said.

He was working as the rear machine gunner on the battalion commander's vehicle and was wounded by an improvised explosive device during an intense enemy ambush and despite his injuries, he continued returning fire and assisted the commander with the control of the attack, which resulted in the successful seizing of key terrain.

Prohar was a defensive back with the McGill Redmen football team for one season, then joined the hockey Redmen, where he played at forward an patrolled the blueline from 1994 to 1998. He won the University's Richard Pound Award in 1997-98 for proficiency and leadership in athletics.

Canada's military valour decorations include, in descending order of rank, the Victoria Cross, the Star of Military Valour and the Medal of Military Valour.

Governor General Michaëlle Jean and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier presented the awards during a ceremony at Ottawa's Château Laurier.

The Governor General, who acts as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said the medals were created to recognize valour, courage, selflessness and devotion to duty in very difficult situations.

"That is what our soldiers are enduring in Afghanistan … isolation, intense fire, injury, confusion and death," she said. "Every Canadian who learns about their courage … realizes how difficult it is and realizes their courage."

"The medals are an important symbol of support," she said.

"They need to see that we understand how difficult it is, that we respect their engagement. The medals are just a way of saying that," Jean said.

Forty-four Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died in Afghanistan since the mission started in 2002, following the U.S.-led invasion of the country.