A Canadian civil affairs officer came in peace yesterday to a destitute Afghan village, removing his helmet and laying his weapon on the ground. He sat cross-legged with tribal elders and produced a notepad, into which he began to faithfully record the people's needs.

From behind, a young man stepped forward suddenly from among the crowd of villagers and raised an axe above his head. With a single cry of "Allahu Akbar," he swung the blade into the top of the Canadian officer's head.

The attack was the prelude to a full ambush, with attackers firing from both sides of the hills that surrounded the assembled adults and children. Both Canadians and Afghan National Army personnel fought off the attackers as villagers scrambled to safety.

The civil affairs officer's name is LT Trevor Greene. Devoted to helping the Afghanis, he was planning to create an NGO to continue to assist them after completing his service in the military. Recognizing the corruption and inefficiency of the United Nations, he has independent Canadian donors already lined up to support his dream. A writer and journalist, LT Greene stands out among those who know him. A co-author says of him, "Trevor is a talented author, an amazing dad and partner, the kind of person you can count on always,"

At last report he was uncionscious and in critical but stable condition, en route to Landstuhl where neurologists expect to discover that he has brain damage due to the axe blow to his head. Soldiers' Angels has been alerted and is looking into how they can assist the lieutenant and his family.

LT Green is also a college friend of Castle Contrarian Alan, who has more on the story.