My cousin...JASON!

Back in November... I posted my blog about my cousin. (He's on the left of the picture)

Jason Lamont is a medic in the Canadian Army, stationed in CFB Edmonton. He has served time in Afghanistan, and has been awarded a medal for his actions. The medal he won was the "Medal of Military Valour"... which is 2nd to the Victoria Cross.

On Monday, he was FINALLY formally awarded this medal by the Governor General.

Jason was interviewed by CBC (again!) and the link is http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/19/medals-valour.html

Jason said this about receiving the medal.

"Honestly, words cannot even describe the feelings," Lamont said. "I don't know if I deserve it more than anybody else. I'm just a representative."

There were 6 soldiers awarded this medal... and here are the reasons why (Jason's is bolded):

1)Fletcher, of St. Albert, Alta., led his troops by foot from enemy fire, while giving first aid to wounded colleagues.

2)Tower, from Sidney, B.C., assumed leadership of a military operation when his commander was killed, leading the troops safely out while under enemy fire.

3)Fitzgerald, from Morrisburg, Ont., drove a burning vehicle off a road so other vehicles in the convoy could escape enemy fire.

4)Denine, from St. John's, NL, manned his vehicle's exterior machine gun when the main cannon and machine gun malfunctioned, driving away enemy attackers.

5)Prohar helped launch a successful September 2006 counter-attack against the Taliban while working with U.S. special forces in southern Afghanistan.

6)Lamont, a medic, ran through enemy fire to check on a wounded colleague when his unit was ambushed in Afghanistan's Helmand province in July 2006.

Lamont joked that his height gave him an advantage.
"The shorter you are, the more bullets can go over your head," he said.

Once again Jason... Congratulations! We're all proud of you!