After tours of duty as a medic in the Gulf War and in Croatia, Capt. Marjorie McDonald is preparing to go to war-torn Afghanistan as an operations officer.

Capt. McDonald was born Marjorie Coakwell, who was raised in Stoughton where her parents still reside on the family farm west of the town.

She is currently stationed at CFB Edmonton with husband Shawn, and serves with the 1 Service Battalion, which is a forward support group for the Immediate Reaction Force, which includes the Princess Patricia Light Infantry, also based at Edmonton.

The soldiers are primed and ready to head to Afghanistan, she said, adding there is a level of frustration with not knowing when they'll be sent overseas. On Monday, the Defense Minister took the Canadian Forces off 48-hour notice, and placed them on seven-day notice of when they will be leaving, except for the advance element which still has a 48-hour notice.

The advance group of about 150 to 200 soldiers includes about 70 engineers, who would go into the area where the Canadian forces will be encamped, and will clear the area of any mines a few days before the rest of the soldiers arrive. Capt. McDonald's battalion is a forward support group with 160 people.

"We provide support to the Patricias as well as other soldiers with the Immediate Reaction Force. We provide all of their resupply, and take care of their vehicles and the advance surgical unit. We're there to take care of them," she said, adding their primary purpose will be to provide humanitarian relief for a six-month period.

Asked how close to any action her unit would be, she replied, "We would be as close as possible to the infantry soldiers."

The terrain will be quite rough where they'll be stationed, she added, and as the Princess Pats are a light infantry, this means they won't be taking very many vehicles and the support battalion will have to be airlifted in.

Regardless of the challenges to come, Capt. McDonald said her fellow soldiers are ready to go anytime.

"The mood is one of frustration that we haven't left yet. They want to go and do what they've been trained to do," she said.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his wife Aline visited the soldiers at CFB Edmonton on Thursday, and held a private inspection of the troops. Many of the soldiers were able to talk with the PM, but Capt. McDonald said she only was able to talk with his wife. She noted the Prime Minister was not able to tell the troops when they will be able to go.

Capt. McDonald said her family is very supportive of the work she does, although admits they do worry about the level of danger she may face there. Her brother, Archie Coakwell, is a sergeant also stationed at Edmonton, but his unit is not scheduled to go to Afghanistan.

Her parents, Malcolm and Ruby Coakwell, said they are proud of their daughter, and are concerned about what the situation will be in Afghanistan when she goes there.

"Naturally we are concerned if she goes into that atmosphere where there's danger, but she'll be there in a humanitarian capacity. That's what she likes doing," said Ruby Coakwell.

She noted that Archie may go in later if Canada decides to send in a peacekeeping force into Afghanistan, but in the meantime he has been all over the country training new recruits for the Armed Forces.

"We're pretty proud of our kids. They've loved that kind of life every since they were in high school," she said.

The challenge for Capt. McDonald will be a different one now that she's going as an officer instead of as a medic, but she said she is looking forward to meeting that challenge.

"To go in as a leader presents more of a challenge, and I really want the opportunity to go in and do something," she said.