# Top General Say Army Ready For New Missions



## FGH_Recce_DJ (20 May 2005)

OTTAWA (CP) - After a year of recuperation and rebuilding, the army will soon be able to tackle new missions abroad, the country's top soldier says. 

Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of the defence staff, said Thursday the army has recovered from the stress built up during more than a decade of unending overseas deployments and is ready to handle and sustain new assignments. But it won't return to the days when deployments multiplied to an unsustainable level. 

He told the Commons defence committee the navy has also caught its breath after a long series of missions. The air force, though, is still reorganizing. 

A year ago, the military said the army was simply played out and couldn't take on another task without rest. 

"We needed a reduction in operational tempo for at least a year to enable us to regenerate the force," Hillier said. 

From the early 1990s, the army had been committed to one mission after another, from Cambodia to Kosovo. At times, 4,000 soldiers were deployed overseas. 

The entire army was either on a mission, training for a mission or recovering from a mission. Some soldiers racked up five or six tours overseas, with little breathing space between them. 

In the last year, the army pulled most of its troops from the former Yugoslavia after more than 15 rotations involving more than 40,000 people. It maintained about 950 troops in Afghanistan, but backed away from any new commitments. 

Canada is also scaling back its commitment to the UN peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria. 

The government has committed the army to an expanded role in Afghanistan, although no details are yet available. Canada is also offering a small force for Darfur in Sudan. 

Hillier said the army will be able to handle two "relatively large" commitments totalling 1,500 troops by early next year. 

"Starting in August, they will be able to come back to an increased level of operations and starting in late fall with deployment ideally in January and February, come back to the ability to be able to maintain two relatively large missions outside of the country and sustain those missions." 

Hillier said the military and the government learned their lessons about over-commitment. 

During the 1990s, governments sent troops to mission after mission - Bosnia, Somalia, Cambodia, Kosovo, East Timor and others - and the military responded, even as fatigue built up, equipment broke down and costs soared. 

"We learned some valuable lessons during that time frame, albeit some very painful lessons," he said. 

In the 1990s, government planners tended to offer Canadian troops for every mission that came along. 

"You can only do that for a while before you mortgage the future and then you have no capability." 

Those planners have learned to "take an appetite suppressant" when it comes to new international commitments, he said.


Until we get some new decent kit i ain't going nowhere lol, i don't know about the rest of you!!!!!


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## CBH99 (20 May 2005)

It will be interesting to see what new missions the future has in store for us this time around.

I know the plan to reinforce our committment to Afghanistan will take quite a toll in terms of equipment and personnel, a 1250 strong battlegroup operating out of Kandahar will be an interesting deployment, I'm sure.  

Does anybody else get the feeling we should be doing more in Sudan, militarily?  And, did anybody else get kind of pissed off when they rejected our offer to send 100 troops to assist the AU and UN?

How is it that:  Sudan's government clearly supports the actions going on there, happily accepts all the financial assistance the West offers, but then denies access to foreign troops?  They'll happily take the $170 million we offered them, they won't admit to it - but they'll lend rather obvious support to the various militias operating in the Darfur region - they'll do everything they can to limit the effectiveness of the AU and UN missions there, but they won't accept help from foreign troops such as ours.  Yet, they "truly do want to find a peaceful solution and end the genocide as quickly as possible".  Bullshit.

Maybe Sudan would be a good place for us to go next, once they "allow us in" - that is.


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## MikeM (20 May 2005)

What kind of kit are you looking to get exactly?


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## CBH99 (20 May 2005)

MikeM bring up a good point...

What kind of kit would you be looking for exactly?  Our kit these days is pretty top notch - minus a few specific pieces of equipment.


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## Pieman (20 May 2005)

I caught the second half on an interview with Gen. Hillier on the CPAC channel. One of the more interesting things he was saying was that he intended to achieve all the major restructuring and upgrades to the CF within five years. He said something like: 'People think I am crazy. They say it will take till at least until 2018 to achieve all this, but I am bent on getting it done in five.' 

I don't know what the past CF general was like (who was it anyway?) but Gen. Hiller comes across as direct, and intent on his actions. Probably the exact personality the CF needs to get into gear.


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## MikeM (20 May 2005)

The previous CDS was Gen. Ray Henault, now posted to NATO.


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## Swin435 (20 May 2005)

Pieman;  I caught the CDS' speech when he came through Winnipeg.  The impression I got was, if he says he wants it done in 5 years than he will make it happen.  The only problem is, when was the last time we had a CDS for a 5 year term.  I like this CDS and I hope he gets his way.

