MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 5 Nov 11

• Remember the Memorial Ribbon announcement yesterday?  It appears to be gone now (except for a few media outlets that ran with it early here and here, at Army.ca for discussion, and here (PDF) for posterity).  Hmmmm…..
• Remembrance Day  “So far this year we’ve been spared the almost annual clash between the custodians of the red Remembrance Day poppy and anti-war activists who promote the white poppy of peace ….”
• Veterans getting a lot of mention in the House of Commons these days – more from Hansard here, here, here and here.
• The Applebees restaurant chain is offering a free meal on November 11th to veterans – I especially love Army.ca owner Mike Bobbitt’s idea of donating what the meal would have cost to the Soldier On fund.
• Poochies helping those with hidden wounds.  “Dave Desjardins says he’s convinced a Rottweiler named Maggie helped save his life. The 41-year-old retired soldier was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder in 2005, a few months after he returned from Afghanistan. When he first met the dog last year, he was addicted to morphine and afraid to leave his home for anything more than a quick cigarette in the backyard ….”
• Toronto Star articles on dealing with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and how DRDC labs are helping.
• Libya Mission  Softball question in the House of Commons on when the troops are coming home from the Libyan theatre o’ operations:  “Mr. Speaker, earlier this year Canada responded rapidly and strongly after the UN Security Council passed a resolution to protect civilians who were being attacked by the Gadhafi regime in Libya. In less than 24 hours CF-18s were airborne from 3 Wing Bagotville en route to their operating base in Trapani, Italy, along with strategic air-to-air refueling support from 8 Wing Trenton’s Polaris aircraft. Canada also sent a frigate to patrol the central Mediterranean. Could the associate minister of national defence please inform the House when our heroes are coming home?”  I guess the Conservative member for Chatham-Kent—Essex missed the news release here, not to mention all the media advisories here, here and here.
• While troops return from Libya, veterans will be pressing for better benefits.  “There will plenty of celebration Friday and Saturday as cabinet ministers travel to air-force bases around the country to welcome home Canadian Forces personnel from a mission in Libya that saw rebels overthrow long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The 630 members of Canada’s military are returning home from Operation Mobile and NATO-led Operation Unified Protector, which saw them enforce an arms embargo and a no-fly zone around the North African nation for most of this year. Julian Fantino, the Associate Minister of National Defence, has been dispatched to Bagotville, Que., to greet troops Friday afternoon. Chris Alexander, the parliamentary secretary to the Defence Minister, will be waiting for them on Friday night in Trenton, Ont. And Defence Minister MacKay will be at 14 Wing Greenwood in Nova Scotia on Saturday, an event that was delayed by weather. At exactly the same time that Mr. MacKay is shaking hands with the folks getting off the plane from Libya, veterans from Afghanistan and other conflicts will be on Parliament Hill protesting what they say are unfair benefits for people who have put their lives on the line for their country. It is the second Veterans National Day organized by Canadian Veterans Advocacy against the New Veterans Charter, which the group says discriminates against military personnel who were injured after April, 2006 – a time when Canada suffered most of the casualties in Afghanistan ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  CBC columnist reminds us Canada’s still at war in Afghanistan, training mission or not.  “…. the reality is that while Canada’s military pulled out of a costly, direct combat role this summer, it is now plunging even deeper into the real heart of the war ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  Kandahar handover more than just handing over the keys (via the CF Info-Machine).
• Afghanistan (3)  “The Government of Canada is one of the most generous donors to the World Food Programme globally and also in Afghanistan ….” (via the World Food Programme Info-Machine)
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  Mullah Omar:  Guys, guys, guys – you want to get at least a bit of a grip on the civilian casualties? (links to non-terrorist web page)
• Kevin Megeney, 1982-2007, R.I.P.  “Final submissions heard at ex-reservist’s court martial” (via The Canadian Press on CTV.ca)
• Stuart Langridge, R.I.P.  “Shaun Fynes bristles as he recalls the Canadian military’s treatment of his son, Cpl. Stuart Langridge. “They threw Stuart away like a piece of broken equipment,” he says in War in the Mind, Saltspring Island-based filmmaker Judy Jackson’s moving, revelatory film about combat trauma. It airs Nov. 8 (9 p.m. and midnight) on Knowledge Network. “We have to do everything we can to resurrect his reputation,” says Fynes, whose son, a young veteran of Bosnia and Afghanistan, hanged himself at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton in 2008 at age 28, the victim of post-traumatic stress disorder. Langridge’s parents have taken issue with their son’s treatment at the hands of the military ….”
