My thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Cpl. Brian Pinksen of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment, based in Corner Brook, NL. Pinksen, 21, who was injured on August 22nd by an IED, tragically succumbed to his injuries at the military hospital he was being treated at in Germany earlier today.

Cpl. Pinksen’s passing will come as a blow to the community in Corner Brook, where he is from. The untimely death of such a young man serves as a solemn reminder to us all of the dangers faced each day by our soldiers in Afghanistan.

My prayers are with the Pinksen family, and with the families of all the men and women who continue to proudly serve our country.