Now back to the topic at hand. With regards to the idea of opening up Afghanistan to a larger force.  This is good.  We should have done this from day one.  I was fortunate enough to be in Kandahar with the 3VP battle group.  We should have been in Kabul at the same time.  I do realize that at that time we did not have enough bodies to do this.  We also didn't have enough resources, supplies and specialized kit to substain 2 AOR's.

I hope the CDS gets his way and gets everything he wants, especially the troops.  His grand plans, are that, grand; without new blood in the forces.  The military also needs to find a way to lure people into the "0" trades.  I believe they may need to NOT offer other trades right a way until the numbers improve in the cbt arms.

This is however, one little ex-011's opinion.


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## jmacleod (23 May 2005)

It appears that the "Whole Fleet Management Plan" advocated by CDS has some priority in DND
- it is reviewed in the May 16 issue of CASR DND 101 (Canadian American Strategic Review) where
the plan to use airlift based at CF Trenton and warehousing-port access from Montreal PQ is discussed
in some detail - it appears to our associates and I that the use of CFB Gagetown NB plus the airports
at Moncton NB or Frederiction NB, plus the ice free port of Saint John NB makes more sense. This
has been discussed on this site before, and my purpose is to draw attention to the CASR DND 101
site, and seek some informed opinion. The Port of Montreal PQ for instance is not a year round ice
free port to begin with. MacLeod


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## Edward Campbell (23 May 2005)

jmacleod said:
			
		

> ...
> the plan to use airlift based at CF Trenton and warehousing-port access from Montreal PQ is discussed
> in some detail - it appears to our associates and I that the use of CFB Gagetown NB plus the airports
> at Moncton NB or Frederiction NB, plus the ice free port of Saint John NB makes more sense....



You and your associates are right, jmacleod, New Brunswick does make more sense _in the longer term_.  Right now, however, the Department has insufficient resources to develop a new military air transport base and to acquire and fit up the warehousing in a year round, ice free port. These things (and, of course, the Air Force yacht club at the Bay of Quinte, too) exist now in Trenton and Montreal.

An even better global airhead is Edmonton, I'm told by people who should know about these things (like a former Air Transport Group commander).  This sticks in my mind because, many years ago, I participated in an _exercise_ about the development of _light_ forces and it was concluded that the best very long term plan was to develop a major army/air force complex at Wainwright/Lloydminster for an air assault brigade (some mix of airborne, air mobile, etc battalions plus light armour and attack helicopters) and a composite air group: a transport wing (30+ Hercules, plus heavy lift helicopters) plus a VSTOL fighter/bomber squadron or two.

I recall an air force colleague sending a clerk out with a credit card to buy a large globe* so that we could 'see' the world through air transport eyes â â€œ again and again we were made to understand that while Trenton made excellent sense for a _dirty thirties_ relief and works project (that's why/how Trenton and, to a lesser degree, Kingston's military bases came into being) its location makes little strategic sense.

--------
* It was an expensive thing and, last I saw of it, it still decorates the office of a very senior air force officer in _Disneyland su Rideau_.


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## Blakey (23 May 2005)

> Until we get some new decent kit i ain't going nowhere lol, i don't know about the rest of you!!!!!


We will give you the _Green Lantern Secret Decoder Ring_ when you get called up to the "Big Leagues" to go on tour... :


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## a_majoor (23 May 2005)

Although the current CDS may not be around in five years, the idea of giving the system a good swift kick and getting into gear is quite welcome. WW II was finished in six years, and now new products have life cycles of about 24 months, so the idea of waiting a decade for a new ship (much less a new rucksack) makes no sense at all; the security, political, economic and technological environments which brough that kit into being will be long obsolete by the time it arrives.

We will see, the CDS has a fairly free field right now while the constitutional crisis is being resolved, but sooner or later he will need the cheques to turn the plans into reality......


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## FGH_Recce_DJ (24 May 2005)

Wow, pretty humerous Blakey, you should be on the road with Def Jam Comedy Tour seeing your Army career is going nowhere.


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## MikeM (24 May 2005)

Blakey has provided his credentials in other posts on this forum, perhaps you should reconsider your army career since you're taking pot shots behind the comfort of your own computer  :


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## FGH_Recce_DJ (24 May 2005)

Don't like my opinions, then don't read or reply to what i post pretty simple if you ask me


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## Blakey (24 May 2005)

FGH_Recce_DJ said:
			
		

> Wow, pretty humerous Blakey, you should be on the road with Def Jam Comedy Tour seeing your Army career is going nowhere.


This coming from a _Cpl_ with 12 years "reserve time"?
Thank-You.
If you want to compare military "careers" please feel free to PM me, i will be all too glad to provide you with a brief synopses from the past 16yrs of my service.
Anyways, back to the topic.
Im a soldier in the Canadian Forces, and as such am like a stiff prick- I go where im shoved.


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## FGH_Recce_DJ (24 May 2005)

Well Blakey thats commendable of you, sorry that having a civilian job stops me from going away and getting promotion, but hey we all can't be Reg force, so you continue the good fight, but plz don't knock the Mo, just because your Reg and i'm Mo we are all on the same side unless i was misinformed. Cheers!


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## Blakey (24 May 2005)

> sorry that having a civilian job stops me from going away and getting promotion,


Did I mention anything about your civi job?...No.


> but plz don't knock the Mo


Wasnt aware i _was_ knocking the "Mo" as you put it.


> just because your Reg and i'm Mo...


I didnt once call into question the fact that you were in the "Mo" (as you put it), my only point was that of your reply to my...somewhat quick whited reply to this thread. Which was originally:


> Wow, pretty humerous Blakey, you should be on the road with Def Jam Comedy Tour seeing your Army career is going nowhere.





> .....we are all on the same side unless i was misinformed


You must have been misinformed...because the way i see it, in my previous post, all i was stating was "people in glass houses". And yes I "quoted" the reserve, because in my eyes 12 years reserve just doesnt add up to 12 years reg (or 16 yrs for that matter) unless it was full time 24/7. (see below)


> Quote from: FGH_Recce_DJ on Yesterday at 22:21:01
> Wow, pretty humerous Blakey, you should be on the road with Def Jam Comedy Tour seeing your Army career is going nowhere.
> 
> This coming from a Cpl with 12 years "reserve time"?
> ...



So, do not call into question *MY* military career, when you yourself have laid out on the table for all to see that in fact *your* career is on the fast track to nowhere. Sounds like you have a inferiority complex because your in the reserves...and yes, the offer still stands if you want to trade "career" information.
Anyone else want a shot at the title?  ;D


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## paracowboy (24 May 2005)

Well, mah goodness gracious! All this testosterone is making me light-headed! Ah declare, Ah may swoon! Ah do believe Ah have the vapours!


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## Blakey (24 May 2005)

paracowboy said:
			
		

> Well, mah goodness gracious! All this testosterone is making me light-headed! Ah declare, Ah may swoon! Ah do believe Ah have the vapours!



Must be the "Sawmill Creek" Dry Red...but thats was kind of funny   ;D
 and *YES* real men *DO* drink wine! (At least until payday  )


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## Gunner (25 May 2005)

> and YES real men DO drink wine! (At least until payday  )



OMG!   What is this Oprah?  Keep the secret to yourself!


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## George Wallace (25 May 2005)

Hey!  I've got a batch to bottle next week.  A fine Chamblaise.....if you don't mind.


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## Blakey (25 May 2005)

> OMG!     What is this Oprah?   Keep the secret to yourself!


Ive got nothing to hide... ;D You?   



> Hey!   I've got a batch to bottle next week.   A fine Chamblaise.....if you don't mind.


Ill have to take your word on that, seeing as i have nothing to validate your claim....


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## Gunner (25 May 2005)

> Ive got nothing to hide...  You?



Me?  Ah, nope, nothing to see here.  Move along...


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## FGH_Recce_DJ (25 May 2005)

LOL, wow, I'm in awe in total awe, i want to be just like you Blakey, all full of fire and vinegar, wow 16 years, amazing. Sorry i i had no idea i was in the presence of such greatness (bowing down and cursing the 12 years in Reserve that don't add up to your 16 in Reg) Why didn't i join Reg Force oh why what a world what a world lol, lighten up ok, my god man who cares, you dissed me i dissed you back, get over it, like i said before if you didn't send your smart a$$ remark, there wouldn't have been no problem so next time you think about being witty to a post just don't especially if your gonna knock me, you dish it out be prepared to take it. Over and OUT!!!


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## Gunner (25 May 2005)

And that, gents, is the last word on that subject.  If someone wants to restart this thread, let me know.


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