Colonel Greg Burt recently returned from Afghanistan where he served from February to November 2009 as Commander of the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT) in Kandahar Province. The OMLT is comprised of about 200 Canadian soldiers, and is responsible for the training, development and mentoring of the Afghan National Army (ANA) 1st Brigade.

Colonel Burt provides first-hand insight into the challenges of command during a demanding and complex mission, as well as the advances being made by Canadian soldiers and civilians in spite of the difficult conditions in the heart of Kandahar Province.

Through Col Burt’s experiences, you will learn how Canadian Forces are assisting the Afghans in sustaining a more secure environment to facilitate development, reconstruction and law and order while preparing the ANA to assume responsibility for their own security as the NATO nations prepare to leave the scene.

To ensure adequate seating please preregister with the Calgary APEGGA Office at 403-262-7714 or register online noting any dietary restrictions prior to Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Calgary Branch accepts Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.

Jody Rechenmacher took at 5 month leave of absence from her engineering job to volunteer in Ghana, Africa, where she was partnered with a district assembly to work on Governance and Rural Infrastructure. This Engineers Without Borders volunteer experience allowed Jody to learn first hand about some of the challenges facing impoverished rural Africans, and help influence government programs to enhance services to those in need.

Another great challenge, as Jody will account, is for Canadians to understand poverty in the global context and resolve to take action. This presentation will illustrate the complexities of poverty, the need for good international development, what Engineers Without Borders is doing to fulfill that need, and ways that Calgary professionals can be a part of the solution.

Please RSVP to calgary@ewb.ca with the subject: Brown Bag Lunch