February 23, 2009 - Tridentnews.ca

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Afghan National Army soldiers conduct basic soldiering skills training at the
Kabul Military Training Center facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, February 3, 2009.
MCPL ROBERT BOTTRILL, CANADIAN FORCES COMBAT CAMERA
INSIDE
Special report
on Afghanistan
Stories and tributes to our military
serving in Afghanistan PAGES 11-24
An Olympic
endeavour
Security training for 2010
Winter Olympics PAGE 3
From sea
to sea
East coast CSORs win
fitness challenge PAGE 22
Afghan National Army soldiers
conduct basic soldiering skills
training at the Kabul Military
Training Center facility in Kabul,
Afghanistan, February 3, 2009.

2
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
FMF Cape Scott marks 250th anniversary of Dockyard
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
Personnel at FMF Cape Scott celebrated
the 250th anniversary of
the Dockyard with an event on the
main shop floor of D200 on Friday,
February 6, 2009. Capt(N) Gilles
Hainse, Cape Scott’s Commanding
Officer, noted that the official
anniversary of the Dockyard’s establishment
was actually February 7,
1759 and stated “I think we all want
to celebrate as close to the real day as
possible.” He reminded personnel of
the historic importance their work
has had to the fleet and to the Dockyard
and stated “Thank you for all the
help you have provided to the Navy.”
Capt(N) Hainse described some of
the changes in the Dockyard during
the past 250 years. There was a time
when the Navy’s ship repairs were
done in Bermuda “and considering
our winter weather today, maybe that
wasn’t such a bad thing,” Capt(N)
Hainse joked. He compared the difference
in pay between then and now,
as in 1914 when wages were six
cents an hour, and a pay increase
meant going up to 10 cents an hour.
Using a 1946 booklet for fleet
maintenance workers, Capt(N)
Hainse pointed out some of the
similarities between then and now.
The booklet included topics such
as grievances, training, smoking
policy and parking policy and
Capt(N) Hainse observed “All these
things were being dealt with, more
than 60 years ago.” He commented
that many Cape Scott personnel
have a family connection to the
facility, saying “I know there are
many of you whose parents and
grandparents worked here... I hope
that 250 years from now, people
will look back and remember what
you have contributed.”
The event began with a promotion
in rank, as Capt(N) Hainse promoted
OS Chris Mountenay, an
RMS clerk at Cape Scott, to AB
Mountenay. “We don’t usually have
Ordinary Seamen here at Cape
Scott,” Capt(N) Hainse commented,
adding that since it was unusual,
he wanted to promote the sailor
during the anniversary event, and
with his friends, colleagues and
family on hand.
Following the event on the shop
floor, there was a display in the Harbourview
Room on the second floor.
The display included old photos
showing the Dockyard in peace time
and in war, as well as artifacts ranging
from old glass bottles and broken
pipes to a partial set of false
teeth, all found during an excavation
near the building, and a scale
model of the Dockyard.
Capt(N) Gilles Hainse, commanding
officer of FMF Cape Scott and
Mike Reynolds from the plate shop
cut the cake to commemorate the
Dockyard’s 250th anniversary.
Vacation Lottery Extravaganza winners
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
The annual Halifax and Region
Military Family Resource Centre
Vacation Lottery Extravaganza is
underway again. Here’s a list of the
2008/2009 winners of the lottery.
April: William Boutillier (CFNES),
Michael Hillier (HMCS St.
John’s), Joe Hazelden, Kelly Case
(CFNES/MSE).
May: Laurie Chisholm, MWO
Joanne Geddes (CSOR Shearwater),
Rob Creer, Christopher Fougere.
June: CPO2 Brian McBarron
(HMCS Iroquois), David Carney,
Ann Hanlon, Reza Khierdoost.
July: Jay Power, Wendelin
Pittman, Mary Prudhoe, Brent Duff.
August: Dale Lawrence (CF
Health Services Centre (Atlantic),
Brian Spence (HMCS Preserver),
Danielle Lidston, Shane Niemi.
September: Heather Gilbert, MCpl
William Ball, MCpl. Natalie Labbe,
Tracy Bennett, PO1 Steve Chevrier.
October: PO1 Mike Cooper
(FDU(A)), Denis and Laura Lafleur
(14 Wing), Terry Green, Adam
Gavil (RLSU(A)).
November: Don Bowen, Michal
Fabre, Laurie Coombs, Wayne Higgins.
December: Christopher Fougere
(FMPS), Jason Boudreau (CFNES),
Nancy Grandy, Kerry Gallant.
January 2009: Marc Lecouter
(ADAC), Candice Ziolkowski (AMB
Aldershot), Tony Crossley, Rhonda
Layman.
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TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 3
CPL RODERICK HOPP, IMAGING SERVICES, CFB ESQUIMALT
Seven ships, two Halifax class frigates, three Kingston class maritime coastal defense vessels and two Orca class training vessels, a Port Security Unit of more than 100 specially trained
reservists and 20 rigid hulled inflatable boats and an operational dive team of clearance and port inspection divers participated in Exercise SILVER.
Security training unfolds in Vancouver
By Mary Ellen Green
Lookout Newspaper
Almost a year before the opening
ceremonies of the 2010
Vancouver Winter Olympics, Joint
Task Force Games and the Land, Air
and Maritime Component Commands
participated in the first live
security training to prepare the military
for the sporting event.
Exercise Silver was the second
of three government-wide security
exercises designed to integrate the
security team for the Olympic and
Paralympic games.
More than 100 municipal, provincial
and federal agencies, including
500 CF members, were in the air, at
sea and on the ground in support of
the RCMP-led Integrated Security
Unit (ISU) exercise.
The CF component on the exercise
was dubbed Exercise Staunch
Maple 09 and had members from
the Army, Navy and Air Force in
Vancouver, Whistler and the Seato-Sky
corridor. The entire CF
Olympic security effort was called
Operation Podium and was led by
RAdm Tyrone Pile. Each CF element
was led by a Component
Commander, each with its own
command centre.
Alongside BC Place were HMC
Ships Calgary, Regina, Edmonton,
and Yellowknife, and Patrol Craft
Training Wolf and Renard. Other
naval assets include the Operational
Dive Team and a Port Security Unit
made up of more than 100 Reservists
from 22 of the 24 Naval Reserve
Divisions across Canada.
Maritime Component Commander.
Assets from Maritime
Forces across the country that participated
in Exercise Silver, and
eventually Operation Podium in
2010, worked under the Maritime
Component Commander Capt(N)
Gilles Couturier.
Based out of Vancouver’s Naval
Reserve Division, HMCS Discovery,
Capt(N) Couturier and his
headquarters staff coordinated the
Navy-led maritime surveillance,
interdiction, coastal patrols, port
security and diving operations
within the RCMP-led marine security
unit. The RCMP established their
headquarters in Discovery, allowing
RCMP, Navy and various other
government department assets to
work in close cooperation throughout
the Olympics.
Five ships and hundreds of
sailors, one third of whom were
Naval Reservists, are involved in
the 14-day training.
“We have a lot of interest from
Naval Reservists to partake in this
operation. For Op Podium, we will
be looking at Reservists from
across the country participating in
Exercise Gold in November and Op
Podium from mid January to the
end of the Paralympics in March,”
said Capt(N) Couturier.
The Operational Dive Team, comprised
of Port Inspection Divers and
Clearance Divers, worked with the
RCMP Dive Team to provide underwater
investigation and sweeps of
key locations.
While Exercise Pegasus Guardian
2.2, a command post exercise, took
place recently, the ships were at sea
supported by Sea Training Pacific
Staff to allow maritime units to
shake off the cobwebs and get used
to the environment.
“It’s really a challenge to maintain
an accurate maritime picture,” said
Capt(N) Couturier. “We focused on
basic communications, picture compilation,
rules of engagement, and
training for port security and boarding
parties.”
Training shifted from scripted to
free-play with a series of scenarios
and injects that will test the maritime
component’s ability to assist
the RCMP with neutralizing potential
threats.
“We have Regular Force and
Reserve sailors from across the
country involved in Exercise Silver.
We are supporting the RCMP, which
is responsible to provide security
for the Olympics using a pan-Navy
approach,” said Capt(N) Couturier.
Air Component Commander.
During the Olympics, the air component,
led by Col Bill Veenhof,
will provide aviation mobility and
air surveillance support to the
RCMP-led Integrated Security Unit
and the other Component Commanders,
while maintaining search
and rescue responsibilities.
Air assets will include Buffalo
and Aurora fixed wing aircraft,
Griffon, Sea King and Cormorant
helicopters, and their respective air
crews from CF bases across Canada.
Col Veenhof said the Air Component
will provide mobility to the
RCMP Response Teams, something
not normally accomplished and
that will require dedicated training
for both the RCMP and helicopter
aircrew.
Exercise Silver allowed air crews
to experience the full spectrum of
planning and flight operations in the
same weather conditions expected
for the Olympics. This exercise
includes joint operations with the
RCMP and NORAD. NORAD focused
on exercising its mission during
Exercise Silver and their operations
included the use of CF-18
fighter aircraft. The Air Component’s
Command Centre was in the
combined ISU/JTFG command centre
in Richmond.
Land Component Commander.
Soldiers on the ground during
the Olympics and Paralympics will
be under the command of Col
Andre Corbould.
Their primary role is patrol, surveillance
and reconnaissance in
both the Whistler and Vancouver
venues.
Around the clock, the army
will patrol various Alpine venues
throughout the Area of Operations,
plus provide mobility support to the
RCMP-led Integrated Security Unit.
“We hope to be doing joint
patrols with them as opposed to
operating on our own, because we
are working with them hand in
glove at all the venues they’ve
asked us to support,” said Col Corbould.
“We will be taking a distinctively
low profile approach to
everything we do because we don’t
want our presence from a security
perspective to overwhelm or overshadow
the games in any way.”
Approximately 50 army headquarters
and planning staff were
involved in Exercise Silver.
“Exercise Silver is primarily a
command post exercise for the land
component, so our focus for the
exercise will be coordination,” he
said. “When you start to consider
all the municipal, provincial and
federal agencies involved, what’s
important is making sure we coordinate
all activities so we know
who’s doing what and how we can
all support each other in the greater
aim of securing the games.”
As the games draw closer, soldiers
will practice back country alpine
skiing, avalanche safety and rescue
training in the Rocky Mountains.
“While we have trained quite a
bit for Arctic operations, the Alpine
environment is quite different and
will require more specific training
in these early stages,” said
the Colonel.
The land component will conduct
up to 10 training exercises over the
next 12 months to prepare them for
the Olympics.
Based out of CFB Edmonton, Col
Corbould is the Commander of
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade
Group (1 CMBG) from Land Forces
Western Area.
Most of the approximately 1,500
soldiers who will take part in
Operation Podium in 2010 will be
from 1 CMBG units, including 2nd
Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Light Infantry from Shilo, MB
and the Lord Strathcona’s Horse
Armoured Regiment of Edmonton,
and augmented by Army Reservists
from across Canada.
Elements from 39 Canadian
Brigade Group, headquartered out
of Vancouver, will form sub-units
and operate in a supporting capacity.

