A Winnipeg Military Reserve unit is honoring Canadians who fought on the front lines with a new memorial.

On Sunday, the Fort Garry Horse Regiment unveiled the monument – ​​a Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) 3 used by the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan during the war.

“The LAV 3 was used extensively by our troops in Afghanistan to carry out their missions, and it often became their second home,” said Marie Claire Ouellette, executive director of Canada Company, one of the organizations partners of the unveiling. “They have always been supported by the LAV vehicle.”

According to the unit, more than 40,000 members of the CAF Regular Force and Reserve served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014. Among them, more than 150 people lost their lives, including Manitobans.

“(The monument) honors the service of our Afghan soldiers, but not only the soldiers who served, but also the soldiers who returned and were injured, both physically and mentally,” said former honorary colonel Bob Williams. “Now we have a place where you can nod and say thank you.”

Members of the regiment believe this monument is the only one specifically dedicated to operations in Afghanistan in all of Winnipeg.

“We have six soldiers from Manitoba who made the ultimate sacrifice to serve their country in Afghanistan. We will remember it,” Williams said.