2RHPZ
05-05-2004, 05:12 PM
Canada Shifts Plan To Increase Special Forces
Will Not Drain Light Infantry To Feed Joint Task Force 2
By DAVID PUGLIESE, CALGARY, Alberta
Canada?s Army has backed off a plan to use its light infantry battalions as
?feeder units? for special operations, a move that will jeopardize plans to
significantly expand the country?s Special Operations Forces capability, a
former Army adviser warns.
But an official with the Canadian Forces Counter-Terrorism and Special
Operations branch said he is confident that plans to double the capacity of
Joint Task Force Two (JTF2), the country's special operations unit, will not be
hurt by the Army?s decision.
As part of its move to transform the Army, the service was to put in place a
plan to improve its three parachute-capable light infantry battalions, in
addition to using them as a potential recruiting pool for a steady supply of
JTF2 recruits.
In previous interviews, Army officers said they saw the battalions taking on
some limited special operations-related roles, providing soldiers in those units
with preparatory training so they might be considered by JTF2.
But Maj. Gen. Marc Caron, acting commander of the Army, said that while the
firepower available to the light infantry battalions will be increased, there
are no plans to add special operations skills. He said work will be done to
improve the mobility of the battalions as well as to outfit them with new anti-armor
missiles and automatic grenade launchers.
?We have plans to improve those aspects of the light infantry battalions, but we
will not transform those as special forces,? Caron said in a recent interview
here. ?The three light infantry battalions are part of the 12 maneuver units
that we require for the rotation of sustaining at least two battle groups
outside of the country.?
Caron said troops in the light infantry battalions will still ?feed up? to
special operations if they so desire, and if they have the skills to be accepted
by the SOF unit.
Navy Lt. Kent Penney, a spokesman for the Canadian Forces Counter-Terrorism and
Special Operations branch, said the Army?s change in plans is not expected to
affect JTF2 recruiting.
?The fact is we?re not seeing a significant impact over the last couple years in
terms of not being able to get the type of people we want,? he said from Ottawa.
?We are sustaining the strength in the unit that we need to. And we have an
adequate pool to select from.?
He said the numbers of JTF2 recruits and the current size of the unit are
classified.
Endangered Plan?
Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the Canadian
government ordered the capacity of the JTF2, then 297, to be doubled by 2006 to
deal with the increased threat of terrorism.
However, Howie Marsh, a retired Army colonel who as Land Force Command inspector
was an adviser on the Army?s plans, said he believes the 60,000-strong military
does not have enough personnel to fuel the expansion of JTF2.
?Out of the traditional pool [of 60,000], we could sustain 300 JTF2,? he said.
?You go to 600 [personnel], you have to increase the size of the pool.?
Marsh noted that the size of the military is not increasing. Many of JTF2?s
operators are selected from the 18,000-member Army.
?I think they?ll have a hard time doubling [JTF2],? he added.
Marsh said the Army needs to increase its numbers of light infantry, not only to
sustain JTF2 but to deal with overseas missions such as Afghanistan.
Penney, however, said interest in JTF2 among Canadian troops has increased since
the Sept. 11 attacks and the unit?s deployment to Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002.
He noted that JTF2?s successful missions in Afghanistan, which he declined to
discuss, have validated the unit?s training and recruiting.
JTF2?s ability to integrate smoothly with allied forces, including the United
States, also paid dividends, he added. In Afghanistan, JTF2 was part of Task
Force K-Bar, an international coalition of special operations forces headed by a
U.S. Navy SEAL commander.
?In theater, it was very obvious we did work extremely well with U.S. forces,
and the CANSOF community was extremely happy with the support they received in
Afghanistan from their U.S. colleagues,? Penney said.
The U.S. Department of Defense helped JTF2 with various capabilities, including
providing Humvees for the Canadian unit. JTF2 also relied on U.S. air support
and transportation in theater.
During the last decade, the unit has trained mainly for domestic
counterterrorism missions and has conducted smaller overseas operations,
focusing on intelligence-gathering, countersniping and close personal protection
of VIPs. JTF2 conducted its first large-scale special operations mission during
the Afghanistan war.
?The experience in Afghanistan has strengthened JTF2?s position within the
international SOF community, which is a benefit because it will lead to more
opportunities to train and work with other SOF units and help JTF2 further
improve their skills and capabilities,? Penney said.
E-mail: dpugliese@defensenews.com.
Will Not Drain Light Infantry To Feed Joint Task Force 2
By DAVID PUGLIESE, CALGARY, Alberta
Canada?s Army has backed off a plan to use its light infantry battalions as
?feeder units? for special operations, a move that will jeopardize plans to
significantly expand the country?s Special Operations Forces capability, a
former Army adviser warns.
But an official with the Canadian Forces Counter-Terrorism and Special
Operations branch said he is confident that plans to double the capacity of
Joint Task Force Two (JTF2), the country's special operations unit, will not be
hurt by the Army?s decision.
As part of its move to transform the Army, the service was to put in place a
plan to improve its three parachute-capable light infantry battalions, in
addition to using them as a potential recruiting pool for a steady supply of
JTF2 recruits.
In previous interviews, Army officers said they saw the battalions taking on
some limited special operations-related roles, providing soldiers in those units
with preparatory training so they might be considered by JTF2.
But Maj. Gen. Marc Caron, acting commander of the Army, said that while the
firepower available to the light infantry battalions will be increased, there
are no plans to add special operations skills. He said work will be done to
improve the mobility of the battalions as well as to outfit them with new anti-armor
missiles and automatic grenade launchers.
?We have plans to improve those aspects of the light infantry battalions, but we
will not transform those as special forces,? Caron said in a recent interview
here. ?The three light infantry battalions are part of the 12 maneuver units
that we require for the rotation of sustaining at least two battle groups
outside of the country.?
Caron said troops in the light infantry battalions will still ?feed up? to
special operations if they so desire, and if they have the skills to be accepted
by the SOF unit.
Navy Lt. Kent Penney, a spokesman for the Canadian Forces Counter-Terrorism and
Special Operations branch, said the Army?s change in plans is not expected to
affect JTF2 recruiting.
?The fact is we?re not seeing a significant impact over the last couple years in
terms of not being able to get the type of people we want,? he said from Ottawa.
?We are sustaining the strength in the unit that we need to. And we have an
adequate pool to select from.?
He said the numbers of JTF2 recruits and the current size of the unit are
classified.
Endangered Plan?
Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the Canadian
government ordered the capacity of the JTF2, then 297, to be doubled by 2006 to
deal with the increased threat of terrorism.
However, Howie Marsh, a retired Army colonel who as Land Force Command inspector
was an adviser on the Army?s plans, said he believes the 60,000-strong military
does not have enough personnel to fuel the expansion of JTF2.
?Out of the traditional pool [of 60,000], we could sustain 300 JTF2,? he said.
?You go to 600 [personnel], you have to increase the size of the pool.?
Marsh noted that the size of the military is not increasing. Many of JTF2?s
operators are selected from the 18,000-member Army.
?I think they?ll have a hard time doubling [JTF2],? he added.
Marsh said the Army needs to increase its numbers of light infantry, not only to
sustain JTF2 but to deal with overseas missions such as Afghanistan.
Penney, however, said interest in JTF2 among Canadian troops has increased since
the Sept. 11 attacks and the unit?s deployment to Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002.
He noted that JTF2?s successful missions in Afghanistan, which he declined to
discuss, have validated the unit?s training and recruiting.
JTF2?s ability to integrate smoothly with allied forces, including the United
States, also paid dividends, he added. In Afghanistan, JTF2 was part of Task
Force K-Bar, an international coalition of special operations forces headed by a
U.S. Navy SEAL commander.
?In theater, it was very obvious we did work extremely well with U.S. forces,
and the CANSOF community was extremely happy with the support they received in
Afghanistan from their U.S. colleagues,? Penney said.
The U.S. Department of Defense helped JTF2 with various capabilities, including
providing Humvees for the Canadian unit. JTF2 also relied on U.S. air support
and transportation in theater.
During the last decade, the unit has trained mainly for domestic
counterterrorism missions and has conducted smaller overseas operations,
focusing on intelligence-gathering, countersniping and close personal protection
of VIPs. JTF2 conducted its first large-scale special operations mission during
the Afghanistan war.
?The experience in Afghanistan has strengthened JTF2?s position within the
international SOF community, which is a benefit because it will lead to more
opportunities to train and work with other SOF units and help JTF2 further
improve their skills and capabilities,? Penney said.
E-mail: dpugliese@defensenews.com.