4
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Community calendar
Publication schedule
for 2009
December 15, 2008
January 12, 2009 — MFRC
January 26, 2009
February 9, 2009 — Valentine’s/MFRC/DND Discounts
February 23, 2009 — Special Report on Afghanistan
March 9, 2009 — Home and Garden Special/MFRC
March 23, 2009 — Posting Season
April 6, 2009 — DND Discounts (Spring)/MFRC
April 20, 2009 — Battle of the Atlantic
May 4, 2009 — MFRC
May 18, 2009
June 1, 2009 — Family Days
June 15, 2009 — MFRC
June 29, 2009 — DND Discounts (Summer)
July 13, 2009 — Dockyard Anniversary
July 27, 2009 — MFRC
August 10, 2009 — Back to school
August 24, 2009 — MFRC
September 7, 2009 — Air Show
September 21, 2009 — Home Improvement/MFRC
October 5, 2009 — DND Discounts (Autumn)
October 19, 2009 — MFRC
November 2, 2009 — Remembrance Special
November 16, 2009 — Holiday Shopping/MFRC
November 30, 2009
December 14, 2009 — MFRC
Editor: Lynn Devereaux
(902) 427-4235, fax (902) 427-4238
editor@tridentnews.ca
Editorial Advisor: Mike Bonin
(902) 721-1968 • bonin.mb@forces.gc.ca
Reporter: Virginia Beaton
(902) 427-4231 • reporter@tridentnews.ca
Graphic Designer: Tracey Pelkey
(902) 427-4234 • onguardart@tridentnews.ca
Office/Accounts Clerk: Kerry Reynolds
(902) 427-4237 • accounts@tridentnews.ca
www.tridentnews.ca
Advertising Sales:
Dave MacNeil & Alan Minasian (902) 427-4232 • sales@tridentnews.ca
Design & Layout: Silent Graphic Design
silentdesign@ns.sympatico.ca
Trident is an authorized military publication
distributed across Canada and
throughout the world every second Monday,
and is published with the permission
of Rear Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander,
Joint Task Force Atlantic.
The Editor reserves the right to edit, condense
or reject copy, photographs or
advertising to achieve the aims of a service
newspaper as defined by the Interim
Canadian Forces Newspapers Policy
dated April 11, 2005. Deadline for copy
and advertising is noon, ten business
days prior to the publication date. Material
should be typed, double-spaced and
must be accompanied by the contributor’s
name, address and phone number.
Opinions and advertisements printed in
Trident are those of the individual contributor
or advertiser and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions or endorsements
of the DND, the Editor or the Publisher.
Le Trident est une publication militaire
autorisée par le contre-amiral Paul Maddison,
Commandant la force opérationnelle
interarmées de l‘Atlantique, qui
est distribuée partout au Canada et outremer
les leundis toutes les quinzaines.
Le rédacteur en chef se réserve le droit
de modifier, de condenser ou de rejeter
les articles, photographies ou annonces
publicitaires jugées contraires aux objectifs
d’un journal militaire selon la définition
donnée à politique temporaire des
journaux des forces canadiennes.
L’heure de tombée des annonces publicitaires
ou des articles est fixée à 12h le
vendredi précédant la semaine de publication.
Les textes peuvent être soumis
en français ou en anglais; ils doivent être
dactylographiés à double interligne et
indiquer le nom, l’adresse et le numéro
de téléphone du collaborateur. Les opinions
et les annonces publicitaires
imprimées par le Trident sont celles des
collaborateurs et agents publicitaires et
non nécessairement celles de la rédaction,
du MDN our d l’éditeur.
Annual Subscription (24 issues):
• N.B., N.S. & NL: $30 + HST
• Remainder of Canada: $30 + GST
• U.S.: $40 US Funds
• Abroad: $60 US Funds
Courier address:
2740 Barrington Street,
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address to:
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Reunion and event notices must be submitted by mail, fax or internet, attention reporter,
(902) 427-4231 • reporter@tridentnews.ca and include the sender’s name and phone number.
A notice will not be published if the event is to happen more than one year from publication date. Submissions may be edited.
Centennial of Flight event at
Shearwater Aviation Museum
On Friday, February 27, 2009, the
Shearwater Aviation Museum will host
a Centennial of Flight celebration at the
museum. Please join us from 11 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. for cake and coffee to mark
the 100th anniversary of the flight of the
Silver Dart, the first powered aircraft to
fly in Canada.
Employment equity events
International Women’ s Day is March
8, 2009. The theme is Celebrating the
Success of Women in Defence—A
World of Possibilities.
The International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination is
March 21, 2009. The theme is Remembering
the past: Improving the Future.
Events and awareness activities will
be held across the organization. To
obtain copies of posters for these commemorative
events, please send your
request to Serge Proulx at (613) 944-
7172 or at Serge.Proulx@forces.gc.ca.
Clearly indicate the quantity you wish
to order and your complete mailing
address.
La journée internationale de la
femme est 8 mars, 2009.
Célébrons le succès des femmes à la
Défense -- Un monde de possibilités.
La journée internationale pour l’élimination
de la discrimination raciale est
21 mars, 2009. Souvenons-nous du
passé pour mieux bâtir notre avenir.
Divers événements et activités de
sensibilisation auront lieu à la grandeur
de l’organisation. Pour obtenir des
affices pour ces événements commémoratifs,
faites parvenir votre demande
à Serge Proulx au 613-944-7172 ou à
l’adresse Serge.Proulx@forces.gc.ca.
Prenez soin d’indiquer le nombre de
copies que vous désirez recevoir ainsi
que votre adresse postale complète.
Volunteers required
for Tall Ships 2009
From July 16 to 20, the Halifax and
Dartmouth waterfronts will come alive
to celebrate the international gathering
of Tall Ships.
We are anticipating a need for 1,000+
volunteers in Halifax and Dartmouth to
ensure we deliver another world-class
event in true Maritime style.
Sign up and get on board today. Tall
Ships Nova Scotia 2009 needs volunteers
for a variety of tasks during the
festival activities including: security,
shipside docking crew, food services,
crew services, boarding pass sales,
boarding pass checkers, survey crew,
site crew, information guides, program
distributors and much more.
If you would like to become a Tall
Ships Nova Scotia 2009 volunteer please
visit www.tallshipsnovascotia.com or for
more information phone (902) 405-7700.
Appel aux bénévoles :
Les grands voiliers en
nouvelle-écosse en 2009
Du 16 au 20 juillet, les fronts de mer
d’Halifax et de Dartmouth bourdonneront
d’activité pendant les célébrations
de la rencontre internationale des
Grands Voiliers.
Nous prévoyons avoir besoin de plus
de 1 000 bénévoles à Halifax et à Dartmouth
pour nous assurer de pouvoir
organiser un autre événement de renommée
mondiale à la façon des Maritimes.
Inscrivez-vous dès aujourd’hui. Le festival
des Grands Voiliers de 2009 exigera
l’aide de bénévoles pour effectuer différentes
tâches lors des activités, notamment
dans les domaines suivants:
Sécurité, équipe responsable de l’amarrage,
services alimentaires, services
aux équipes, vente des cartes d’embarquement,
vérification des cartes d’embarquement,
équipe de distribution de
sondages, équipe d’installation des sites,
guides d’information, distributeurs de
programmes, etc.
Pour devenir bénévole lors de
l’événement des Grands Voiliers de
2009 ou pour obtenir plus d’information,
veuillez consulter le www.tallshipsnovascotia.com
ou composer le 902-
405-7700.
Blood donor clinic
Canadian Blood Services will host a
blood donor clinic at the Fleet Club on
Thursday, March 5 from noon to 3 p.m.
For more hours, locations and appointments
please call 1-888-236-6283.
Bursaries from NSNOA
The Nova Scotia Naval Officers’
Association (NSNOA) is offering two
bursaries of $1500 apiece to deserving
applicants. The deadline for application
is April 15, 2009. Applications and reference
forms can be downloaded from
the NSNOA website at www.nsnoa.ca
For further information, please contact
Guy Chauvin at (902) 477-9474.
Volunteer opportunity
CNIB is seeking volunteers to conduct
consumer satisfaction surveys to learn
about clients’valuable experiences with
CNIB. This position requires an interest
in working with persons with vision
loss, good computer and communication
skills and telephone manner. To
learn more about this opportunity or to
become a volunteer, contact CNIB Volunteer
Services at 453-1480 x226 or
visit us online at cnib.ca.
St. John Ambulance
training in February
St. John Ambulance NS/PEI Council
will offer First Aid Training in the Halifax/Dartmouth
area on the following
dates: Emergency First Aid/CPR Level
A: Wednesday, February 25, Friday, February
27, Saturday, February 28.
Standard First Aid/CPR Level C:
Wednesday and Thursday, February 25
and 26, Saturday and Sunday, February
28 and March 1.
For further information on courses
contact our training department at (902)
463-5646 Ext 2201 or toll free at 1-800-
565-5056 Ext 2201.
Navigate this...
Eco-Endurance Challenge 2009
The Eco-Endurance Challenge takes
place on April 25 and 26, 2009, in Halifax,
Nova Scotia. This is a physically and
mentally demanding map and compass
eco-adventure covering 200 square km of
thick forests, extremely wet bogs, fast
flowing streams and miles of backwoods
trails. The 2009 Registration opens January
1, 2009. Categories are: Challenge
I—Search and Rescue; Challenge II—
Public Competitive; Challenge III—
Recreational; and Challenge IV—Armed
Forces. For more information, go to
www.hrsar.ca/e2c.
Events at the Nova Scotia
Museum of Natural History
Ice Age Mammals! A six-meter lifesize
cast of a mastodon greets visitors to
the Ice Age Mammals exhibit, which runs
from February 1 to May 31. This visiting
exhibition focuses on ice age mammals
and the factors that led to their extinction.
See videos and interactive stations featuring
paleontologists who share their
scientific discovery of extinct species and
the challenges of arctic excavation.
This will be presented in English and
in French.
Sinking of the former
HMCS Annapolis
As plans progress for the sinking of
the former HMCS Annapolis (DDH
265), I am contacting as many former
shipmates as I can to let them know
about this project. Approximately 100
former Annapolis crewmembers from
across the country have expressed an
interest in coming to Vancouver this
summer (July/August 2009) to participate
in the sinkex, For more information
please contact R. A. Wall, LCdr (ret’d) at
(250) 294-4006, mobile: (250) 858-
5701, email: rawall@shaw.ca, website
www.artificialreef.bc.ca.

TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 5
New captains for several MARLANT ships
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
Several ships of Canadian Fleet
Atlantic (CANFLTLANT) recently
welcomed new commanding
officers.
RAdm Paul Maddison, Commander
MARLANT and JTFA, announced
changes of command for HMC Ships
Charlottetown, Fredericton, Montréal,
Iroquois and Ville de Québec.
Cdr Richard Feltham is the new
Commanding Officer of Charlottetown.
Cdr Feltham joined the CF in
1985 under the ROTP and has
served in several warships, including
Halifax during a deployment to
the Adriatic Sea in support of Operation
Sharp Guard. Cdr Feltham is
a graduate of the CF Command and
Staff College in Toronto and has a
Masters Degree in Defence Studies
from the Royal Military College.
Cdr Steve Waddell is the new
Commanding Officer of Fredericton.
Cdr Waddell joined the CF in
1990 and served in a NATO task
force deployed to the Adriatic Sea
in the early days of the Yugoslav
civil war.
He also circumnavigated the
globe in 1995 as Calgary’s Navigating
Officer, deploying to the
waters off Iraq and the former
Yugoslavia in order to enforce UN
sanctions against those countries.
Cdr Waddell was Commanding
Officer of Charlottetown in the fall
of 2008 during its deployment up
the St Lawrence River and into the
Great Lakes.
Cdr Chris Sutherland is Montréal’s
new Commanding Officer.
Cdr Sutherland joined the CF in
1987 and served as Operations
Officer in Charlottetown during a
deployment to the Adriatic Sea in
support of Operation Apollo, Canada’s
commitment to the war on terrorism.
Upon graduation from the
CF Command and Staff College in
2005, he was appointed Executive
Officer of Halifax.
Cdr Real Brisson is Iroquois’s
new Commanding Officer. Cdr Brisson
joined the Navy in 1984 under
the OCTP and has served aboard several
warships on the East Coast and
has had several appointments in
Kingston, Ontario and Halifax. In
2007, he was appointed as Commandant
of CF Fleet School Québec.
On Friday, February 13, Cdr Luc
Cassivi assumed command of Ville
de Québec. Cdr Cassivi joined the
CF in 1983 and attended the College
Militaire Royal de St-Jean. He
joined the submarine service and
in 1994 he took up an exchange
posting with the Royal Australian
Navy, serving in the submarine
HMAS Onslow.
Cdr Cassivi served as the Executive
Officer in Corner Brook
before attending the Royal Netherlands
Navy’s Submarine Command
Course in 2004. Subsequently he
was appointed Commanding Officer
of Victoria and then Windsor. In
2006 Cdr Cassivi became the officer
in charge of the Submarine Sea
Training Group and shortly thereafter,
he was appointed Acting
Commander of MOG5. In November
2008 Cdr Cassivi received a
Masters in Business Administration
2008 from the Edinburgh Business
School, Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburg, Scotland.
HRM to recognize military community volunteers
By LCdr Pat Jessup
CFB Halifax Community
Relations Officer
On June 3, 1992, Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II sanctioned the modern
version of Mention in Dispatches
(MID) to recognize
valiant conduct, devotion to
duty or other distinguished
service while in combat
or near-combat conditions.
Recipients wear a bronze oak
leaf on the appropriate campaign
or service medal ribbon.
In February 2009 and in
conjunction with the Canadian
Naval Centennial, His
Worship Mayor Peter Kelly
of Halifax Regional Municipality
(HRM) initiated a project
to recognize the significant
contribution that volunteers
within the military family
make to the HRM. “Volunteers
from the Canadian
Forces are our unsung heroes
and form the backbone of
a multitude of community
activities. I believe that their
contribution to the wellbeing
of the HRM should be formally
recognized and the
Navy’s centennial is the perfect
time to do this.” Mayor
Kelly decided that the city’s
appreciation be in the form of
a lapel pin consisting of a
naval crown superimposed
on an silver oak leaf and
asked the Nova Scotia College
of Art and Design University
(NSCADU) to develop
the concept. Bridget Turner,
a recent NSCADU graduate in
Jewellery Design and Metalsmithing
was the winner.
Turner said she is honoured
to have won the commission
and to be part of recognition
of “something extraordinary.”
What is truly extraordinary
is she is part of the military
family with her brother
Gunner Barton James (BJ)
Turner, a member of 1st Field
Artillery Regiment (RCA).
Mayor Peter Kelly congratulates Bridget Turner, who won the design competition at NSCADU.
She said Gunner Turner has
set the standard for her. “BJ
has a strong motivation to
serve and I am proud to play
a small role by designing this
special memento of community
service.”
The Mayor’s Pin will recognize
community service
and will be awarded to members
of the military family,
DND employees and retirees
who complete 100 hours of
community service during the
Navy's centennial year. The
LCDR PAT JESSUP, CFB HALIFAX COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICER
project will be coordinated
through the Military Family
Resource Centre (MFRC).
Colleen Calvert, Executive
Director of the Halifax and
region MFRC, is delighted
with the project. “The defence
team and their families make
significant sacrifices and contributions
on behalf of our
nation and also make a huge
difference right here in HRM
by volunteering countless
hours as coaches, at charities
and at schools etc. This civic
recognition from the HRM is a
great honour.”
Jill Clarke, MFRC Volunteer
Coordinator, will oversee
the project. In the fall, CF
members, DND employees
and their families will be
encouraged to register to
record their volunteer hours
through the MFRC web site at
www.halifaxmfrc.ca. For further
information on the Mayor’s
Pin, please contact LCdr
Pat Jessup at 721-1252.
A. Clarke
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6
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Base Divisions well turned out
By Mike Bonin
BPAO
Amilitary parade that included
a visit by Santa Claus and
marches that sounded more like
Christmas carols were part of the
less formal side of Base Divisions
held December 9.
Capt(N) John Newton, Base Commander
decide that a parade to hone
military skills, pass out awards and
address the military personnel on
the base was warranted. The Base
Chief Petty Officer’s office organized
the parade.
Once all the participants were in
their place, the Base Commander
arrived and inspected the personnel
on parade and the Stadacona Band.
In his prayer, Cdr Robert Humble,
Formation Chaplain, asked to give
the base personnel strength through a
time of intense operations and a
reduction of resources. As well, he
asked for special prayers to remember
those recently deceased.
In his address to the parade
participants, guests and spectators
Capt(N) Newton stated the fleet gets
a lot of credit for the work that is
accomplished, but it is the combined
efforts of all the base units that
ensures the fleet actually makes it to
sea and is successful.
He noted that there are busy times
ahead, requiring all of us to be more
resourceful and take each challenge
as we are faced with it. “I tell the
Admiral all the time that I am proud
of our service to him and making
the Fleet second to none,” stated
Capt(N) Newton. “The tempo will
only increase as we look towards a
bigger naval presence in Afghanistan,
support to the Dockyard’s
250th Anniversary, the trooping of
the Queen’s Colours, Navy’s Centennial
and the Vancouver Olympics,
while not forgetting the other priority
work that cannot be left undone.”
He said everybody’s leadership will
be required throughout these very
exciting years.
Special awards were presented to
many base personnel during the
parade. The Canadian Forces Decoration,
(CD) signifying 12 years of
loyal and dedicated service was
awarded to LS Leah-Ann Walker, MS
Capt(N) John Newton was the reviewing officer during Base Divisions on
December 9, 2008.
Helene Coggins, SLt Marie-Eve
Brisson, SLt Byron Kendell, Capt
Stuart Whittaker and LCdr Rob Francis.
Cpl Guy Martin, MCpl Fred Corbett,
PO1 Patty Bouthat and Capt
Chris Quillan all received their first
clasp (22 years) to their CD. For 32
years of dedication, MS Eva Donovan
was awarded her second clasp to
her CD. MS Christine Nicholson was
given a certificate and pin to honour
her 12 years of dedicated service to
the Primary Reserve. MCpl Shawn
Sperling was awarded the Canadian
Forces ISAF medal for his service
with Task Force Afghanistan Kandahar
Military Police Company. OS
Krysti Deschane from Formation
Military Police was promoted to
Able Seaman.
A Base Commander’s Commendation
was awarded to LS Ian Chandler
and Cpl Robert Williamson for
their rescue effort following a report
that a person had jumped off the
Angus L Macdonald Bridge. Their
quick reaction, compassion and first
aid skills saved the person from any
further injury.
The Base Commander thanked
everybody for their part in seeing
the base’s GCWCC campaign beat
their targeted goal of $490,000. He
stressed it was not entirely about the
money as he cited different examples
where our kindness in other ways has
made a huge difference in the lives of
those less fortunate than we are.
Before the final tally, the campaign
went well beyond its target and had a
very successful drive.
As the parade was about to come
to a close, Santa and his elves
arrived, letting the Base Chief Petty
Office, CPO1 Ian Ronaldson know
that he was a naughty boy this year
and had forgotten to do something.
With a friendly reminder from
the man in red, the Base Chief
announced to the Base Commander
that as Christmas tradition states,
there would be a new Base Commander
for the day. The youngest
person on the base changes position
with the commander. This
year’s recipient was OS Brooke
Tucker, who is waiting to attend
training to become a boatswain.
After the ceremonial exchange of
uniforms, Capt(N) Tucker authorised
a march past, General Salute
and parade dismissal.
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TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 7
CPL JL ROBINSON, 12 WING IMAGING
12 Wing
member retires
Cpl Slade-Campbell provides a pre-flight briefing to a CH124 Sea King pilot.
The winds of change
By 2LT Drew Turton &
WO Warren Noseworthy
12 Wing
The Meteorology Technician (Met
Tech) trade, like so many others in
the CF, is constantly adapting to meet
operational requirements, deployments,
and perhaps one of the most pressing
issues, the changing demographic of its
members. But the Met Tech training system
welcomes the challenge of training
its fresh faced recruits.
“Our training is changing to accommodate
the operational needs of the CF,
including changes to accommodate
advances in technology and the demands
on our personnel,” said School CWO
David Hutchinson at the Canadian
Forces School of Meteorology (CFS-
MET). While many senior Met Techs are
retiring, the trade has managed to adapt
by offering younger members greater
roles and responsibilities.
Aprime example of this can be seen by
the success of young members like Cpl
Amy Slade-Campbell, a member of 12
Wing Shearwater Meteorology section.
Cpl Slade-Campbell was one of 11 students
to accept the 6A graduation certificate
from LCol Mark Ferron, Commandant
at Canadian Forces Air Navigation
School at 17 Wing Winnipeg.
CWO Hutchinson noted “The substance
of the 6A training Cpl. Slade-
Campbell received is what would have
been provided to more experienced techs
in the past, but is now being incorporated
into the Basic Occupation Qualification
course. This will result in personnel
who are able to support operations sooner,
and maintain the high level of service
our clients have come to expect.”
Cpl Slade-Campbell has fewer than
five years of service, but has successfully
completed the demanding course
that’s normally offered to Met Techs with
more than 12 years of service. The
maturing population of personnel in the
CF Weather Service and the demands of
domestic and international deployments
required the training to be restructured to
provide younger Met Techs with greater
skill sets at a lower rank.
“Traditionally, briefing duties are
provided by more senior Met personnel,”
remarked 12 Wing Met WO Warren
Noseworthy. “But with more senior
Met Techs retiring and an influx of
eager privates and Cpls, this job is
migrating to younger Techs like Cpl.
Slade-Campbell.”
The QL6A course is a demanding
three-month course centered on learning
advanced meteorology theory and analysis
techniques, ending with a weeklong
practical exam in which students are tested
in simulated real-life weather briefing
scenarios. The aim of the QL6A course is
to train Met Techs to prepare and provide
detailed environmental briefings, in
addition to providing technical meteorological
information in support of military
operations at home and abroad.
Upon successful completion of the
course, a graduate can expect a posting
as a weather briefer supporting Naval,
land or air missions.
“I have a challenging job, top notch
training, and I work with some great people,”
said Cpl. Slade-Campbell.
By 2Lt Tyrone Grande
12 Wing Public Affairs
Maj Roger Chiasson has
had a long and full
career in the Canadian Forces
(CF)—41 years, to be exact.
He will retire on March 3 of
this year. His one regret: “I
wanted to see the Sea King
retire before I did, but it may
outlast me.”
Maj Chiasson joined theCF
in 1966 as an aircraft technician
in the Royal Canadian
Air Force. He began his career
in Shearwater, NS—back
when it was a Naval base—
and witnessed the CH124 Sea
King’s arrival.
Throughout his career as an
NCM, Maj Chiasson served in
numerous positions and locations.
From working as an
avionics instructor at CFB
Borden, to doing international
NATO taskings at Gilenkirchen
Air Base Germany,
Maj Chiasson accomplished
much. He trained on the T-
bird and Argus aircraft and
was even part of the crew to
install the instrumentation for
the initial beartrap trials on
HMCS Bonaventure.
Maj Chiasson became an
MWO before opting to commission
from the ranks in
1987, and his career as an
officer has seen just as much
experience. After completing
Aerospace Engineering
training, Maj Chiasson went
on to work in the Directorate
of Maritime Aircraft Engineering
and Maintenance as
an avionics installation officer
for the Sea King, where
he would later become the
deputy aircraft engineering
Maj Roger Chiasson.
officer. In 1995, he was promoted
to his present rank and
posted to 9 Wing Gander as
the wing logistics officer,
before moving to the Maritime
Air Group Headquarters
in Halifax.
In 2003, Maj Chiasson’s
career came full circle as he
returned to Shearwater where
he retired from the Regular
Force in April, 2004, after 37
years in uniform. But his commitment
to the CF didn’t end
there. Maj Chiasson returned
in August, 2005 as a reservist
to serve as the aircraft maintenance
officer at 12 Air Maintenance
Squadron.
In May 2008, Maj Chiasson
accepted his current
position as Flight Commander
for 12 Wing Air Reserve
Flight Shearwater.
When asked about his
retirement, Maj Chiasson stated
that he hadn’t given much
thought to what he’ll do next.
“My family will be happy to
have me though,” he said.
“They’ve been trying to convince
me to retire for a while
now. But I will miss the sense
of service and unity that the CF
has provided me with.”
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8
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
International
Women’s Day
event 2009
By Health Promotion Staff
You are invited to join us
in celebration of International
Women’s Day.
MARLANT, LFAA, and 12
Wing Shearwater Commanders
along with the Atlantic
Region Defence Women’s
Advisory Organization
(DWAO) are hosting this event
Friday, March 6, 2009 from 10
a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Multipurpose
Room at the Halifax
Military Community Centre,
Windsor Park Bldg. 106.
All are encouraged to come
meet and greet from 9 to 10
a.m. Refreshments are provided
and information kiosks
will be onsite.
RAdm Maddison, Commander
JTFA will open the
event at 10 a.m. and a variety
of guest speakers (DND/CF
civilian and military women)
will provide insight into this
year’s theme, DND/CF: A
Woman’s Perspective. Alight
lunch will also be provided.
Attire for this event is dress
of the day.
All personnel, men and
women, military and civilian,
are welcome and encouraged
to attend.
For further information,
you may contact DWAO
Atlantic Co-Chair, Lt(N) Kim
Mudge at 721- 8178.
By Health Promotion Staff
If performing at your best is essential
in your job or sport, then the Top Fuel
for Top Performance (TFTP) workshop
is for you. Designed for those with an
active lifestyle, TFTP presents the latest
science on exercise design and nutritional
strategies in a two-day format.
Discussion topics include everyday eating;
timing of foods and fluids; body
composition and weight issues; dietary
issues and supplements, and fine-tuning
your eating and activity habits. Here is
one couple’s experience with the Top
Fuel for Top Performance workshop.
TFTP upcoming workshops
“The Top Fuel course, taught by
Harold White, was by far the best
course we have ever taken. I have been
a chronic dieter for most of my life and
have tried all the plans that are out
there. So when I began this course I did
consider myself quite knowledgeable
on nutrition and weight loss strategies.
It was very humbling for me to realize
what I didn't know, and what I was
doing wrong. Harold was extremely
knowledgeable on the subject and he
has a phenomenal way of putting scientific
information into everyday language
that we all understood. Every
question that was thrown at him he
answered without hesitation. My husband
has never had any weight issues,
but has been into body building and is
very knowledgeable around the gym.
Location Date Time
Stadacona 4 & 11 March 0830-1600 hrs
Dockyard 15 & 22 April 0830-1600 hrs
Stadacona 13 & 27 May 0830-1600 hrs
Shearwater 10 & 17 June 0830-1600 hrs
Top Fuel for Top Performance
So the two of us were amazed at what
we learned on this course. For me the
main point that has stuck with me, and
I think about on a daily basis, is why we
should eat small meals every few hours.
It has changed the way my husband and
I eat and we both feel better and healthier.
For my husband, he went home that
day and threw out his protein shakes
and powders. This course has changed
us both for the better and we would
strongly encourage everyone to take it.
No matter how much you think you
know, you will absolutely learn more.”
Kim and Jay Caldwell.
For more information or to register for
one of the upcoming TFTP workshops,
please contact: Health Promotion Services
at 721-7806 or Joy.Geizer@
forces.gc.ca, www.psphalifax.ns.ca.
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Comprehensive Business Analysis
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ENGINEERING
Industrial Ventilation Design Apr 23-24
Process Instrumentation & Control - Installation
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Competitive Tendering: Practical
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HVAC Design, Balancing and Selection May 28-29
Effective Maintenance Management:
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Occupational Health & Safety Law & Regulations Apr 20-22, May 7-8
Radon Measurement Training Apr 27-29
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2009
Environmental Impact Assessment May 11-14
Radon Mitigation Training May 25-28
Indoor Air Quality:
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Indoor Air Quality: Do You Have
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Risk Control Jun 1-3 & 22-24
ERGONOMICS
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Intermediate PERL Programming* Apr 20 - Jun 29
Introduction to Software Engineering** Apr 20 - Jun 29
Introduction to UNIX Apr 20-22
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5269 Morris Street
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Project Management Fundamentals** Apr 28 - Jul 20
Project Risk Management** Apr 28 - Jul 20
Managing Project Scope, Schedules,
and Budgets** May 5 - Jul 27
Project Leadership Skills May 5 - Jul 27
Project Management Essentials** Jun 8-10
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Implementation & Documentation of a
Quality System to the ISO 9001:2008 Standards Apr 6-8
Quality Management System Boot Camp Jun 17-19
Moving Towards Total Quality Management Jun 22-24
RISK MANAGEMENT
Risk Control Jun 1-3, 22-24
Risk Financing Oct 5-7 & 26-28
* Evening Course
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TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 9
“March 1st I Quit!”
Participants must also belong to
one of the following groups:
By Health Promotion Staff
Take the challenge. Deadline
for registration is February 28
at midnight. Register online at:
http://hr.ottawa-hull.mil.ca/healthsante/iquit-jarrete.
Quit smoking/
using tobacco for the month of
March 2009 and you could win:
• $3,000 gift certificate.
• $1,250 gift certificate.
• $750 gift certificate.
• $200 gift certificates (27 prizes).
• $100 gift certificates (27 prizes).
• $75 gift certificates (27 prizes).
Non-smokers can also enter to win
by becoming an official supporter of
a participant (prizes for supporters
include a $1,500 and a $50 CANEX
gift card). This challenge is open to:
• A smoker/tobacco user or a former
smoker/tobacco user who has
quit after September 1, 2008, and
• who is of the age of majority
in the province in which he or
she lives.
• A Regular CF member or class B
or C Reserve member.
• A foreign military member on
exchange posting or training
with the CF.
• A Primary Reserve member,
Cadet Instructor Cadre,
Canadian Ranger or Cadet.
• An immediate family member
of the preceding persons
(spouse/ partner and children
age of majority).
•ADND civilian employee.
• A Non-Public Fund
employee.
• A Supplementary
Reserve member.
• An MFRC employee.
For more information about
the March 1st, I Quit! Challenge,
please contact: CFB Halifax and
Area Strengthening the Forces,
Health Promotion Services (PSP)
at Joy.Geizer@forces.gc.ca or (902)
721-7806.
Prizes have been donated by
CANEX and SISIP Financial Services,
official sponsors of the March
1st, I Quit! Challenge.
African Heritage Month
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
African Heritage Month is a time
to reflect and remember those
who have gone before us, and whose
service to country we remember.
One of them is William Hall,
who was the first Black person, the
first Nova Scotian, the first Canadian
recipient of a Naval Victoria
Cross and the third Canadian ever
to receive the Victoria Cross.
Hall’s parents were freed slaves
who came to Nova Scotia after
the War of 1812 and settled in Horton
to raise their family. In 1844
William, then in his late teens, went
to sea and during the late 1840s he
apparently served in the American
navy before joining the Royal Navy
as an able seaman in 1852. During
the Crimean War he took part in the
siege of Sevastopol and the battle
of Inkerman.
When the Indian Mutiny broke
out in May 1857, Hall was serving
in HMS Shannon, which was sent to
Calcutta to help the British army. A
naval brigade was formed aboard
the Shannon and sent to Lucknow
William Hall.
and Hall was one of the sailors in
that brigade. They arrived at Lucknow
in November 1857 and the
men were sent to crew two 24-
pounder guns to breach the walls
of one of the buildings that formed
the defence.
The two gun crews came under
fire and all the members of one
crew were severely wounded or
killed. Soon Hall and Lt(N) Thomas
Young were the only members left
standing of the second gun crew.
They kept on firing the gun until
a breach had been made in the
wall and the British army troops
could enter the fort. Both men were
nominated for the Victoria Cross
and Hall received his award in
October 1859.
He retired from the Royal Navy
1876 with the rank of petty officer
first class and moved to a farm near
Hantsport, where he lived with his
sisters. In October 1901 he was presented
to the Duke and Duchess of
Cornwall during their visit to Halifax,
and Hall participated in a parade
in which he and other veterans were
recognized for their achievements.
Hall died at age 78 in August 1904
and was buried at Lockhartville,
though later his remains were reinterred
in the cemetery of Hantsport
Baptist church.
In 1947 the Royal Canadian
Legion put up a commemorative
cairn that describes Hall’s participation
in the siege of Lucknow, which
earned him the Victoria Cross, the
empire’s highest award for valour.
A branch of the Royal Canadian
Legion is named in his honour.
A representative from
Costco Wholesale will be promoting
Gold Star membership
Stadacona - A Block
Wednesday, 4 March 10am - 1pm
Dockyard D200
Thursday, 5 March 10am - 1pm
Watch for upcoming date for
“on-site” promotions at Shearwater
Free gift with
membership sign-up
Payment may be made by American Express, Debit, cash or personal
cheque. Total price for a Gold Star membership is $62.15 (tax included)
giving the employee a card plus a card for someone over the age of
18 living at their same address.
Questions Please call Nancy Cross 450-5305.
OFFER AVAILABLE TO NEW COSTCO MEMBERS AND ANY MEMBERS EXPIRED SIX MONTHS OR MORE.