• Let’s not forget we have troops in the Middle East, too.  “On the Golan Heights since July, Canadian army Capt. John Hooyer saw something new Thursday. It rained. He had been told by officers there before him that the rocky high ground between Israel and Syria does grow green. The area is fertile, home to vineyards and orchards. It is also the source of the headwaters of the Jordan River. But almost halfway into a year-long deployment with the United Nation’s observation force, Hooyer said he has watched the ground get drier and drier. Hooyer is one of seven Canadian soldiers assigned to Operation Jade, Canada’s contribution to the UN’s oldest peacekeeping mission. Hooyer is stationed around six observation posts on the Israeli side of the border with Syria. “It’s surprising how many people are not aware the UN is operating observation posts up here,” Hooyer said in a telephone interview ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1)  Yet ANOTHER question in the House of Commons.
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  Mark Collins on numbers and locations (some that may be no more?)
• Mark Collins again, this time on how long some of the Big Honkin’ Ships’ll take to build – more on that here.
• Speaking of Big Honkin’ Ships, ooopsie….  “A Canadian navy ship that had just undergone a yearlong, $44.7-million facelift struck a dock in Halifax on Friday afternoon, causing damage to both. HMCS Preserver, one of the navy’s supply ships, had just returned from several days of tests at sea and was in the process of turning around when it struck the Halifax Shipyards dock, said Royal Canadian Navy spokesman Maj. Paul Doucette. No one was injured, but Preserver’s upper starboard side was damaged, as was the dock ….”  More at CBC.ca here, and the Halifax Chronicle-Herald here.
• House of Commons debate on proposed changes to the CF’s legal system via Hansard here and here.
• Don Cherry declines honourary degree from RMC with thanks (you can still vote here on a CBC.ca poll, though).  “Concerned controversy may take away from “a special day,” Don Cherry has declined an honorary degree from the Royal Military College. “I can’t accept the degree and I won’t attend the convocation,” Cherry said in an interview Friday about the Nov. 17 ceremony in Kingston. “I am sad because I was really looking forward to spending time with the 800 cadets.” Perhaps instead they can line up to get their picture taken with French Professor Catherine Lord. It is because of her bizarre and vitriolic complaints that the legendary hockey coach and commentator wont be there. “On many occasions he publicly expressed his contempt for many groups of the Canadian population, notably for the French-speaking Canadians, for the (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community and for the immigrants,” Lord wrote in an open letter. “What message will RMC send, in celebrating Don Cherry, to the students coming from these groups? And what will the Canadian people remember from RMC, as a serious and prestigious institution?” The message would be: “Thanks, Don, for all you have done.” ….”
• Big spending by the U.K. to train its troops in Western Canada.  “The Army spends an average of almost £45 million a year (CDN$ 74 million) training British soldiers on a Canadian prairie, the Government said today. Seven thousand troops are sent to British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS), on a prairie in Alberta, each year ahead of deployment to war zones, including Afghanistan. They are able to fire live weapons more freely than in the UK because of the vast size of the prairie in Alberta.  But figures revealed by the Ministry of Defence show spending on BATUS totalled £224.5 million over the past five years, peaking at £58 million in 2009/10. It works out at an average of £44.9 million annually since 2006 ….”  (Article also downloadable as PDF here if link doesn’t work)
  

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MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 28 Oct 11

• Libya Mission (1)  U.N. mandate wrapping up end of Hallowe’en Day – Security Council resolution text here.  NATO defence ministers meeting today to discuss end of mission.
