B
BestOfTheBest
Guest
Thursday, May 15, 2003
CREDIT: (AP Photo/DarioLopez-Mills, file)
Military personnel, identified as being members of Canada‘s Joint Task Force Two unit, escort three detainees last year in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/DarioLopez-Mills, file)
OTTAWA (CP) - Six months ago, Defence Minister John McCallum said Canadians should know more about the military‘s secretive special operations unit, Joint Task Force 2.
Defence officials immediately began discussing how they would release information: Interviews? A news conference? An extensive account of the unit‘s activities in Afghanistan last year? In the end, they decided on something less intrusive.
On Thursday, National Defence released a 13-minute video extolling the virtues of Canada‘s "world-class" special forces.
Tellingly titled, Deeds, Not Words, the high-production $40,000 video outlines a "rigorous and challenging" selection process for JTF-2. It is accompanied by a six-minute recruitment video.
Laced with training footage, much of it shot in infrared, the video is heavy on boasts and light on new information.
It says JTF-2 goes where conventional forces don‘t, that it operates "with a scalpel, not a hammer" and that, for its elite, "battle-seasoned" members, "mission failure is not an option."
Operational security is paramount, says the video, in which soldiers are masked at all times.
"JTF-2‘s capabilities could be seriously compromised by the release or disclosure of certain information," it says. "Clues about members‘ identities could endanger both them and their families.
"Small lapses can accumulate. Little by little, a bigger picture can emerge and provide information that is useful to an enemy."
While the exploits of Canadian special forces in Afghanistan went largely unnoticed, their American counterparts took journalists into combat operations for days on end. Insiders say that‘s because the U.S. special forces have about 25,000 soldiers, while Canada‘s contingent is fewer than 1,000.
The only reference to Afghanistan in the video came in an introduction by Vice-Admiral Greg Maddison, deputy-chief of defence staff and chief of Canadian military operations, who said "several" JTF-2 were deployed.
"In numerous challenging missions against Taliban and al-Qaida targets, they captured enemy personnel, equipment, and material of significant intelligence value and hampered the enemy‘s ability to conduct operations against us and our coalition partners," said Maddison.
In an interview, McCallum, who has pushed for more access to the elite force based outside Ottawa, said the Canadian military can be a tough nut to crack.
"It‘s an important first step," McCallum said of the video. "I‘m certainly not saying this is the end of the process of trying to communicate to the public.
"It provides more information than has been provided in the past as to what kinds of activities, what kinds of skills these people have and what kind of work that they do."
The minister said he is "engaged in discussions" with senior military officials about more access to JTF-2.
"My own bias is that I would like the public to see more, rather than less. But I always have to be conscious of the security aspect - both the reality of the security aspect and as perceived by the people themselves."
In the fall 2001 budget, the federal government announced a five-year, $120-million special forces expansion project, both in capabilities and infrastructure.
The all-volunteer JTF-2 subjects recruits to a tough, seven-day selection process - 10 days for officers - and a rigorous seven-month training regimen that it says rivals any other. Only a fraction of candidates make the grade.
Maj. James Simiana, a spokesman for the elite force, said the aim is to cast a little more light on a force in which Canadians should be proud.
"There‘s probably a limit to how far down that road we‘ll be able to go."
CREDIT: (AP Photo/DarioLopez-Mills, file)
Military personnel, identified as being members of Canada‘s Joint Task Force Two unit, escort three detainees last year in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/DarioLopez-Mills, file)
OTTAWA (CP) - Six months ago, Defence Minister John McCallum said Canadians should know more about the military‘s secretive special operations unit, Joint Task Force 2.
Defence officials immediately began discussing how they would release information: Interviews? A news conference? An extensive account of the unit‘s activities in Afghanistan last year? In the end, they decided on something less intrusive.
On Thursday, National Defence released a 13-minute video extolling the virtues of Canada‘s "world-class" special forces.
Tellingly titled, Deeds, Not Words, the high-production $40,000 video outlines a "rigorous and challenging" selection process for JTF-2. It is accompanied by a six-minute recruitment video.
Laced with training footage, much of it shot in infrared, the video is heavy on boasts and light on new information.
It says JTF-2 goes where conventional forces don‘t, that it operates "with a scalpel, not a hammer" and that, for its elite, "battle-seasoned" members, "mission failure is not an option."
Operational security is paramount, says the video, in which soldiers are masked at all times.
"JTF-2‘s capabilities could be seriously compromised by the release or disclosure of certain information," it says. "Clues about members‘ identities could endanger both them and their families.
"Small lapses can accumulate. Little by little, a bigger picture can emerge and provide information that is useful to an enemy."
While the exploits of Canadian special forces in Afghanistan went largely unnoticed, their American counterparts took journalists into combat operations for days on end. Insiders say that‘s because the U.S. special forces have about 25,000 soldiers, while Canada‘s contingent is fewer than 1,000.
The only reference to Afghanistan in the video came in an introduction by Vice-Admiral Greg Maddison, deputy-chief of defence staff and chief of Canadian military operations, who said "several" JTF-2 were deployed.
"In numerous challenging missions against Taliban and al-Qaida targets, they captured enemy personnel, equipment, and material of significant intelligence value and hampered the enemy‘s ability to conduct operations against us and our coalition partners," said Maddison.
In an interview, McCallum, who has pushed for more access to the elite force based outside Ottawa, said the Canadian military can be a tough nut to crack.
"It‘s an important first step," McCallum said of the video. "I‘m certainly not saying this is the end of the process of trying to communicate to the public.
"It provides more information than has been provided in the past as to what kinds of activities, what kinds of skills these people have and what kind of work that they do."
The minister said he is "engaged in discussions" with senior military officials about more access to JTF-2.
"My own bias is that I would like the public to see more, rather than less. But I always have to be conscious of the security aspect - both the reality of the security aspect and as perceived by the people themselves."
In the fall 2001 budget, the federal government announced a five-year, $120-million special forces expansion project, both in capabilities and infrastructure.
The all-volunteer JTF-2 subjects recruits to a tough, seven-day selection process - 10 days for officers - and a rigorous seven-month training regimen that it says rivals any other. Only a fraction of candidates make the grade.
Maj. James Simiana, a spokesman for the elite force, said the aim is to cast a little more light on a force in which Canadians should be proud.
"There‘s probably a limit to how far down that road we‘ll be able to go."
He‘s certainly deserved it, and I know I rest a lot better at night knowing he‘s out there, doing what he does best. I‘ve trusted him with my life in the past, and would do so again in a heartbeat. 
Now dont get the idea he isnt a fit guy, when he was with the SSF/ Airborne he took the mountineering course, came out first overall because he wasnt gonna let a bunch of infantry pukes top him (BTW he is an MSE-Op 
