Afghanistan the theme of Sept. 14 Tank Saturday event at Oshawa’s Canadian Tank Museum

Tank Saturday returns September 14 with a soldier’s perspective on a conflict just a decade old but tone that involved more than 40,000 Canadian servicemen and women.

The Afghan conflict (2001-2014) was actually Canada’s longest war and is the subject of the September edition of the popular Tank Saturday at the Canadian Regiment RCAC Museum, now also known as the Canadian Tank Museum.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the end of Canada’s combat mission. The special commemorative event will present the military vehicles, tanks and other equipment that was used by the Canadian Armed Forces during the war.

Visitors cab get up close with these vehicles and meet veterans of the conflict to hear their stories and get an insight into their experiences.

The event will include a live tank show at 1 p.m. as well as other attractions for families, military history buffs and those interested in what museums in Oshawa have to offer.

Other features include:

·       KIDZ ZONE with military themed activities and crafts

·       Lunch and beverage service at the historic 420 WING

·       Museum tours to learn about Canada’s 200-year military history

·       Tank Hanger visits to get up close with more than 50 military vehicles

·       The World of Tanks experience exhibit

·       Rides in real military vehicles

·       A live simulated tank battle between two cold war tanks: You choose who wins!

The museum, which houses North America’s largest collection of operational historical military vehicles (including a battalion of tanks), is undergoing a re-brand as part of a $30 million expansion and will now be known as the Canadian Tank Museum.

The announcement earlier this summer came as the museum kicked off a fundraising campaign and the vision for the new complex, which will include a new building on the north side of the museum campus that will house the current collection in a way that will be “more accessible” to visitors.

Tank Saturday opens at 10 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.