• Libya Mission (2)  What’s NOT expected:  guerilla fighting.  “…. Brig.-Gen. Craig King, military operations chief, told MPs on Thursday he does not expect to see an insurgency grow out of the conflict between Col. Gadhafi’s now-defeated forces and the victorious rebels. “In order for an insurgency to exist, you have to have popular support of some kind and it has to be coalesced around some kind of leadership,” Mr. King told the Commons defence committee. “We’re not anticipating that. And, certainly, the former regime has no legitimacy or credibility that would lend itself to an insurgency to which we would have to apply a counter-insurgency.” ….”
• Libya Mission (3)  Still stuff left to be done, though.  “Weapons, untrained militias and enshrining women’s rights are key hurdles Libya faces as it transitions towards democracy, MPs were told Thursday. Foreign Affairs bureaucrats and Canadian Forces staff testified before the national defence committee on the situation unfolding in post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya. “Clearly we’re in a period of transition,” said Brig.-Gen. Craig King, highlighting the need for rebel militias spread out across the country to be organized into a cohesive and professional national military ….”  A bit more along these lines here.
• Libya Mission (4)  CF Info-Machine on CF-18’s dropping first JDAM bombs 3 weeks ago, one sailor’s first ship boarding mission and HMCS Vancouver wrapping up its first patrol.
• Afghanistan (1)  More from CF Info-Machine on still packing up in Kandahar – not so much yet on the training mission.
• Afghanistan (2)  Breaking News:  bad guys attack base where Canadians USED TO be (more here) – Taliban claims responsibility (usual caveats about linking to terrorist web pages).
• Operation JAGUAR in Jamaica:  CF passes 200 mission mark 15 Oct 11 (CF Info-Machine shares the news 27 Oct 11)
• Mark Collins on “What States Might the (Royal Canadian Navy) Fight?”
• DRDC Paper (PDF):  How best to patrol the Gulf of Aden to hunt for pirates – abstract and executive summary downloadable here.
• CBC:  Canada eyeing nuke subs?  “CBC News has learned the Harper government is considering buying nuclear submarines to replace its problem-plagued fleet of diesel-powered subs, all of which are currently awash in red ink and out of service for major repairs …. High-ranking sources tell CBC News the government is actively considering cutting its losses on the dud subs, and mothballing some if not all of them. Defence Minister Peter MacKay is hinting they might be replaced with nuclear submarines that could patrol under the Arctic ice, something the existing diesel-electric subs cannot do. Outside the Commons this week, MacKay told CBC the government is anxious to have its submarine fleet fully operational as soon as possible, providing a “very important capability for the Canadian Forces.” But asked whether the government might look at other subs, MacKay said: “Well there was a position taken some time ago to go with diesel-electric. “But you know, in an ideal world, I know nuclear subs are what’s needed under deep water, deep ice.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  NDP presses government during Question Period on buying into U.S. satellite comms system that may have some problems.
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1)  Unnamed insider says project’s “a mess”.  “The Conservative government’s controversial F-35 jet fighter project, plagued by delays, cost overruns and now economic turmoil in Europe, is at growing risk of being sharply curtailed or shelved — the defence minister’s protestations notwithstanding. “It just seems like it’s slowly unravelling,” said an industry insider who specializes in aircraft procurement. “It’s a mess.” ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  Underwhelming news from the U.S. on the planes.
• Whazzup with the meetings of the House of Commons committee on veterans’ affairs?  “Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.):  Mr. Speaker, my question is not to the minister but to the chair of the veterans affairs committee. Public hearings about the cuts at the Veterans Affairs Department were terminated today, cancelled without hearing from one veteran, the ombudsman, and not even the Royal Canadian Legion. Veterans fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the right and freedom to be heard, and to be heard in public. Secret meetings to avoid accountability are anti-democratic and a slap in the face to veterans. Why the secrecy?  Mr. Greg Kerr (West Nova, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I know a chair must be fair and neutral, but the bizarre behaviour of this member forces me to answer with what he has been trying to do in the last number of days. Our committee has been looking very carefully at the accusations he made about great cutbacks and loss of opportunity for veterans. That was proven by the witnesses to be absolutely wrong. Our government has made major commitments to veterans and will continue to do so because it is so important. The fact that the member continues to disrupt the committee is something he has to look within himself for. The committee membership—“

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 12 Oct 11

• Libya Mission (1)  Canada coughing up $10M for securing WMD, blowing up unblown-up stuff (reopens Libyan embassy in Tripoli, too) – a bit of what the Minister said via the DFAIT Info-Machine here, and more from the media here and here.
