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Op UNIFIER - CAF and the Ukraine Crisis

I'm  not sure which armies you belong to, but our doctrine and training is entirely applicable to the situation in Ukraine.  It's the hybrid war your dad told you about. There are conventional ops in Donbass, and the IED threat is ubiquitous.
The level of training is mentioned in the release: EOD  and IED disposal. I highly doubt that they will be going there to teach basic section tactics.
 
My dad was a medic in the  Air Force, on the west coast so his war was not like this.  I did not see in the video or the news article about focus only on IED and EOD, I will take your word for it. From my read, basic tactics, basic officer training, radio discipline is lacking at the lower end. The higher end lacks organizational, logistical planning and basic moral responsibility for the troops under their command.
 
A quick reminder from the PMO's info-machine:
.... CAF members will be deployed on both a sustained and periodic basis depending on the type of training being conducted. Their activities will include explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal training, military police training, medical training, flight safety training, and logistics system modernization training. Canada will also be providing individual and unit tactics training to Ukrainian National Guard personnel along with the United States ....
 
The latest on Canada's training mission:
It will be the middle of summer at the earliest before the Canadian military fields its military training mission to Ukraine, which is likely to play out against a backdrop of escalating violence in breakaway eastern regions.

Canadian soldiers will also hit the ground just as the Harper government prepares to do electoral battle on the campaign trail at home in advance of an Oct. 19 vote.

The plan to send 200 troops for nearly two years to help strengthen the Ukrainian Army was announced with much political fanfare in mid-April, yet specifics on how the two-year mission will unfold have yet to be worked out.

A planning team sent to iron out the plans arrived only recently, and it could very well be August by the time the contingent is in place, said a senior defence source, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss details publicly.

Lauren Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Defence Minister Jason Kenney, would only say that "reconnaissance work is ongoing and the training of Ukrainian military personnel will begin later this summer." ....
 
I'd like this Jack Harris fella to know that most of us actually want to be doing something. You don't need to be concerned for us, we WANT to be deployed.
 
(Sorta) Reforger 2015?
Canada will send 1,650 soldiers to Europe this fall to take part in NATO's largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War, Defence Minister Jason Kenney said Wednesday at a ministers' meeting at the alliance headquarters in Belgium.

(....)

Operation Trident Juncture, which is to be held between late September and early November in Spain, Portugal and Italy, will involve more than 25,000 troops. Canada's contribution of 1,650 troops will include air, sea and land elements as well as special forces, Kenney said ....
 
This, from Ukrainian media in Russian - Google English translation below:
Canada is ready to supply Ukraine lethal weapons, but it will not act alone - Defense Minister

Canada will create five specialized training missions for the Ukrainian military.

Canada is ready to supply Ukraine lethal weapons, but it will not act alone - Defense Minister

Canadian Defense Minister Jason Kenney said that his country is ready to supply Ukraine lethal weapons, but it will not operate without the support of NATO allies.

He said on the sidelines of the meeting of the NATO in Ukraine, the correspondent LB.ua.

"With regard to the provision of lethal weapons, our Prime Minister (Stephen Harper - Ed.) states that all options on the table, but we do not act alone. We need a consensus on this issue among the other countries (NATO) to follow along this path together, "- he said.

In addition, he said that, in addition to the core mission of 200 military trainers that Canada would send to Ukraine, will create five small specialized training missions, which will include the training of police and military aerial reconnaissance, medical training as well as training in bomb disposal devices.

The minister also recalled that last year, Canada has provided Ukrainian military tens of tons of military equipment, including night vision goggles and a first-class winter ammunition. He also said that in the future Canada will consider providing further Ukraine non-kinetic equipment.

Kenny also recalled that, following the visit of the President of Petro Poroshenko to Ottawa in September 2014, Kanda gives Ukraine a satellite support. "We provide very useful to Ukraine satellite data about the situation on the Ukrainian-Russian border, helping to track the movement of Russian troops," - he said.
 
milnews.ca said:
This, from Ukrainian media in Russian - Google English translation below:
Canada is ready to supply Ukraine lethal weapons, but it will not act alone - Defense Minister
(....)
Meanwhile, a different message to Canadian media ....
Hinting at how close Canada has come to providing lethal aid to Ukraine in its war against Russian-backed separatists, Defence Minister Jason Kenney said Thursday that he recently ordered a military inventory to determine what weapons Canada could send to the Ukrainian army, if it chose to do so.

The answer that came back was: not much.

Until now, the official reason Canada has hesitated to arm Kiev has been concern that such a move could inflame the conflict in the east of the country. Mr. Kenney revealed that another hurdle is the Canadian military doesn’t have appropriate weapons to give.

“We do not have surplus military kit sitting around in our storehouses that we can ship over to Ukraine. I actually had our military do an inventory of possible equipment, just to prepare for all eventualities. The conclusion is we just don’t have useful, operable equipment that we could send,” Mr. Kenney said, speaking after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the military alliance’s headquarters in Brussels ....
Soooooo, which is it, then?
 
