The Torch: The next rotation to Afstan

First, two news stories:

1) Edmonton Sun:

Soldiers praised
Face a 'formidable enemy'

2) Winnipeg Sun:

'Best-prepared' troops get send-off

Task Force 1-08 (Joint Task Force Afghanistan, Roto 5) composed of approximately 2500 soldiers will comprise of the following units:
• A 1000 soldier Battle Group in Kandahar, primarily from the
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI), which includes:

• Battle Group Headquarters – 2 PPCLI (Shilo);

• Two Rifle Companies – B and C Companies 2 PPCLI (Shilo) and elements of A Company 3 PPCLI (Edmonton);

• One Artillery Battery with two Surveillance and Target Acquisition ( STA ) troops– B Battery 1 RCHA (Shilo);

• One Field Engineer Squadron – 12 Field Squadron 1 CER (Edmonton);

• One Reconnaissance Platoon – 2 PPCLI (Shilo);

• One Reconnaissance Squadron – D Squadron 12 RBC (Valcartier);

• One Tank Squadron – B Squadron LdSH(RC) (Edmonton);.

•One Armoured Engineer Troop – 1 CER (Edmonton );

The majority of about 400 Reserve Force soldiers, will come from:

• 39 CBG from British Columbia - approximately 136 soldiers;

• 41 CBG from Alberta - approximately 145 soldiers; and

• 38 CBG from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario- approximately 117soldiers

• A Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) unit comprised primarily of personnel from 444 Close Support Squadron and 4 Air Defence Regiment
(4 AD Regt) based in Moncton; and

• Operational Mentor Liaison Team (OMLT) of 153 soldiers formed primarily from 3 PPCLI with augmentation from Land Force Western Area (LFWA), Land Force Atlantic Area (LFAA) and Land Force Central Area (LFCA). It will partner with Afghan National Army (ANA) Infantry Kandaks (Kandak is the Afghan word for “battalion”) and ANA Corps Headquarters. It also includes a 31-member Police Observer-Mentor Liaison Team that will work with the Afghan National Police in a similar capacity.

• Health Service Support (HSS) company of 186 personnel contributing medical personnel to the Role 1 unit as well as to the Multinational Medical Unit (MMU) Role 3 facility at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) comprised of primarily Edmonton-based personnel from 1 Field Ambulance (1 Fd Amb) and 1 Canadian Field Hospital (1 Cdn Fd Hosp), as well as other Health Services units from across Canada;

• About 11 CF members with the Regional Command (South) Headquarters assisting Canadian Major-General Lessard in accomplishing his mission and exercising command and control over the Region Command (South) in Afghanistan. RC (S) controls ISAF operations in the provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Zabol, Uruzgan, Nimroz and Daikundi;

• About 350 CF members with the Joint Task Force (Afghanistan) Headquarters (JTF (Afg) HQ) at Kandahar Airfield. JTF (A) HQ is primarily composed of personnel drawn primarily from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group based in Petawawa;

• About 470 CF members with the National Support Element (NSE) in Kandahar, primarily from the 1 Service Battalion (1 Svc Bn) in Edmonton with two Force Protection Platoons drawn from 39 and 41 CBG based out of Vancouver and Calgary respectively;

• About 350 CF members with the Theatre Support Element (TSE) at Camp Mirage in Southwest Asia; and

• A Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) of 250 soldiers, which is responsible for governance, reconstruction and development in Kandahar Province based at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City. The military component of the PRT includes:

• The PRT Commander's Tactical Headquarters Group, which provides protection and mobility to the PRT Commander and his staff;

• An infantry company from the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI), protecting and escorting the PRT, providing a quick reaction force for Kandahar City, and performing defence and security tasks;

• Military project managers (military engineers) enhancing the PRT's capability to manage quick impact reconstruction and development projects;

• A Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) platoon from LFWA;

• A Military Police Platoon consisting of members Edmonton ;

• A Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) platoon from LFWA;

• Service and support elements drawn from across Canada; and

• Other specialized elements from vaious CF units across Canada.

For more information on the mission in Afghanistan, visit the DND / CF website under “Operations” at the following link: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/current_ops_e.asp