• Libya Mission (2)  “Canada can do more for new UN mission in Libya: Analysts – Police and judicial training, constitutional and electoral support, funding for human rights agencies—the list goes on.”
• Afghanistan  U.N.:  Afghan int service not very good at handling prisoners nicely.  Amnesty International (AI):  Canada should look into EVERY prisoner handed over to Afghan authorities  – more here.  AI and BC Civil Liberties Association:  we need an enquiry, dammit!
• CF in Jamaica/OP Jaguar  Mission number 100 completed (about 3 weeks ago), courtesy of the CEFCOM Info-Machine.
• Israel’s cabinet has approved a deal for a prisoner swap to free Gilad Shalit, who’s been a “guest” of Hamas since being kidnapped June 25, 2006.  Here’s what Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird had to say:  “Canada welcomes the announcement of the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and calls on his captors to adhere to the terms of the agreement. Canada has consistently called for the release of Gilad Shalit over the course of his imprisonment and hopes that he will soon be reunited with his family after being held in captivity by Hamas for more than five years.”
• Former military doctor disses available mental health support at CFB Petawawa when he was there.  “…. Although I can’t speak to the entire military, I worked for at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa as a military physician from 2007-10 and can attest that the resources for mental health care on that base and the capacity of the medical system in Petawawa to handle mental illness are abysmal at best. There is a massive shortage of mental health workers and psychiatrists, as well as a total disconnect between the primary care physicians and the mental health care team ….”
• Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino drops by CFB Trenton, talks about what a good job the CF is doing of buying stuff.
• What’s Canada Buying?  More robot control work: “…. Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) – Suffield, Medicine Hat, Alberta has a requirement to develop control algorithms for the Micro Hydraulic Toolkit (MHT) robot that will allow it to perform a variety of locomotion behaviours focusing on stability and performance. These control algorithms will be developed in simulation, under different terrain surfaces and tested on the real robot. The motion of the simulated robot and real robot will be compared to refine the model and provide quantitative data. Finally, the control behaviours will be integrated with a vision based leader/follower software and man machine interface ….”  A bit more detail in the Statement of Work from the bid document (7 page PDF) here.
• What’s Canada (Not) Buying?  Still no word on why the general service pistol and Canadian Ranger rifle replacement processes are on hold – folks are working on some answers, though.
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Quakers take a stand.  “The Kitchener Area Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) believes that public policy, as well as the lives of individuals, should aim to take away the occasion for war. Therefore, we oppose the Canadian government’s proposed purchase of 65 F-35 joint-strike fighter jets. The procurement of joint-strike aircraft not only fails to reduce the possibility of armed conflict, it ties Canadian policy to future military intervention overseas, without public discussion of the ramifications of this major shift in Canada’s role in world affairs ….”
• “The Harper Government today launched the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. This War helped establish our path toward becoming an independent and free country, united under the Crown with a respect for linguistic and ethnic diversity …. Over the next four years, the Government will invest to increase Canadians’ awareness of this defining moment in our history. This will include support for: a pan-Canadian educational campaign focused on the importance of the War of 1812 to Canada’s history; support for up to 100 historical re-enactments, commemorations, and local events; a permanent 1812 memorial located in the National Capital Region; interactive tours, six exhibits, and improvements to three national historic sites across the country; investments in infrastructure at key 1812 battle sites, such as Fort Mississauga and Fort York, Ontario; celebrating and honouring the links that many of our current militia regiments in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada have to the War of 1812.  October 2012 will also be designated as a month of commemoration of the heroes and key battles of the War of 1812 ….”  More on this here, here, here, here and here.