10
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
There are no atheists in foxholes
Padre’s Corner
By Padre Mark Mawson
It was either at the end of my tour
in Afghanistan, or shortly after I
returned (sadly, at 36 I already can’t
remember exactly when. That certainly
doesn’t bode well for my later
years...) that I wrote an article for
a church magazine.
I said many things in the article,
among them was that the soldiers
had once again made popular that
old war time slogan, “There are no
atheists in foxholes.”
I made that statement as a way of
saying that many of the soldiers who
had experienced life and death circumstances
while on tour had a spiritual
reawakening. They questioned
what it all meant and some came to
the conclusion that there must be a
meaning behind it all; that there was
some greater purpose and that there
really was a higher power watching
over them and their comrades. Did I
actually go out and poll all the soldiers
to see if all, or even most of
them had had this experience No.
To be completely honest, I never
expected anyone to take exception
to what I said. I was wrong.
I received an e-mail when I
returned to work, in which someone
(very respectfully I should add) questioned
whether or not my statement
“There are no atheists in foxholes”
was accurate. They asked why couldn’t
someone serve their country with
pride and courage, encounter life and
death experiences and yet not believe
in any kind of deity or higher power
Wasn’t it possible for someone to
find meaning and purpose in what
they were doing in Afghanistan, to
the point they would risk their lives,
and yet still be an atheist
As I said, the questions were
phrased respectfully and there certainly
seemed not to be any malice
intended. I thought many times about
responding, but never did. I would
like to think that it was because I was
too busy. I would settle for the excuse
that I accidently erased the person’s
e-mail and address. My suspicions
are, however, that I didn’t answer
because I didn’t have an answer. At
least not an answer I wanted to give.
This all came flooding back to me
recently with the buzz over the
atheist endorsed bus ads which
basically said (in some places) there
is no God, so why worry, and start
enjoying yourself.
All of this profoundly
affected all who
were there.
Now, more than two years after I
received the e-mail, I would like to
respond. While this response does
not in any meaningful way address
his questions (I’m still mulling
them over), it hopefully will clarify
why I said what I did.
Dear Cpl Bloggins (does the over
usage of this name drive anyone
else insane)
Thank you for your carefully
thought out e-mail, and the respect
you showed to me in your response.
When I wrote the article I can honestly
say that I never thought that
someone would find it at best arrogant,
and at worst, offensive. Please
accept my apology for so flippantly
generalizing that “there are no atheists
in foxholes.” Clearly, if you
were in Afghanistan (which I suspect
you might have been), then my
statement was incorrect on at least
one count.
My intention in writing to you is
not to debate whether there is, or is
not a God (although I should say that
I would enjoy that discussion some
day over a beer or two), but merely
to tell you what my real intentions
were when I used the phrase.
The tour in Afghanistan was (and
is) a very difficult and trying one for
the soldiers with whom I lived, ate
and in some ways, died. They did
things they never thought they would
do, and we saw things that perhaps
human beings were not really meant
to view. All of this profoundly affected
all who were there. I don’t think it
would be a stretch to say that it
changed us all as well. When reflecting
on my experiences and the conversations
I had with soldiers in
preparation for writing the article, I
wanted to speak with, and of, hope. I
wanted soldiers who were struggling
with combat stress reactions and
were having problems coming to
terms with what they had seen and
done, to feel some comfort. I wanted
them to contemplate that there was a
real possibility that there was a
meaning behind it all; that there was
a creator who would not leave them
alone and loved them unconditionally,
no matter what they had done or
been involved in.
As a person of faith, the best way
I knew to do this was to talk about
God, and thus with certainly a degree
of religious arrogance, threw out
“There are no atheists in foxholes” as
a way of doing so. Perhaps if you are
willing to respond to me, you would
consider sharing how I might, from a
humanist or atheist perspective, convey
the same sentiments (unconditional
love, presence, meaning) that I
wanted to express in the article I
wrote, to those who are non-believers.
I certainly would appreciate it.
Thank you again for your words.
They have given me a great deal
about which to think and pray. Hopefully
one day our paths will cross
(wouldn’t it be neat if that were in
heaven). Until then, God bless.
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TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
11

12 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Our mission in Afghanistan
On December 20, 2001 the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) was formed with a mandate to maintain security
in and around Kabul, Afghanistan. The first major wave of
Canadian soldiers arrived 44 days later. Canada and the other
nations participating in the ISAF, a NATO-led and UN-sanctioned
mission, are in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically
elected government of President Hamid Karzai.
Since that time, Canada has assisted in the rebuilding of
Afghanistan through operations to improve security, governance
and infrastructure.
This 12-page special report on Afghanistan not only pays
tribute to the more than 100 CF members who have made
the ultimate sacrifice, it also highlights Canada’s work in the
areas of education, humanitarian assistance and rebuilding
core elements of their society.
The following is a timeline including some of the events following the terrorist attacks on
September 11, 2001.
October 17, 2001 HMC Ships Charlottetown, Iroquois and Preserver leave Halifax to join
US and British forces in the Arabian Gulf.
December 20, 2001 Under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was formed with a mandate to maintain
security in and around Kabul.
January 25, 2002 Canada re-establishes diplomatic ties with Afghanistan.
February 2, 2002 The first large group of Canadian soldiers, 140 members of Princess
Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, arrives in Afghanistan.
June 13, 2002 Hamid Karzai is elected Head of the Afghan Transitional Authority.
February 12, 2003 Minister of National Defence John McCallum announces Canada will
deploy more than 1,000 soldiers to join the ISAF in Kabul.
July 17, 2003 Operation ATHENA begins and BGen Peter Devlin becomes commander of
the Kabul Multinational Brigade.
July 19, 2003 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battalion Group deploys to
Kabul as Roto 0 of Operation ATHENA.
August 11, 2003 NATO takes over the command and coordination of ISAF.
January 20, 2004 The 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment and the 5th Régiment d'artillerie
légère du Canada deploy as Roto 1. In June 2004 they are joined by 5th Régiment du
génie de combat.
February 9, 2004 LGen. Rick Hillier takes command of the ISAF.
June 28, 2004 NATO announces it will expand its presence in Afghanistan through four
additional Provincial Reconstruction Teams.
August 8, 2004 LGen Rick Hillier hands over command of the ISAF to France’s LGen.
Jean-Louis Py.
August 2004 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Reconnaissance
Squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) and 11 Field Squadron, 1 Combat
Engineer Regiment deploy as Roto 2.
October 7, 2004 Afghanistan holds its first direct presidential elections. Hamid Karzai is
declared president two days later.
December 3, 2204 Following a request from a local resident in Kabul, Canadian soldiers
remove approximately 1,500 kg of munitions from an ammunition cache near a patrol route in
the Kabul area. The cache includes more than 300 rounds of 82mm mortars, approximately 50
rounds of 120mm mortars, and the rest of various sizes. This is one of the largest caches
engineers encountered since OPERATION ATHENA began in 2003.
February 5, 2005 23 Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, joined in March by 1st
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, deploy as Roto 3. This is the final roto for Kabul.
July 2005 Reconnaissance Squadron The Royal Canadian Dragoons, joined in August by D
Squadron, The Royal Canadian Dragoons, and 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
Battle Group, deploy as Roto 0 Kandahar.
August 2005 The Government of Canada forms the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction
Team at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City.
September 6, 2006 NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and President Hamid
Karzai sign the Declaration by NATO and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, setting out a
framework for enduring co-operation in partnership.
September18, 2005 Afghanistan holds its first parliamentary elections in 30 years.
January 30, 2006 The Afghanistan Compact is signed. This compact governs the
relationship between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the coalition
forces, which are the ISAF and the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
February 2006 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group,
deploys as Roto 1.
February 28, 2006 BGen David Fraser takes command of the multinational force in
southern Afghanistan.
August 2006 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deploys as Roto 2.
August, 2006 The Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team starts work in
Kandahar Province.
November 1, 2006 BGen David Fraser ends his eight-month command of NATO soldiers
in southern Afghanistan.
September 22, 2006 During an official state visit to Canada, President Hamid Karzai
speaks to MPs and senators in Ottawa. Karzai thanks Canada for its financial aid to
Afghanistan and after stating that four fallen Canadian soldiers had returned home recently,
President Karzai tells the joint session of Parliament that he sympathized with the families and
friends of the fallen, and that those soldiers gave their lives so that Afghanistan might have a
better future.
February 2007 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deploys on Roto 3.
August 2007 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group deploys as Roto 4.
February 2008 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light infantry deploys as Roto 5.
July 2008 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deployed on Roto 6.
October 6, 2008 Afghanistan starts Phase I of the voter registration process in 14
provinces. This is for the national election to be held in 2009.
November 27, 2008 In recognition of Canada’s contribution in supporting training, mentoring
and infrastructure development at Sarpoza Prison, the Ministry of Justice presents members of
ISAF’s KPRT with an award. Col Abdullah Balwar, director of Sarpoza Prison, presents the
award to four members of the Correctional Service of Canada, two members from the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and two members of the Canadian Forces.
December 6, 2008 The Canadian Forces expands its presence in the skies over
Afghanistan as the Joint Task Force (Afghanistan) Air Wing is officially stood up at Kandahar
Airfield.
December 20, 2008 Six Canadian Griffon helicopters land at the Kandahar Air Field via
C-17 Globemaster III. The Griffons are the first Canadian helicopters to arrive at the Canadian
Air Wing in Afghanistan and will provide escort protection for Canada’s newly acquired
Chinook helicopter.
January 6, 2009 Following a three-day operation from December 18 to 20, 2008, during
which they found and destroyed several weapons caches containing Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs), IED making equipment, small arms and munitions, soldiers from the 3rd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, participate in Operation PANCAR,
or ‘Claw’ in Pashtu. This battle group operation aims to maintain constant pressure on the
insurgents through the winter months. “We need to stay aggressive,” states LCol Roger
Barrett, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion. “We can and will dictate the pace through
the winter months.”
February 7, 2009 Fifteen soldiers from the Afghan National Army (ANA) 205th Corps
complete a four-week Basic Engineers Course and graduate during a ceremony at Camp
Hero near Kandahar Air Field. The course, offered by members of the Canadian Operational
Mentoring Liaison Team (OMLT), emphasizes principles in mine detection and demolition as
well as field operations and carpentry.
With file information from www.cbc.ca, www.nato.int/isaf and www.forces.gc.ca.

SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 13
A rotation in review: Outgoing Commander
of TFK reflects on year’s successes
By Capt Sonia M.I.
Dumouchel-Connock
Task Force Kandahar
Public Affairs Officer
After serving nine months as
Commander of Task Force
Kandahar, BGen Denis Thompson
passed command to the incoming
commander, BGen Jonathan Vance.
The Transfer of Command Authority
(TOCA) took place in a ceremony
at Kandahar Air Field on February
19 and was attended by a host of
Afghan, Canadian and international
guests.
“Our mission in Kandahar
Province was to increase and solidify
the Afghan people’s support
for their government while at the
same time removing the insurgent
influence over the people,” said
BGen Thompson. “During our time
here, we strove to do this through
operations and activities geared at
improving security, governance,
and development and reconstruction
in the province.”
Because the road to peace and
development is long and the insurgency
will not be defeated in the
short term, the focus of the Canadian
mission in Afghanistan during
the past year was on winning the
trust of the Afghan people and
building up local government and
security institutions.
“Our mandate has been to keep
the insurgents at bay in order to
give Afghan security and governance
institutions a chance to continue
to develop,” said the outgoing
commander.
Unable or unwilling to take on
NATO and Afghan security forces
using conventional military means,
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A Canadian soldier works alongside three members of the Afghan National Army during Operation ROOB UNYIP
JANOOBI. This operation, which took place in August 2008 in Maywand District, was conducted jointly with
Afghan security forces and was one of the major operations conducted by Task Force Kandahar this year.
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the insurgents’ tactics clearly shifted
in the past year as they put their
weight behind the use of terror tactics
against vulnerable targets. Numerous
government, tribal, religious,
and security force leaders were
assassinated, including LCol Malalai
Kakar—the highest ranking Afghan
female police officer serving in Kandahar
Province. In Kandahar City, 15
school girls were attacked by insurgents
on motorbikes who threw acid
in their faces.
While these brutal tactics have terrified
the local population, slowed
the progress of development and
governance, and captured the attention
of international news media, the
MCPL KARL MCKAY, TFK IMAGE TECHNICIAN
use of such unconscionable tactics
has also alienated Afghans from the
insurgency, noted BGen Thompson.
“Afghans are frustrated with the
slow progress of reconstruction and
nation-building, but they are also
horrified by the atrocities committed
on a daily basis by the insurgents,”
he said. “They are a strong people—
and this strength is exemplified by
the fact that every one of the girls
attacked with acid in Kandahar City
is back in school. They have not
been cowed by the terrorist actions
of insurgents.”
Throughout the past year, Canadians
worked hand in hand with
Afghan and coalition partners and
achieved a number of notable operational
successes. Nine months ago,
Maywand District had virtually no
coalition or Afghan force presence.
Today, soldiers of 2-2 Infantry—an
American battalion under the command
of Task Force Kandahar—are
regularly patrolling and marginalizing
the insurgents in this district that
used to be a key logistical node of
the insurgency.
In the Zharey and Panjwayi districts,
Canadian troops and their
Afghan partners faced heavy opposition
but our troops held their own.
Numerous successful operations
were conducted, huge weapons and
IED-making component caches were
discovered and destroyed, and
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14
new tactical infrastructure was
built for use by the Afghan
army and police.
Operation SHAHI TANDER
1, which was conducted in
these districts in early January
2009, greatly degraded the
insurgent IED capabilities, for
example. Surprise searches of
compounds of interest led to a
hefty find of IED-making
components that included:
night vision goggles; 38 pressure
plates (switch mechanisms
used to trigger IEDs)
with wires attached; timing
devices; multiple tubes of
home made explosives; thousands
of rounds of ammunition;
a recoilless rifle; a number
of weapons; medical supplies;
and an extensive list
of IED-making components
including 138 detonators.
Since one detonator is essential
for the making of each
bomb, the seizure of these detonators
was comparable to
taking 138 IEDs off the roads,
where they cause death and
serious injury to Afghans as
well as coalition forces.
The mentoring and training
of the Afghan army and the
Afghan police were among
the pivotal activities of the
last year as it through this
capacity-building of these
security forces that Afghanistan
and its international partners
will set the conditions for
nation-building.
“In a counter-insurgency
such as the one in Afghanistan
today, the people are the prize,
and the development of
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SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
Young girls head to school in Kandahar City in September 2008. Though insurgents have
burned down schools and threatened school children and their teachers, Afghans in
Kandahar Province continue to fight for the right to educate their children.
Afghan security forces is the
key to protecting the Afghan
people, over the long term,
from the cruel and repressive
ways of the insurgents,” said
BGen Thompson. “Tangible
progress has been made in
our mentoring and training of
the Afghan National Army
and Police this year. One of
our ANA Kandaks and the
ANA Brigade Headquarters
reached Capability Milestone
One and have proven they are
capable of planning and executing
independent operations.
These security forces
successfully planned and executed
a strategy to clear the
Arghandab Valley of Taliban
fighters and protect the people
after the insurgent attack
on Sarpoza Prison in late
June 2008.”
While it is clear that significant
security challenges
remain in Kandahar Province,
the progress made over the
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The economy continues
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security forces are making
progress, and improvements
to infrastructure continue to
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“Hope remains for Afghanistan,”
said the outgoing commander.
“Our soldiers and
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believe that, and it is evident
in the excellent work they
are doing here in Kandahar
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TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 15
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16
Maj Peter St. Denis patrols the Panjway District, Afghanistan.
Canada’s priorities
By Government of Canada
For the next three years, Canada will
focus on a targeted set of objectives in
keeping with proven Canadian strengths and
consistent with Afghan objectives and the
efforts of the international community.
The first four priorities focus primarily on
Kandahar. Canada will help the Government
of Afghanistan to: maintain a more secure
environment and establish law and order by
building the capacity of the Afghan National
Army and Police, and supporting complementary
efforts in the areas of justice and
corrections. provide jobs, education, and
essential services, like water.
• Provide humanitarian assistance to people
in need, including refugees.
• Enhance the management and security of
the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Nationally, Canada will help:
• Build Afghan institutions that are central
to our Kandahar priorities and support
democratic processes such as elections.
• Contribute to Afghan-led political reconciliation
efforts aimed at weakening the insurgency
and fostering a sustainable peace.
As Canada transforms its engagement in
Afghanistan, our Kandahar-focused programming
will comprise up to 50 percent of
our total effort, and more and more funding
will be directed toward efforts to benefit the
people of that province.
Reproduced with permission of the
Government of Canada. Source: www.
afghanistan.gc.ca.
SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
CPL ANDREW SAUNDERS, TFK PA IMAGERY TECH
By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities
for moving forward
on Afghanistan is to
help strengthen the Afghan
government’s institutional
capacity to deliver core services
and promote economic
growth, enhancing the confidence
of Kandaharis in their
government.
Building the confidence
of Afghans in their own
government is crucial to
enabling their public officials
to assume responsibility
for security, governance, and
development in Kandahar.
Gaining public confidence
will depend on the Afghan
government’s ability to
deliver essential services and
make perceptible improvements
in the lives of Afghans.
Schools, accessible water
and sanitation, electricity,
health, and job creation are
cited by Kandaharis as their
most pressing needs.
Canada will invest up to
$210 million* over the next
three years toward helping the
Afghan government deliver
basic services such as:
• Education;
• Vocational training;
• Roads;
• Job creation for Afghans,
including promoting agricultural
production and
providing access to credit
for entrepreneurs; and
• Repairing infrastructure
for irrigation and
potable water.
Two signature projects will
be prominent among Canadian
investments in the
province of Kandahar. In the
first, Canada will support the
urgent rehabilitation of the
province’s main water source
—the Dahla Dam (up to $50
million*)—and its irrigation
and canal system, thus generating
seasonal jobs and promoting
agriculture.
The second signature project
will involve building,
expanding or repairing 50
schools in Kandahar over the
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Delivery of basic services
next three years (up to $12
million*). As a result, children
in key districts of the
province will have increased
access to schooling.
Canadian objectives for
2011. Canada expects that by
2011 Kandahar’s provincial
administration and core ministries
of the Afghan government
will be better able to
provide basic services in
key districts of the province
of Kandahar.
Progress will be measured
using indicators such as:
number of hectares of land
benefiting from improved
irrigation and water management;
schools built, repaired
or expanded; teachers trained;
infrastructure projects implemented;
and seasonal jobs
generated.
*Allocations are subject
to adjustments, in response
to changes in the complex
Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission
of the Government of
Canada. Source: www.
afghanistan.gc.ca.
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By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities
for moving forward
on Afghanistan is to help the
Afghan government strengthen
the Afghan National Army
(ANA)’s ability to conduct
operations and sustain a more
secure environment, and
increase the Afghan National
Police (ANP)’s ability to promote
law and order in the
province of Kandahar. In
addition to the ongoing efforts
by the CF to mentor and equip
the ANA, Canada will be providing
up to $99 million* over
the next three years toward:
• Training, mentoring and
equipping the ANA and
the ANP;
• Building capacity in
administration and
logistical support; and
• Complementary initiatives
in the justice and correctional
systems to support
activities of the ANP.
Afghan National Army.
Mentoring and supporting
the ANA is a key military
task of NATO and the Canadian
Forces. A well-led, welltrained,
and well-equipped
ANA is essential if the Afghan
government is to assume
responsibility for national and
provincial security, and thus
enable governance and development
to progress.
While substantial progress
has been achieved in the last
few years—the assigned ANA
complement in the province of
Kandahar numbers approximately
2,400 compared with
just 600 in 2006—challenges
remain. Advanced leadership,
administration, and logistical
mentoring and training are
still needed.
The CF is currently mentoring
five ANA battalions, or
kandaks, (each comprising up
to 650 soldiers) and one
brigade headquarters through
a Canadian-led Operational
Mentoring and Liaison Team.
Canadian objectives for
2011 (Afghan National
SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 17
Training and mentoring Afghan national security forces
Afghan National Army soldiers conduct basic soldiering skills at the Kabul Military
Training Center.
Army). Canada expects that
by 2011 the ANA, with support
from International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF)
allies, will demonstrate an
increased capacity to conduct
MCPL ROBERT BOTTRILL, CF COMBAT CAMERA
operations and sustain a more
secure environment in key districts
of the province of Kandahar.
Progress will be measured
using indicators such as
the ANA’s ability to conduct
security operations, its maintenance
of effective brigade
strength, and the number of
key districts where it is
responsible for security with
minimal ISAF support.
Afghan National Police.
Canadian police and the CF
have contributed directly to
the training of more than 650
members of the ANP through
the Kandahar Provincial
Reconstruction Team, and
Canada has provided funding
for equipment, infrastructure
(outposts), and police salaries.
Officers from Correctional
Services Canada have also
advanced correctional system
reform through training, mentoring,
and expertise. While
solid progress has been
achieved, there are a number
of challenges—including illiteracy,
corruption and drug
abuse among the ANP, and
weaknesses in the judicial and
correctional systems—that
need to be further addressed.
Canadian objectives for
2011 (Afghan National
Police). Canada expects that
by 2011 the ANP, supported
by justice-sector and corrections
capabilities, will demonstrate
an increased capacity to
promote law and order in key
districts of the province of
Kandahar. Progress will be
measured using indicators
such as the number of ANP
and Afghan corrections officials
trained and mentored
in Kandahar, the number of
training programs in place for
justice officials, and key infrastructure
projects completed.
*Allocations are subject
to adjustments, in response
to changes in the complex
Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission
of the Government of
Canada.

18
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SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
Signature project: Dahla
Dam and irrigation system
The Dahla Dam and irrigation system is Afghanistan’s second largest dam.
By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities for
moving forward on Afghanistan is
to help strengthen the Afghan government’s
institutional capacity to deliver
core services and promote economic
growth.
The repair of the Dahla Dam and its
irrigation system directly addresses this
priority, as it will:
• Provide a secure irrigation water
supply to the majority of the Kandahari
population;
• Generate 10,000 seasonal jobs; and
• Foster agriculture by providing
farmers with irrigated land.
The Dahla Dam project also addresses
the recommendation of the Independent
Panel on Canada’s Future Role in
Afghanistan for a major signature project
that directly addresses the greatest
needs of the Afghan people and is clearly
identified with Canada.
Canada will invest up to $50 million*
over the next three years to implement
the following activities related to the
initiative:
REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
• Repairs to the Dahla Dam, such as
replacing generators and repairing
water valves to improve the control
of water flow;
• Fixing gates to control the flow of
water from the Arghandab River into
the canal system;
• Repairs to canals, including desilting;
• Support in establishing the Arghandab
Sub-basin water management body,
which will take the lead in managing
the area’s water system in consultation
with local stakeholders; and
• Training farmers in water management
and new crop production
techniques.
Additional facts. The Dahla Dam
and irrigation system, located in the
heart of the province of Kandahar, is
Afghanistan’s second largest dam.
Eighty percent of Kandahar’s population
lives along the irrigation system.
Since it was built in the 1950s, years of
disrepair have left the dam and irrigation
system functioning at reduced capacity.
Funding for this signature project is
included in the Government of Canada’s
investment of up to $210 million over the
next three years to help the Afghan government
deliver basic services.
*Specific allocations are subject to
adjustments in response to changes in the
complex Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission from the
Government of Canada.
The Polio Eradication Signature Project will see seven million
children immunized across Afghanistan.
Signature project:
Polio eradication
By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities
for moving forward
on Afghanistan is to help the
Afghan government provide
humanitarian assistance to
vulnerable people, including
refugees, returnees, and internally
displaced persons. In
support of this priority, the
Polio Eradication Signature
Project will see the immunization
of an estimated seven million
children across Afghanistan,
including 350,000 in the
province of Kandahar. Southern
Afghanistan has the highest
national incidence of this
debilitating virus.
Canada will invest up to
$60 million* over three years
to eliminate this debilitating
disease. This will make
Canada the largest international
donor in this area.
Canada’s leadership on polio
eradication directly addresses
the recommendation of
the Independent Panel on
Canada’s Future Role in
Afghanistan for a major signature
project that directly
benefits the Afghan people
and is clearly identified
with Canada. Project activities
will include mapping
nomadic routes and establishing
vaccination points at
major border crossings, with
vaccination schedules synchronized
between Afghanistan
and Pakistan. Local
health workers will ensure that
the polio vaccine is administered
to children in every district
of Kandahar.
Canadian objectives for
2011. Working closely with
the Government of Afghanistan
and the international
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
community, Canada hopes to
eliminate polio completely in
Afghanistan by 2009. Canada’s
partners in the international
community include the
World Health Organization
(WHO) and UNICEF. This
project will make it possible
to improve the general health
of Afghans and to strengthen
the delivery of health services
in Afghanistan.
Additional facts. Polio
(poliomyelitis) mainly affects
children under five. One in
200 infections leads to irreversible
paralysis, usually in
the legs. Among those paralyzed,
5 percent to 10 percent
die when their breathing muscles
become immobilized.
According to the WHO, in
2008, only four countries in
the world remain polioendemic,
down from more
than 125 in 1988. The remaining
countries are Afghanistan,
India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Pockets of polio transmission
persist in northern India,
northern Nigeria, and along
the border between Afghanistan
and Pakistan. These
pockets are the current targets
of the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative.
Funding for this signature
project is included in the Government
of Canada’s investment
of up to $111 million*
over the next three years
to help the Government of
Afghanistan provide humanitarian
assistance in Kandahar.
*Specific allocations are
subject to adjustments in
response to changes in the
complex Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission
from the Government
of Canada.
REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities
for moving forward
on Afghanistan is to
help the Afghan government
provide humanitarian assistance
to vulnerable people,
including refugees, returnees
and internally displaced persons.
This includes refugees
and refugees who have recently
returned to the country, widows,
female-headed households,
and persons internally
displaced by violence or natural
disasters. Canada will be
contributing up to $111 million*
over the next three years
to help the Government of
Afghanistan provide humanitarian
assistance in Kandahar
and nationwide. Initiatives
will include:
• Food aid for vulnerable
populations, including
refugees, drought-affected
families, civilians affected
by conflict, refugees who
have returned to the country,
and internally displaced
persons. This aid will be
delivered through the World
Food Programme;
• Non-food aid (blankets,
kitchen utensils, etc.) for
vulnerable populations;
• Vaccinations (polio,
measles, and tetanus) and
promoting greater access to
basic health services. This
initiative includes Canada’s
signature polio eradication
project (up to $60 million*),
which is expected to
immunize seven million
children and help close the
gap to eliminating the disease
in Afghanistan by
2009; and
• The clearance of mines and
the provision of mine
awareness education.
Canadian objectives for
2011. Humanitarian assistance
will continue to be
accessible to Afghan refugees
and to returnees and internally
displaced persons in the
province of Kandahar and
nationwide.
Progress will be measured
by looking at the capacity of
Afghan institutions to plan
and coordinate emergency
assistance; the access vulnerable
populations have to essential
quality health services; the
number of people receiving
mine awareness education;
the amount of land released
and made available through
mine clearance activities; and
the number of children receiving
the polio vaccine.
*Specific allocations are
subject to adjustments in
response to changes in the
complex Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission
from the Government
of Canada.
SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 19
Sgt Carl Erskine of the KPRT Engineer Section helps an
Afghani man hoist a 50-kg bag of flour onto his shoulders.
Humanitarian
assistance
CPLC BRUNO TURCOTTE, PHOTOGRAPHE QG AFG ROTO 4
Signature project:
Education in Kandahar
By Government of Canada
One of Canada’s six priorities for
moving forward on Afghanistan is
to help strengthen the Afghan government’s
institutional capacity to deliver
core services and promote economic
growth, enhancing the confidence of
Kandaharis in their government.
Through its Education Signature Project,
Canada will invest up to $12 million*
over the next three years:
• To build, expand or repair 50 schools
in key districts of Kandahar province;
• To build the capacity of the Ministry
of Education to deliver quality educational
services.
This project addresses the recommendation
of the Independent Panel on Canada’s
Future Role in Afghanistan for a
major signature project that directly benefits
the Afghan people and is clearly
identified with Canada.
This project also builds on Canada’s
already significant contribution to education
in Afghanistan. Canada is currently
the lead donor to the national education
program—the Education Quality
Improvement Program (EQUIP). Canada
is also responsible for rolling out the
Government of Afghanistan’s national
education strategy in Kandahar.
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Canada is currently the lead donor to the national education program.
Additional facts. Afghanistan has
some of the world’s lowest educational
levels. It is estimated that half of all
Afghan children do not go to school. Illiteracy
is a major development challenge
in Afghanistan, particularly in Kandahar,
where only 16 percent of Kandaharis are
literate (26 percent of men and 5 percent
of women).
This low rate is a barrier to employment,
other economic opportunities,
resources, and services. Teaching
women to read, write, and count is
especially imperative for the Government
of Afghanistan. Research shows
that educating women has the greatest
developmental benefits for their immediate
families and for society at large.
Canada will also support this signature
project by training up to 3,000 teachers
and providing adult literacy and vocational
training.
Funding for this signature project is
included in the Government of Canada’s
investment of up to $210 million* over
the next three years to help the Afghan
government deliver basic services.
*Specific allocations are subject to
adjustments in response to changes in the
complex Afghan environment.
Reproduced with permission from the
Government of Canada.
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GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

20 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
JTF-Afg Air Wing maintenance
Squadron part of multinational success
Pte Aaron Labossiere, an Aviation Technician from the Canadian Helicopter
Force in Afghanistan, positions a crane borrowed from the United States Army’s
101st Airborne Division. The crane helped enable an engine change on a
Canadian CH-147D Chinook helicopter.
By Capt Paul Kim
JTF Afghanistan
Due to the high elevations and dry
conditions flight operations in
Afghanistan have been very challenging
for the new Joint Task Force
Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) Air Wing in
Kandahar. The Canadian Helicopter
Force Afghanistan (CHF(A)) have had
their challenges as well, but have managed
to lift off without a snag.
CAPT CHRISTINE SALT
The technicians from 408 Tactical
Helicopter Squadron based in Edmonton,
who are currently serving with the
CHF(A), have not only been working on
their own aircraft, but have also been
lending a helping hand to other Canadian
aviation units and other aviation
units deployed at the Kandahar Air
Field in Afghanistan.
“We have an incredible maintenance
facility here at the Kandahar Air Field,
and our maintainers are always willing
to go that extra step in order to ensure
we provide the best service that we
can,” said Maj Derek Lay, JTF-Afg
Air Wing Maintenance Flight Commander.
“Any time we can help other
Air Wing units or units from different
countries, the interaction and team
work between all the air units here
makes it all worth while.”
The JTF-Afg Air Wing is composed
of six CH-147 Chinook D model medium-to
heavy-lift helicopters, three CC-
130 Hercules aircraft, up to three Heron
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and eight
CH-146 Griffon helicopters.
“What has been unusually interesting
and gratifying, is the amount of multinational
support that we receive from
the United States Army, Marine Corps
and the British Joint Helicopter Force.
We share our resources on a daily basis,
and since the United States Army operates
the same Chinook D Model helicopters,
we can share our expertise as
well—it’s a multinational success,”
said Maj Lay.
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Fleet Maintenance Facility, Cape Scott, workers (left to right)
Raymond Leblanc, Billy Banfield and Billy MacKinnon look
at the Afghanistan Memorial for fallen troops at their shop
in FMF Cape Scott.
Cape Scott’s
civilian workforce
pays tribute to
fallen soldiers
By Sgt Todd Berry
Army News
Within the plate shop
at Fleet Maintenance
Facility, Cape Scott, stands
an unusual Afghanistan
memorial.
Stephen Sweeney, the creator
of the memorial said,
“It all started back in 2002
when we lost our first troops,
Pte Nathan Smith and the
boys (Sgt Marc Leger, Cpl
Ainsworth Dyer and Pte
Richard Green) in a friendly
fire incident.”
A United States F-16 fighter
pilot mistakenly bombed their
pre-dawn training mission
outside of Kandahar City,
making Pte Smith one of the
first Canadian casualties in the
war on terror.
SGT TODD BERRY
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SUNDAYS AT CF CHAPELS
St. Brendan’s, Stadacona
Sunday Worship
1015 – French Catholic Mass
1115 – English Catholic Mass - Lt(N) Jean-François Petitpas
1400 Wednesday – Weekday RC Mass
1130 Friday – Ecumenical Service of Remembrance & Prayer
Ash Wednesday / Mercredi des Cendres - 25 February / février
1205 – Ecumenical service with ashes / service oecumenique avec cendres
1900 – RC service with ashes / service CR avec cendres
For information: 721-8660
Shearwater Chapel, Shearwater
Sunday Worship
0945 hrs – R.C. Mass - Capt Frank Pellerin
1115 hrs – Protestant Worship - Lt(N) John Hounsell-Drover
Protestant Communion – First Sunday of each month
Weekday R.C. Mass
1900 Wed & as announced in parish bulletin
Ash Wednesday / Mercredi des Cendres - 25 February / février
1215 – Protestant service with ashes / service protestant avec cendres
1900 – RC service with ashes / service CR avec cendres.
For information: 720-1441
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“It is a good thing to go to the house of the Lord.”

SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 21
The connection between this
tragedy in Afghanistan and a small
community in Nova Scotia was simply
that Sweeney had purchased the
family residence from Pte Nathan
Smith’s father.
Around 11 o’clock the evening of
Pte Smith’s death, Sweeney’s 14-
year-old son came down stairs and
said to his father that he was having
trouble sleeping “I said, Why was
that Because he was sleeping in
Nathan’s room, and he was just
killed over there.” So Sweeney told
his son “Sean, you just go back to
bed and just think that you’re sleeping
in a hero’s room, and you’ll be
all right.”
So he was fine with that. “So
that’s when I made up my mind
that I had to do something,” said
Sweeney. “So I came in here [work
shop] and I thought that there was a
tool box here that we used a lot of
the tools to fix a lot of the different
apparatus for the Navy and Army.
So I thought it would be fitting if I
painted it black and put a flag
[Canadian] on it at half-mast and put
their names on it.”
“It’s just grown since then,” stated
Sweeney. “We have some pictures
that the Army has donated to
us and there are newspaper clippings
of the highlights where we
lost multiple causalities.”
There is also a picture of one of the
first memorial sites in Afghanistan
mounted to the side of the tool
box memorial.
The memorial “is something to let
the troops know that we are thinking
about them and what they are doing
over there is not going unnoticed and
if there is anything that we can do to
help them out, we would certainly
do that,” said Sweeney.
Oran Gordon, a worker at the
plate and boiler shop worked on the
Bison and LAV project that saw
additional armour plates added to
help deflect explosions, which
today helps keep our troops safe
while on patrol, stated that he is
reminded everyday when he walks
into the shop that there are young
people out there risking there lives
day in and day out, something for
which he is very grateful.
“The workers have a long history
with the forces here,” stated Lorne
Brown, President of the Dockyard
Trades and Labour Council. “We
don’t distinguish between civilians
and the military side of the house.
We’re all team members of National
Defence.
“Every day when they go in
through the shop it’s there, and it’s a
reminder of one of the key goals that
they have here and that’s to support
the Forces and the people of the
Forces to make sure they get their
jobs done and return home. That’s
the important part; I think that by
seeing it there everyday it’s a constant
reminder of what one of the
main goals for us here at FMF Cape
Scott is,” said Brown.
Supporting basic services:
The Khalishak Retaining Wall
By Government of Canada
Khalishak village is located
along the northern bank of the
Arghandab River about 8 km from
Kandahar City. Because the region is
prone to flash floods and river erosion,
each year, Khalishak loses
valuable land to water damage.
The primary source of income for
150 village families is agriculture.
Both crop and livestock production
have been practised for hundreds of
years in this community. The local
people have worked hard to protect
their 2,000 km 2 of land, but without
much success. Each rain and flash
flood erodes more land, and more
people moved away because of the
economic loss.
To prevent further water damage,
Khalishak village needed a retaining
wall. At a cost of approximately
$70,000, the community could not
build it alone. With support from
Morale and welfare critical to mission success
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
During Christmas 2008 at Camp
Mirage, deployed CF members
received 5,000 Christmas cards sent
by Canadians through the Write to
the Troops project.
“So many people took the time to
write a card and a note. Everyone in
the camp had a handful of Christmas
cards,” observed CWO Barry Yhard,
adding that during his 28 years in the
CF, “I’ve never experienced this
amount of public support before.”
Having moved from his previous
post as squadron chief at 406
Squadron at 12 Wing Shearwater,
CWO Yhard currently is Camp CWO
for the Theatre Support Element,
which provides aviation, technical
and logistical support to the CF mission
in Afghanistan.
“We facilitate the movement of
personnel and equipment in and out
of the country,” CWO Yhard stated.
“If there’s a person who needs to
travel to or from Afghanistan, that’s
one of the things we take care of.”
Since arriving at the camp in early
December 2008, CWO Yhard has
become accustomed to its high
operational tempo. While he has
deployed to other theatres during his
military career, this is his first roto in
this region. According to CWO
The Khalishak Retaining Wall demonstrates the commitment for Canada,
its partners and the Government of Afghanistan.
CIDA and the Afghanistan Ministry
of Rural Reconstruction and Development,
the Central Asia Development
Group gave the green light for
the construction of a retaining wall.
On December 23, 2008, the 550 m
LCol Choiniere, Camp Mirage Commander, Santa Claus, Jessica
Witoslawski of DGPFSS and CWO Yhard, Theatre Support Element CWO.
Yhard, “It’s hard to be away from
home, but I wouldn’t miss this experience
for anything in the world.”
CWO Yhard’s duties are comparable
to those of a base chief and
among other tasks, he is responsible
for morale and welfare, discipline,
and coordination of parades. Morale
and welfare are critical to the success
of the overall operation, according
to CWO Yhard. “If people feel
happy, they do better on the job. A
happy workplace is a productive and
a safe workplace.”
Spending Christmas holidays
away from home was tough for camp
personnel, but CWO Yhard stated
that they sustained CF traditions such
as the Junior Ranks Christmas dinner.
As is customary, the camp’s two
youngest personnel briefly swapped
places with the commander and with
CWO Yhard. Despite the absence of
long, 0.5 m wide, and 3 m high Khalishak
Retaining Wall was completed.
It took 68 days to build, and the project
employed 40 local Afghans.
The retaining wall signifies a new
beginning for Khalishak villagers,
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
and much more on a broader scale. It
demonstrates a commitment from
Canada, its partners, and the Government
of Afghanistan to do what it
takes to restore core services, create
new economic opportunities, and
build confidence in the Government
of Afghanistan's ability to deliver on
its promises from village to village.
For Khalishak villagers, the wall
protects farmland from further
erosion and flood damage. Local
farmers can return to cultivating
their land, and even build for the
future without having to wonder
whether all their hard work would
be destroyed. One Khalishak
farmer shows his sense of relief
when he says,” Now we can properly
cultivate our lands and produce
enough crops, which will ultimately
bring our prosperity and economic
emancipation.”
Reproduced with permission from
the Government of Canada.
snow and winter weather, “The boss
and I dressed up in Santa suits,”
CWO Yhard stated.
Maintaining personal fitness is
another vital component of CF members’
wellbeing during the deployment,
he stated. “We have a phenomenal
recreation facility here.
We share it with the other coalition
forces, including Australia and
New Zealand.”
The facility is open 24 hours a day
and CWO Yhard noted the Director
General Personnel and Family Support
Services staff at the site offer a
wide variety of fitness and sports.
“We have spinning classes, we have
weights, we have lots of options. We
play a lot of floor hockey. “The Australian
military members have invited
the Canadians to play their version
of football, he added.
Other amenities include an internet
café and an outdoor cinema. The
padres coordinate the cinema and
CWO Yhard commented it’s a popular
gathering place in the evenings,
as the mess is nearby and personnel
can relax and eat a snack while
watching a movie.
CF base newspapers, such as the
Trident, are available for people who
want to keep up with the news from
home, CWO Yhard commented. City
newspapers such as the Chronicle
Herald are also available, though it
can take several weeks for these
papers to arrive, he noted. Further
contact with home is available
through the morale and welfare telephone
cards that allow each CF
member up to 30 minutes a week to
call Canada.
In addition to the Christmas cards,
the Canadian public regularly sends
letters and packages, CWO Yhard
noted. “We get things from people
saying, Thanks a lot for what you do.
Schools send posters the kids have
made and we put those posters up in
the mess hall. It makes you feel closer
to home.”
CWO Yhard expects to return
home “in time for Canada Day.”
Adjusting to the cooler temperatures
in the Maritimes after the heat at
Camp Mirage could be a problem at
first, he joked, saying “I may need to
wear a skidoo suit for a while.”

22 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
In memory of the fallen
Sapper Sean David Greenfield
24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat
Engineer Regiment, 3rd Battalion of the
Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group
January 31, 2009
Trooper Brian Richard Good
3rd Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group
January 7, 2009
Sgt Gregory John Kruse
2 Combat Engineer Regiment,
serving as a member of 3rd Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group
December 27, 2008
WO Gaétan Roberge
2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada
December 27, 2008
Pte Michael Freeman
3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 26, 2008
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 13, 2008
Pte. Justin Peter Jones
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 13, 2008
Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 13, 2008
WO Robert Wilson
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 5, 2008
Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 5, 2008
Pte. Demetrios Diplaros
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
December 5, 2008
Sgt Prescott Shipway
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group
September 7, 2008
Cpl Andrew Paul Grenon
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group
September 3, 2008
Cpl Michael James Alexander Seggie
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group
September 3, 2008
Pte Chadwick James Horn
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group
September 3, 2008
Sapper Stephan John Stock
1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER)
August 20, 2008
Cpl Dustin Roy Robert
Joseph Wasden
1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER)
August 20, 2008
Sgt Shawn Allen Eades
1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER)
August 20, 2008
MCpl Erin Doyle
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Edmonton Alberta
August 11, 2008
MCpl Joshua Brian Roberts
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Manitoba
August 9, 2008
Cpl James (Jim) Hayward Arnal
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Manitoba
July 18, 2008
Pte Colin William Wilmot
1 Field Ambulance, Edmonton (Alberta)
July 5, 2008
Cpl Brendan Anthony Downey
Military Police Detachment in Dundurn,
Saskatchewan
July 4, 2008
Capt Jonathan (Jon) Sutherland Snyder
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Edmonton, Alberta
June 7, 2008
Capt Richard Steven Leary
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Manitoba
June 3, 2008
Cpl Michael Starker
15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance,
Calgary, Alberta
May 6, 2008
Pte Terry John Street
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Manitoba
April 4, 2008
Sgt Jason Boyes
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Manitoba
March 16, 2008
Bdr Jérémie Ouellet
1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery,
Shilo, Manitoba
March 11, 2008
Trooper Michael Y. Hayakaze
Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians),
Edmonton, Alberta
March 2, 2008
Cpl Étienne Gonthier
5 Combat Engineer Regiment,
Valcartier, Québec
January 23, 2008
Trooper Richard Renaud
12e Régiment blindé du Canada,
Valcartier, Quebec
January 15, 2008
WO Hani Massouh
2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment,
Valcartier, Quebec
January 6, 2008
Cpl Éric Labbé
2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment,
Valcartier, Quebec
January 6, 2008
Gunner Jonathan Dion
5e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada,
Valcartier, Quebec
December 30, 2007
Pte Michel Jr. Lévesque
3 Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment,
Valcartier, Quebec
November 17, 2007
Cpl Nicolas R. Beauchamp
5 Field Ambulance, Valcartier, Quebec
November 17, 2007
Cpl Nathan Hornburg
The King’s Own Calgary Regiment, Alberta
September 24, 2007
Maj Raymond Mark Ruckpaul
Armoured Corps,
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
August 29, 2007
MCpl Christian Duchesne
5th Field Ambulance, 5 Area Support Group,
Valcartier, Québec
August 22, 2007
MWO Mario Mercier
2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment,
Valcartier, Québec
August 22, 2007
Pte Simon Longtin
3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment,
Valcartier, Québec
August 19, 2007
Capt Jefferson Clifford Francis
1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery,
Shilo, Manitoba
July 4, 2007
Cpl Jordan Anderson
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 4, 2007
Capt Matthew Johnathan Dawe
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 4, 2007
MCpl Colin Stuart Francis Bason
The Royal Westminster Regiment,
New Westminster, British Columbia
July 4, 2007
Cpl Cole D. Bartsch
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 4, 2007
Pte Lane William Thomas Watkins
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 4, 2007
Sgt Christos Karigiannis
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
June 20, 2007
Cpl Stephen Frederick Bouzane
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
June 20, 2007
Pte Joel Wiebe
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
June 20, 2007
Trooper Darryl Caswell
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
June 11, 2007
MCpl Darrell Jason Priede
Army News Team, 3 Area Support Group,
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown
May 30, 2007
Cpl Matthew McCully
2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
Headquarters and Signals Squadron,
Petawawa, Ontario
May 25, 2007
MCpl Anthony Klumpenhouwer
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
April 18, 2007
MCpl Allan Stewart
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
April 11, 2007
Trooper Patrick James Pentland
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
April 11, 2007

TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
23
In memory of the fallen
Sgt Donald Lucas
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Gagetown, New Brunswick)
April 8, 2007
Cpl Robert Thomas James Mitchell
Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 3, 2006
MCpl Raymond Arndt
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
(Edmonton, Alberta)
August 5, 2006
Pte Robert Costall
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
March 29, 2006
Cpl Brent Donald Poland
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Gagetown, New Brunswick)
April 8, 2007
Pte Josh Klukie
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 29, 2006
Pte Kevin Dallaire
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
August 3, 2006
MCpl Timothy Wilson
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
March 5, 2006
Cpl Christopher Paul Stannix
Princess Louise Fusiliers
(Halifax, Nova Scotia)
April 8, 2007
Cpl Aaron Edward Williams
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Gagetown, New Brunswick)
April 8, 2007
Pte David Robert Greenslade
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment,
(Gagetown, New Brunswick)
April 8, 2007
Pte Kevin Vincent Kennedy
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Gagetown, New Brunswick)
April 8, 2007
Cpl Kevin Megeney
1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders
(North) (Truro, Nova Scotia)
March 6, 2007
Chief WO Robert Girouard, CD
Age 46
Home Town Bouctouche, New Brunswick
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
November 27, 2006
Cpl Albert Storm, CD
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
November 27, 2006
Sgt Darcy Scott Tedford, CD
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 14, 2006
Pte Blake Neil Williamson
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 14, 2006
Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson
Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 7, 2006
Sgt Craig Paul Gillam, CD
Royal Canadian Dragoons
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 3, 2006
Cpl Glen Arnold, CD
2 Field Ambulance (Petawawa, Ontario)
September 18, 2006
Pte David Byers
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
September 18, 2006
Cpl Shane Keating
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
September 18, 2006
Cpl Keith Morley, CD
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
September 18, 2006
Pte Mark Anthony Graham
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 4, 2006
Pte William Jonathan James Cushley
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 3, 2006
WO Frank Robert Mellish, CD
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 3, 2006
WO Richard Francis Nolan, CD
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 3rd, 2006
Sgt Shane Stachnik
2 Combat Engineer Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
September 3rd, 2006
Cpl David Braun
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
August 22, 2006
Cpl Andrew James Eykelenboom
1st Field Ambulance (Edmonton, Alberta)
August 11, 2006
MCpl Jeffrey Scott Walsh
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
August 9, 2006
Sgt Vaughan Ingram
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
August 3, 2006
Cpl Bryce Jeffrey Keller
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
August 3, 2006
Cpl Christopher Jonathan Reid, CD
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
August 3, 2006
Cpl Francisco Gomez, CD
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 22, 2006
Cpl Jason Patrick Warren
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
of Canada (Montréal, Québec)
July 22, 2006
Cpl Anthony Joseph Boneca
Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
(Thunder Bay, Ontario)
July 9, 2006
Capt Nichola Kathleen
Sarah Goddard, MSM
1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
(Shilo, Manitoba)
May 17, 2006
Cpl Matthew David James Dinning
2 Military Police Platoon, Petawawa, Ontario
April 22, 2006
Bdr Myles Stanley John Mansell
5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment
(Victoria, British Columbia)
April 22, 2006
Cpl Randy Payne
1 Garrison Military Police Company,
Detachment Wainwright, Alberta
April 22, 2006
Lieutenant William Turner
Land Force Western Area Headquarters,
Edmonton, Alberta
(20th Field Artillery Regiment)
April 22, 2006
Cpl Paul Davis
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Shilo, Manitoba)
March 2, 2006
Mr. Glyn Berry
Director, Foreign Affairs Canada
January 15, 2006
Pte Braun Scott Woodfield
2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment
(Oromocto, New Brunswick)
November 24, 2005
Cpl Jamie Brendan Murphy
1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
January 27, 2004
Cpl Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger
3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 2, 2003
Sgt Robert Alan Short
3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment
(Petawawa, Ontario)
October 2, 2003
Cpl Ainsworth Dyer
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
April 18, 2002
Pte Richard Green
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
April 18, 2002
Sgt Marc D. Léger
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
April 18, 2002
Pte Nathan Smith
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry (Edmonton, Alberta)
April 18, 2002
Compiled with information from
www.forces.gc.ca.

