Wasden mourns cousin killed in Afghanistan

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The conflict in Afghanistan has touched the Kamloops Blazers’ dressing room.
Cpl. Dustin Wasden, one of three Canadian soldiers killed west of Kandahar city on Wednesday, was a first cousin to Scott Wasden, a 20-year-old centre who finished last season as the WHL team’s captain.
“He was a great guy who always wanted to make a difference,” Wasden said Thursday.
Cpl. Wasden, a combat engineer, and two other soldiers were killed, and another soldier was wounded, when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle. All four were members of the 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment based in Edmonton. While in Kandahar, they were attached to the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry battle group.
Scott Wasden said he was close to Cpl. Wasden, 25, and last saw him last summer. Scott said his cousin leaves his wife, Shannon, and their young daughter, Makayla.
Cpl. Wasden was from Leoville, Sask., a small community near Spiritwood, which is about 150 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.
“I knew him very well,” said Scott, who is from Westbank. “We spent lots of family holidays together and Christmases. . . he was just a great guy to be around.”
Wasden thought his cousin had been in Afghanistan for “about six months or so.” He said that he would think of Cpl. Wasden whenever he heard news out of Afghanistan.
“Yeah . . . yeah, I would. It’s just kind of unbelievable,” Scott said. “You know there’s a risk of him being in the line of fire but you don’t think it’s going to happen to him.”
Cpl. Wasden, Scott said, had been in the military “for a few years.”
“He was a great guy who always wanted to make a difference,” Scott said. “He thought by being a soldier and going (to Afghanistan) for his country . . . he thought he was helping out. That was a way he thought would make the world a better place.
“This sure puts a little perspective on things.”
Wasden, who will be at Interior Savings Centre today for the opening of training camp, said he will leave the team to attend his cousin’s funeral. Arrangements are pending.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca