 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
(CENTCOM) Members of Task Force Kabul (TFK) ROTO 2 of Operation ATHENA, in Afghanistan, have come home after a busy, sometimes tense, and rewarding tour. Op ATHENA is the major Canadian overseas operation, with more than 900 personnel, 700 of them with TFK based in Camp Julien. Over the past six months members of ROTO 2 dealt with things like, the Afghan presidential election and subsequent inauguration, rocket attacks, improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and mines. “I am proud of all the members of this task force and I congratulate them for their hard work and dedication,” said Colonel Jim Ellis, commander of Op ATHENA ROTO 2. “I received compliments about their professionalism from many people, among them our commander-in-chief, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, and the former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Ray Henault.” The Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron (Recce Sqn) provided significant capabilities to the Kabul Multinational Brigade (KMNB). The squadron had an embedded Recce Platoon from 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) and numerous other attachments to augment its resources. Recce Sqn supported the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mandate, acting as the eyes and ears of the entire force, and operated throughout Kabul Province, providing over-watch. Recce Sqn played key roles in several operations during ROTO 2. In particular, the squadron deployed into a full surveillance screen for nearly 14 days, providing information and an overt presence around key polling stations that disrupted attempts to discredit the election process. Another major operation was conducted to deter against rocket attacks. This continuous nighttime surge saw patrols moving to high-threat areas of Kabul.As a testament to the dedication of Recce soldiers, TFK and ISAF enjoyed the longest continuous stretch, 41 consecutive days, without a successful rocket attack. Members of 11 Field Squadron also made a significant contribution to ROTO 2. Engineers designated more than 460 kilometres of new roads and teams travelled thousands of kilometres to produce NATO route recces, providing TFK and KMNB mobility information, vital to the conduct of operations. They supported scores of digging tasks and moved thousands of cubic metres of raw material to fix roads and build protective walls. EOD teams were involved in many tense situations dealing with improvised explosive devices. Altogether, engineers answered 33 unexploded explosive ordnance calls and destroyed more than 6 000 pieces of ordnance. B Company, 1 PPCLI, ensured Camp Julien was secure through gate watch, roving patrols and observation posts, and kept a quick reaction force (QRF) ready at a moment’s notice. B Coy completed close to 200 foot patrols (about 1 000 km of walking), cleared 40 000 vehicles and 30 000 people through the gates of Camp Julien, and the QRF responded to dozens of incidents during their six-month tour. The National Support Element (NSE) succeeded in a wide range of challenges; the handover between ROTO 1 and ROTO 2, more than a simple relief in place, due to the significant change in force structure, complicated by the mission drawdown and removal of a Battalion Group and the closure of Camp Warehouse. NSE maintained a task force-wide vehicle off road rate below four percent during the tour, conducted over 3 000 convoys and drove in excess of 120 000 km. Members of NSE co-ordinated movement of roughly two million pounds of freight, dealt with over 2 000 passengers and offloaded more than 170 aircraft. And NSE personnel provided everything from food and water, to haircuts. The TFK civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) team’s focus was the education system.With the help of Recce Sqn, 11 Fd Sqn, B Coy and the NSE, the CIMIC team delivered over 300 desks to local schools. The desks, along with school supplies, tents, and office furniture will improve the educational environment for the children of Kabul. CIMIC also completed nine well projects, ensuring that the contractors finished each job to a high standard and bringing much-needed clean drinking water to nearby villages. TFK was also very busy with fundraising activities: a camp humanitarian club raised nearly $52 000 USD from international donors to help build and equip a local girls’ school; the TFK military police platoon collected over $2 000 USD for the Military Police Fund for Blind Children to purchase specialized equipment and supplies such as a brail machine, brail slates, and abacuses for the Kabul Vocational Blind School and, on January 31, made a special delivery to the teachers and administrators of that school. TFK also raised $4 400 USD for the Terry Fox Run and $13 500 CAD for the United Way campaign back home in Canada. The members of TFK ROTO 2 have come home knowing they made a real contribution to the future of Afghanistan that will not be forgotten. |