When you think of the University of Lethbridge's global reach, you might not initially think of a connection to the current war in Afghanistan.
However, that's just where some members of the U of L student and alumni community are right now, based in Kandahar, Afghanistan, literally and figuratively one of the world's hot spots.

An on-site Tim Horton's provides some measure of familiarity, as does regular e-mail and other contact with friends and family, but there is no question that for these young men and others serving in the Canadian Forces overseas, the war is more than a 30-second clip on the evening news.

In this submitted photo, Bombardier (Bdr) Keenan Geiger (l) is a current fourth-year Edmonton campus management student majoring in Human Resources. Now taking a break from school, he is on a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan as a reserve member of the Canadian Forces. His unit is part of the 20th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, based in Edmonton. Geiger is the nephew of Naomi Cramer, an administrator in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience.

Geiger shows off a U of L flag with Cpl. Andrew McDonald (middle) who graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and (right) Calgary police officer and Lt. Kevin Collier, who holds a Bachelor of Management degree in Accounting, which he obtained in 2004. As well, U of L alumnus Tyler Paynton (BA '07) a member of the 18th Air Defence Regiment in Lethbridge, is also serving in Afghanistan but was not able to be in the photograph.

To send a brief message to Keenan Geiger or his colleagues in Afghanistan, e-mail communications@uleth.ca and the notes will be forwarded.