By Jonathan Montpetit, The Canadian Press

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - It's been seven long years since the official start of Canada's mission in Afghanistan, a period marked by equal parts confusion, stoicism and pride.

But if it can be easy to lose sight of what the mission means, something as simple as minute of silence next to a grey and black cenotaph can quickly bring it back into perspective.

When Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan gather to mark Remembrance Day this Wednesday, most will be thinking of the 133 names inscribed on the marble monument by the army's headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, weighing up what's been sacrificed versus what's been gained.

"I (will) do a little bit of a personal assessment about whether or not I've done everything I possibly could ... to have moved the project forward, to have helped the Afghans," said Capt. Darcy Heddon of Edmonton, Alta.

"It's always tragic to lose your friends, lose your colleagues, but the best way to get through it and make it meaningful is to think about what it is you need to do next."

For many, Remembrance Day is a chance to step back from everyday routines and keep that bigger picture in mind.

"It's an opportunity for me to reflect, to remember those who have passed away," said the Canadian mission's deputy commander, Col. Roch Lacroix of Ottawa.

"In Afghanistan, those individuals have played a major role in the stabilization effort here in Kandahar. They are individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice to make the Afghans's lives much better."

But the search for meaning that's usually triggered each Nov. 11 is for many soldiers not only about making sense of the current war, but also to wonder about their place in history.

"The guys who've gone before us did their thing, we're doing our thing," said Capt. Gary Silliker, a member of 14 Air Engineer Squadron, from Bridgewater, N.S.

"I'm an old soldier now, but I look at the young lads out here and think, you know, they're cutting it just as good. And even the old veterans back home say, 'You know, the young lads are doing a damn good job."'

Warrant Officer Patrice Chartrand, of CFB Valcartier in Quebec, was also eager to place the exploits of Canada's soldiers in Afghanistan alongside those from previous wars.

"You can talk about the bravery of Generation X, Y, Z, but the way some of my guys behaved in battle was truly amazing," he said. "They acted with a complete disregard for danger, and were just worried about protecting their buddies."

For Lt. Eddie Kamps of Surrey, B.C., Remembrance Day is about drawing a line between his experience in Afghanistan and those of his Dutch grandparents in the Second World War.

"I'll be remembering the lives of our most recent fallen, but also the lives of Canadian soldiers that were lost liberating my family so that they could have the opportunity to live in peace and freedom," he said.

"I don't want to lose sight of all the past sacrifices from the Boer War, First World War, Second World War, Korea and every operation in between. It's important to remember everybody, especially given the recent experiences that we've had here."

While they await history's judgement on how they fared in a country known as the graveyard of empires, they take heart knowing their sacrifices will be remembered, no matter the outcome.

"They are the new generation of veterans that we have now in Canada," said Lacroix.

"They're heroes, like all veterans are heroes of Canada."