More of the latest out of UKR from Canada's defence minister:
Defence Minister Jason Kenney visited Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel in Ukraine today. The CAF personnel are observing Ukrainian forces receiving training in order to further refine the training package that Canadians will provide to the Ukrainian military starting later this summer.

Minister Kenney delivered remarks during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Defence Minister Colonel-General  Poltorak at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre.  Minister Kenney  discussed Canada’s  support for Ukraine by sending Canadian Forces personnel to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to defend its sovereignty.

Minister Kenney also announced more than $15 million in additional Canadian support to democracy and institution building in Ukraine on behalf of International Development Minister Christian Paradis.

Quick Facts

    In Yavoriv, Minister Kenney toured the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre, the Ukrainian Army’s training facilities and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Partnership for Peace training centre. Ukrainian Army Commander Lieutenant-General Pavlo Tkachuk, and the Canadian Task Force commander designate Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Guiney, accompanied the Minister.

    Minister Kenney also saw a defensive firefighting demonstration, and had the opportunity to address the CAF personnel and thank them for their contributions.

    A group of approximately 30 CAF personnel are in Ukraine from June 20 to July 4 at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre to observe Ukrainian forces receiving training.

    While the main focus of the CAF training to the Ukrainian forces will be on tactical soldier training,  other training includes Explosive Ordinance Disposal and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal, military policing, medical treatment, flight safety, and logistics system modernization.

    Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in April 2015 that Canada will deploy CAF personnel to Ukraine until March 31, 2017 to develop and deliver military training and capacity-building programs for Ukrainian forces personnel ....

More from media:



 
Off to work, then - this, via the UKR MoD Info-machine ....
Monday, September 14. KHMELNYTSKYI OBLAST, UKRAINE — The Canadian instructors started training the Ukrainian EOD specialists. The event is organized in the framework of the Technical Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and Department of National Defence of the Canadian Armed Forces on military training in Ukraine.

“The Canadian instructors will share their experience and skills with their Ukrainian peers under the NATO standards,” Col. Volodymyr Rodikov, Chief of Mine Clearing Centre, stressed and added “Canada has been supporting Ukraine since the first days of the Russian aggression. We’re grateful for Canadian assistance. It is worth mentioning this training course is very practical for Canadian specialists as well. Our sergeants and officers will share their experience gained during the combat operations in the east of Ukraine.”

Maj. Littlechild, Chief of the Canadian Group, underlined this training course is just a part of actions on military training in Ukraine provided by the Canadian servicemen.

“Our primary task is to share NATO skills and knowledge used during combat operations. We also know the servicemen of the Mine Clearing Centre participate in ISAF, peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Iraq, Kosovo and Liberia. Surely, we would like to know about their practical experience in the east of Ukraine, too” Maj. Littlechild stated.

Moreover, the Canadian instructors brought up-to-date equipment with them for training and presentation for the Mine Clearing Centre.
More photos in linked article.

- edited to add link - DOHHHHH!!!! -
 
A bit more of an update via the UKR MoD Info-machine:
The International Peacekeeping and Security Centre of Hetman Petro Sahaydachnyi Land Forces Academy hosted the official opening ceremony of the Joint Canadian-Ukrainian Training Course for Ukrainian servicemen.

“For the first time in the history of the Ukrainian Armed Forces we have this long-term training program for land forces. The Ukrainian future instructors will learn the combat experience of their Canadian peers,” Col. Ihor Slisarchuk, Chief of the Centre, stated.

Foreign instructors are representatives of different specializations.
 
Did someone forget to tell the RCAF guy it was dress down Friday in Ukraine? He's the only one in DEU...
 
PuckChaser said:
Did someone forget to tell the RCAF guy it was dress down Friday in Ukraine? He's the only one in DEU...

Ha!  The first (and probably only) time the RCAF out-does the Army in random dress bits and bobs.  ;)
 
This picture is a good example of how good our Camo pattern is.  He blends in nicely with the landscaping.

 
Dolphin_Hunter said:
This picture is a good example of how good our Camo pattern is.  He blends in nicely with the landscaping.

Why is he giving a British-Army style open hand salute? 

Why is this the first thing that pops into my head as I see that photo?
 
Dimsum said:
Why is he giving a British-Army style open hand salute? 

Why is this the first thing that pops into my head as I see that photo?
You're not alone - that's one reason why I posted it  >:D

Dolphin_Hunter said:
This picture is a good example of how good our Camo pattern is.  He blends in nicely with the landscaping.
That's the other ....  ;D
 
anyone notice that in that photo of everyone formed up, not one has a name tape on
 
MilEME09 said:
anyone notice that in that photo of everyone formed up, not one has a name tape on
Except for what appears to be the boss.
 
The guy with the bad salute and US Army style EOD patch also has a name.
 
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