24
SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
L’expert en NEM de
la Marine se remémore
un incident stupéfiant
Navy diver CPO2 Charlie Savard recently returned from seven months in Afghanistan.
Navy EOD expert recalls
astonishing incident
By Darlene Blakeley
Maple Leaf
e just want to help.” These words,
“Wfrom Navy clearance diver CPO2
Charlie Savard, neatly sum up the attitude of
many sailors deployed to the dusty plains
and mountains of Afghanistan. A long way
from their normal sea-based environment,
they nonetheless work alongside members
of the Army and Air Force to ensure that
Canada’s objectives are being met in that
war torn country.
And, like their counterparts, they have stories
to tell.
CPO2 Savard, an explosives ordnance disposal
(EOD) expert from Fleet Diving Unit
(Pacific), recently returned from more than
seven months in Afghanistan. Although originally
sent over with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment
from Edmonton, he was immediately
seconded to ISAF’s Counter-Improvised
Explosive Device (IED) Team in Regional
Command South. As a highly skilled postblast
investigator, he then joined the Counter
Explosives Exploitation Cell where he
worked in a Kandahar lab dealing with blast
evidence following incidents.
The talents of CPO2 Savard, a 24-year veteran
with the Navy, were in high demand and
he worked alongside other experts in the EOD
field from countries such as Australia, Britain
and the US in both Kandahar and Helmand
Province. “Most of the guys had at least 17 or
18 years experience and we meshed together
nicely,” he said.
Midway through his tour, CPO2 Savard
was tasked to go with an American EOD team
to a forward-operating base in Helmand
Province. While there, they were asked to
accompany a convoy to a smaller base nearby
that had been under siege for 30 days and
had run out of rations. During the pre-operation
briefing, they were told that IEDs were
common along the only route they could follow
to get to the base.
“This looks like a bad B movie,” quipped
one of CPO2 Savard’s colleagues. “We’re
being forced down a channel into a certain
area.”
His words turned out to be prophetic. The
convoy successfully reached the base with
much-needed rations and supplies, but the
return journey proved to be the stuff of stories
told to grandchildren in later years.
“We received word just before we left the
base that insurgents were mad because they
had missed the convoy going in,” said CPO2
Savard. Although they were well prepared, it
was still startling when the convoy came
under attack.
CPO2 Savard was riding in a light armoured
vehicle with a driver, an EOD colleague and
two young British soldiers. The soldiers, acting
as sentries, were standing up in the hatch
of the vehicle when the detonations started
going off.
“One of the soldiers started to return fire and
I was burned by the brass casings falling in my
lap as I sat in the back seat,” says CPO2 Savard.
All of a sudden something skinned the shoulder
of the first soldier, bounced off the helmet
of the second soldier and landed in the road
beside them where it exploded. Eye witnesses
later told them it was a rocket-propelled
grenade (RPG), capable of travelling up to 294
metres per second.
After quickly performing first aid on the soldier
with the shoulder wound, CPO2 Savard
checked the helmet of the other solider and
found an oval mark and crack where the RPG
had hit. In typical battlefield humour, the main
concern arose when the soldier with the
wound realized that as the RPG skinned his
shoulder, it effectively removed a tattoo for
which he had recently paid 75 pounds.
“Except for the tattoo,” laughed CPO2
Savard, “we walked out of there lucky.”
Now back in Canada, CPO2 Savard tells the
story to shed light on the work of Navy clearance
divers in Afghanistan. “We are highly
trained to do this kind of work—we can do any
type of land or sea ordnance disposal all over
the world.”
But the main reason “It feels good to be
helping our guys over there,” he said.
PM2 Savard a découvert une marque ovale et une fêlure à
l’endroit où la GPF avait percuté.
Par Darlene Blakeley
La Feuille d’érable
ous voulons simple-
aider » Ces «Nment
mots du Premier maître de
2e classe Charlie Savard,
un plongeur-démineur de la
Marine, résument parfaitement
l’attitude de nombreux
marins déployés dans les
plaines et les montagnes poussiéreuses
d’Afghanistan. Loin
de leur environnement maritime
habituel, ils travaillent
néanmoins avec des membres
de l’Armée de terre et de la
Force aérienne en vue d’assurer
l’atteinte des objectifs du
Canada dans ce pays déchiré
par la guerre.
Comme leurs homologues,
ils ont des histoires à raconter.
Le Pm 2 Savard, expert en
neutralisation des explosifs et
munitions (NEM) de l’Unité
de plongée de la Flotte (Pacifique),
est récemment de
retour au Canada après une
mission de plus de sept mois
en Afghanistan. Initialement
déployé au sein du 1er Régiment
du génie d’Edmonton, le
Pm 2 Savard a été immédiatement
réaffecté dans l’équipe
de protection contre les dispositifs
explosifs de circonstance
(IED) de la FIAS, au sein
du Commandement régional
(Sud). Enquêteur post-explosion
hautement qualifié, il a
intégré alors la cellule de lutte
contre l’exploitation d’explosifs
où il a travaillé dans un
laboratoire de Kandahar, en
assurant le traitement des
preuves d’explosion à la suite
des incidents.
Le Pm 2 Savard, qui compte
24 ans dans la Marine, et
dont les talents sont très en
demande, a travaillé dans
les provinces de Kandahar
et d’Helmand avec d’autres
experts en NEM originaires
d’autres pays comme l’Australie,
la Grande-Bretagne et
les États-Unis. « La plupart
des mes collègues avaient au
moins 17 ou 18 ans d’expérience
et la collaboration était
harmonieuse », dit-il.
À mi-parcours de sa période
de service, le Pm 2
Savard a été chargé de se rendre
avec une équipe américaine
de NEM dans une base
d’opérations avancées, située
dans la province d’Helmand.
Durant la séance d’information
préopérationnelle, on
leur avait dit que les dispositifs
explosifs de circonstance
(IED) étaient courants le long
de la seule route qu’ils pouvaient
emprunter pour se rendre
à la base.
« Ça a l’air d’un mauvais
film de série B. On nous
oblige à nous diriger dans
une certaine zone », dit avec
esprit l’un des collègues du
Pm 2 Savard.
Ses mots se sont révélés
prophétiques. Le convoi est
parvenu à se rendre à la
base avec les vivres et les
fournitures essentielles, mais
le voyage de retour a pris les
allures de récits qu’on raconte
plus tard à ses petitsenfants
».
« Peu avant notre départ de
la base, on nous avait averti
que les insurgés étaient en
colère, parce qu’ils avaient
manqué le convoi lorsque
celui-ci se rendait à la base »,
dit le Pm 2 Savard. Même
s’ils étaient bien préparés,
les membres du convoi ont
été tout de même surpris
lorsqu’ils ont été attaqués.
Le Pm 2 Savard était à bord
d’un véhicule blindé léger en
compagnie du conducteur, un
collègue de l’équipe de NEM,
ainsi que deux jeunes soldats
britanniques. Ces derniers, en
sentinelle, étaient debout dans
la trappe du véhicule lorsque
les détonations ont commencé
à retentir.
« L’un des soldats a commencé
à riposter, et j’étais
brûlé par les douilles fumantes
qui me tombaient sur les
jambes, puisque j’étais assis
sur le siège arrière », dit
le Pm 2 Savard. Soudain,
quelque chose écorcha l’épaule
du premier soldat, ricocha
sur le casque du second
soldat et tomba sur la route,
à côté d’eux, avant d’exploser.
Des témoins leur ont dit
plus tard qu’il s’agissait
d’une grenade propulsée par
fusée (GPF) pouvant parcourir
une distance de 294
mètres par seconde.
Après avoir prodigué rapidement
les premiers soins au
soldat blessé à l’épaule, le
Pm 2 Savard a vérifié le
casque de l’autre soldat, et a
découvert une marque ovale
et une fêlure à l’endroit où la
GPF avait percuté. Humour
classique de champ de bataille
: le soldat blessé à l’épaule
était très préoccupé lorsqu’il
s’est aperçu que la GPF
lui avait également ôté le
tatouage, qui lui avait récemment
coûté 75 £.
« À l’exception du tatouage,
nous nous en sommes sortis
indemnes », dit en souriant le
Pm 2 Savard.
De retour maintenant au
Canada, le Pm 2 Savard raconte
cette histoire afin d’attirer
l’attention sur le travail que
les plongeurs-démineurs de
la Marine accomplissent en
Afghanistan. « Nous sommes
hautement formés pour exécuter
ce genre de travail
– nous pouvons effectuer
toutes sortes de déminage à
terre ou en mer partout dans
le monde. »
Mais la principale raison «
Ça fait du bien d’aider nos
amis là-bas », explique-il.

TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 25
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$1,750 per month. Call Karen at
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SHEFFIELD, CLAYTON PARK:
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and access to garage. Vanilla
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new carpets and kitchen appliances.
Electric storage heaters.
Short-term lease (minimum one
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utilities; long-term lease (minimum
six months) $1,450/month
plus utilities. Pictures: item1730,
www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/49106.html.
Contact
sheffield@eastlink.ca or (902)
429-5735.
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This could have been your FREE 25 word classified ad.

26
East coast
CSORs win
fitness challenge
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
It’s a long walk to CFB
Esquimalt, but the east
coast team got there before
the west coast team reached
Halifax.
The Across Canada Fitness
Challenge, in which east and
west coast Client Services
Orderly Rooms (CSORs) competed
to see who could reach
the opposite coast first, is over.
The east coast CSORs are
the victors, having completed
the 6005 km distance from
Halifax to Esquimalt on January
18, 2009.
“People are more
on top of their
fitness goals.”
“It took us just over three
months to get across the country,”
stated OS Richard Pillai,
a clerk in the Stadacona CSOR.
The challenge began last
fall when, in the interests of
promoting morale, team spirit
and fitness, the east coast
CSORs challenged the west
coast to walk a distance
equivalent to crossing Canada.
The west coast accepted
the challenge and upped the
ante by stating they would
raise funds for charities,
including the Habitat for
Humanity. The east coast
agreed and chose Habitat for
Humanity as their cause.
Participation from the east
coast CSORs was strong,
according to OS Pillai. There
were 10 teams participating
from the east coast, as
compared to only three in
Esquimalt “but we were
using just the top three teams
to compete against the three
teams on the west coast.”
A map on the PSP website
displayed the calculated total
progress each week of the
top three teams from each
coast along the Trans-Canada
Highway.
The east coast teams soon
pulled ahead of their west
coast colleagues, according to
OS Pillai. “They were doing
just under 500 km a week
and we were doing just over
600 km a week.” The east
coast’s secret “Our commitment
to fitness,” stated OS
Pillai. “We have mandatory
PT three times a week and
that was an excellent opportunity
for everyone to push fitness.
Also, there are several
people who run long distances
on a regular basis. We were
very motivated.”
Tracking their steps and
then converting them to km,
the top participants were
reaching as many as 70,000
steps per week, OS Pillai
stated.
Now that the challenge is
over, the benefits remain, he
noted. “People are more on
top of their fitness goals.
They’re aware of how many
steps they take in a week. You
walk around the office and
you hear conversations about
how many steps people took
that day, and somebody will
say they took 15,000 steps.
Which is something you’d
never hear before. People are
now more inclined to walk
places than to drive and that’s
a great change of pace.”
To raise money for Habitat
for Humanity, the CSORs raffled
off a gift basket. OS Pillai
stated “We raised just under
$800 with that.”
The Mariners won the Atlantic regional Oldtimers Hockey Tournament and will progress to the national tournament, taking
place in March 2009.
By Virginia Beaton
Trident staff
The Atlantic Regional Men’s Oldtimers
Hockey tournament took
place at the Shannon Arena from January
27 to 30, 2009.
Teams from CFB Gagetown, CFB
Halifax, 14 Wing Greenwood and 12
Wing Shearwater competed in the tournament,
which was a single round robin.
08/09 Cock of the Walk sports
Standings after the round robin were:
CFB Halifax in first place, 14 Wing
Greenwood in second place, 12 Wing in
third and CTC Gagetown in fourth place.
The top team moved to the final and
the second and third place teams played
a lone semi-final game. Because of
facility problems and inclement weather,
the round robin game between 14
Wing and 12 Wing did not take place.
In semi-final play, 12 Wing defeated
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Halifax Mariners win Atlantic
regional oldtimers hockey
14 Wing 6 to 5 in double overtime. In
the final game of the tournament, the
CFB Halifax team defeated 12 Wing 4
to 3 in overtime. LCdr Bruno Carpentier
of the CFB Halifax team was recognized
as the tournament’s most valuable
player.
The Halifax Mariners will represent
the Atlantic region at the CF National
Oldtimers Hockey Championship to be
held at CFB Borden from March 14 to 20.
Soccer Golf SloPitch Running Badm VBall Fl Hock Hockey Points Place
June June Sept Oct Oct Nov Jan Feb
CFNES 70 110 100 100 45 80 70 55 630 1st
MARLANT 0 95 70 85 60 50 100 70 530 2nd
CFNOS 55 80 40 40 0 65 30 100 410 3rd
LFAA/Hlth SVCS 0 50 20 10 0 35 85 85 285 4th
FADMO 0 40 55 55 30 0 55 0 235 5th
FLOG/FCE 10 30 85 20 0 0 40 20 205 6th
TRI/ADAC 25 10 30 30 15 20 0 40 170 7th
FMFCS 0 65 0 70 0 0 0 30 165 8th
CFMWC 40 20 0 0 0 0 20 0 80 9th
CPL PETER REED, FORMATION IMAGING SERVICES, HALIFAX
221-7444
Randy Fulton
Home, Condos & Flats to Rent
Property Management and Home Rentals
Paula Trites
Sales Representative
Bilingual Service Bilingue
C: 902-240-1555
T: 902-865-2000
F: 902-865-2999
paulatrites@ramarrealty.ca
www.ramarrealty.ca
66 Temple Terrace
Lower Sackville, NS B4C 0A7
Book your advertising space today.
Dave MacNeil 435-4977
Alan Minasian 405-0435

TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009 27
CFNOS declared COTW Hockey Champions
Looking
for Tae
Kwon Do
athletes
for Atlantic
Regionals
Candidates interested in participating
in training camp should
submit their name and level of Tae
Kwon Do to a Sports Coordinator as
soon as possible. Fleet: 427-3985,
Shearwater: 720-1072, Stadacona:
721-8418.
CFNOS took COTW hockey honours in the tournament held from February 2 to 6 at the Shannon Park Arena.
By Jon Berg
Stadacona Fitness and Sports Complex,
Physical Exercise Specialist
COTW hockey skated into Shannon Arena
from February 2 to 6. There was a large
turnout of eight units that competed for the coveted
COTW Hockey championship title. The
tournament format was a two-division, single
round robin, with the top two teams from each
division advancing to the semi-finals. CFNOS
edged by CFNES 3 to 2 in their semi-final game,
while LFAA shut out MARLANT with their
impressive 6 to 0 victory.
In the championship game it was a very
close game, but CFNOS managed to hold
their 2-1 lead to become this year’s COTW
Hockey Champions.
Yolande Mason & Associates
Yolande Mason 478-3197
André Béland 830-8679
Andy During 497-3540
John Foster 483-3136
Office 435-3594
Email ymason@ns.sympatico.ca
www.YolandeMason.com
We understand the needs
of our military clients
Military relocation is a major part of our business. Why not call us and
take advantage of our combined 50+ years of Real Estate experience.
Moving away We can help. We are part of a National Referral Network
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We’re never too busy to take your call.
Bilingual Agents/Agent Bilingues
Yolande Mason & Associates are members of
644 Portland Street, Dartmouth NS B2W 6C4

LBK_N_09_1014_A.indd 1
1/22/09 6:57:01 PM
Alexander Keith’s is a proud sponsor of the Canadian Forces Halifax Sports Program
Introducing Alexander Keith’s Stag’s Head Stout.
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1869 Upper Water St.
FIFE & DRUM
1919 Upper Water St.
OLD PORT PUB
900 Windmill Rd.
ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
5171 George St.
THE OLD TRIANGLE
IRISH ALEHOUSE
5136 Prince St.
THE RED STAG TAVERN
Suite 224, 1496 Lower Water St.
O’CARROLL’S RESTAURANT
& IRISH PUB
1860 Upper Water St.
WINSTON’S PUB & EATERY
278 Lacewood Dr.
STAYNER’S WHARF
PUB & GRILL
1781 Upper Water St.
THE MAXWELL’S PLUM
ENGLISH PUB
1600 Grafton St.
THE CELTIC CORNER
PUBLIC HOUSE
69 Alderney Dr.
NEIGHBOUR’S PUB
50 Rodney Rd.
†
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