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Afghanistan Balkans

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Born and raised in the small town of South Porcupine, Ontario, Dave Winney always had a desire to expand his horizons. As a young man, he became a civil engineer but soon found that a desk job was just not for him. So, at 30, he went out on a limb and enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Armed with his engineering background, he was able to do accelerated training at CFB Chilliwack, British Columbia, and became a Direct Entry Officer. After completing three months of basic military training, followed by nine months of engineer training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME), Winney was qualified in both construction and combat engineering. He spent the next 10 years working as a construction engineer on military bases across Canada and seized the opportunity to deploy to the Golan Heights in 1986.

By 1993, Winney had already served in three overseas missions and was ready to risk his life again in the Balkans. He was deployed to the former country of Yugoslavia for a year-long tour with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). He did not expect this mission to be the most stressful of them all. There, Winney was the Sector East Brigade Engineer for two Battalions. He was known as the go-to person for all things related to mines.

At the time, there was no United Nations peace settlement in place in Yugoslavia – only a cease-fire. Tensions were high and Winney’s job of navigating minefields and removing explosives regularly put him mere footsteps away from disasters. “They don’t bother to pickup all the mines before they bring us in.” Soldiers were instructed to drive on asphalt only, as the surrounding areas were swarming with mines and explosives. This protocol ultimately saved Winney’s life.

While out on patrol, with his UN Landcruiser parked firmly on the black asphalt, Winney and his colleague completed an inspection of a roadside crater. They probed the gravel for more anti-tank mines. They found one just 6 inches away from the front right tire of their Landcruiser. Had he parked slightly over, he would not be alive today. Looking back, he did not realize the impact of the near misses he encountered while completing his day-to-day work until he returned to Canada in 1994.

“There was a lot of reacting to the crisis of the moment … It doesn’t affect you right away. It’s later.”

Winney took his release from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1997, however, his dedication to service-related work did not waiver. In 2000, he returned to the Balkans while working for a non-governmental charity, leveraging his military skillset. Then, following the attacks of 9/11, Winney was asked by the Department of National Defence to manage the Relocatable Temporary Camp (RTC) project. He re-joined the CAF and was deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2003. Upon returning in 2004, he retired at the rank of Major.

Today, Winney lives in Kemptville, Ontario, a town with a strong military community, and spends time with his wife and daughter. After a long military career, he recognizes that there is a lot that goes into being a military family and cherishes these moments to make up for those he’s missed. He also meets weekly with his war buddies to share stories, and continues to honour the memory of fellow Veterans by participating in commemorations.

“The memory of good times and bad, good character and bad, exceptional efforts that ended well and also those that ended poorly. All flash through your head in a heartbeat as the bugle plays the Last Post.”

The Last Post is a traditional military song of remembrance, often played at ceremonies.

With courage, integrity and loyalty, Dave Winney has left his mark. He is one of our Canadian Veterans. Discover more stories.

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