• Meanwhile, “It’s been almost 200 years since the War of 1812 broke out, but the smoke hasn’t cleared yet in a fight over whether present-day Canadian military regiments should be awarded official “battle honours” recognizing their links to Canadian defence units that took part in the historic conflict. A group including historians and retired military personnel is lobbying the Canadian government to end decades of official resistance and finally bestow the symbolic honours as part of the country’s War of 1812 bicentennial commemorations, a $28-million program of fort refurbishments, battle re-enactments and monument-building announced Tuesday by Heritage Minister James Moore ….”  LOADS of discussion on this one here at Milnet.ca.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 25 Aug 11

• Ronald Kevin Megeney, 1982-2007, R.I.P.:  “A court martial resumes today in Halifax after a lengthy break for a former Canadian soldier charged in the fatal shooting of a fellow reservist in Afghanistan. Matthew Wilcox of Glace Bay, N.S., is charged with criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of a military duty in the death of Cpl. Kevin Megeney. The 25-year-old soldier from Stellarton, N.S., died in a military hospital shortly after being shot in the tent the two men shared at Kandahar Airfield in 2007. This is the second court martial for Wilcox, who was found guilty in July 2009 of criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of duty. He was sentenced to four years in prison and kicked out of the military but the verdict was set aside and a new trial was ordered last year after Wilcox’s lawyers argued the makeup of a military jury was unfair ….”
• Way Up North (1)  Coverage of Operation Nanook by the local media up north.  “Hybrid, gas-electric snowmobiles and tiny, remote-controlled airplanes are among the new silent surveillance tools Canada plans to use in the Arctic ….”
• Way Up North (1)  DRDC paper (PDF):  What’s the Arctic going to look like (in a defence context) in 2014?
• Way Up North (2)  DRDC paper (PDF):  What’s the Arctic going to look like (in a strategic, security context) in 2020?
• Way Up North (3)  Blogger/commentator Terry Glavin on Canada and the North.  “…. The first thing southern politicians need to get their heads around is that northerners need to eat. Worrying about Russian incursions into Canadian airspace should be rather lower down the list ….”
• Libya Mission (1)  “Canada has a moral obligation to financially assist Libya’s transition towards democracy, a local expert says. “There’s a major chance that Canadians will be able to play a (huge) role,” said Christian Leuprecht, a fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University, and an associate professor at Royal Military College. Providing assistance to Libya through funding giants such as the World Bank will be essential to the North African country when the revolution ends, he said ….”
• Libya Mission (2)  Blogger Mark Collins predicts not much likelihood of Europe taking on another Libya anytime soon.
• It appears the helicopters and staff are in place in Jamaica to help out in case they’re needed during hurricane season (via the Jamaican government Info-Machine).
• What’s Canada Buying?  Someone to clean up lead in the ground in Richmond, Ontario and someone to provide comms systems (satellite and HF) to NATO police training teams in Afghanistan. (via Army.ca)
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  Taliban alleges big attack on government officials in Kabul.
• More federal funding for the meeting of world military bands in Quebec City (now underway until Sunday).

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 13 Aug 11

• Libya Mission (1)  “There’s no way to tell right now whether NATO will have to extend its Libyan operation past the end of September, a top Canadian general told MPs on Friday. In June, the Commons overwhelmingly voted to extend Canadian participation in the operation to September 27. Maj.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, the director of the strategic joint staff, said, however, that a rushed withdrawal by NATO, without some kind of political settlement, would be disastrous. Vance, who once commanded Canadian troops in Afghanistan, told MPs on the Commons defence committee that diplomatic and political efforts are vital now to produce a solution. He says no one can predict how things will unfold over the next six weeks …. Newfoundland MP Jack Harris, the NDP defence critic, said he believes that NATO has done the job it set out to do, which was to protect Libyan civilians from Gadhafi. “The capability of Col. Gadhafi to mount this kind of activity has been degraded to the point where that’s no longer the issue,” he said. “The problem that we have is that we don’t want this to morph into some sort of prolonged mission.” It’s time to go, said the New Democrat ….”
• Libya Mission (2)  “Top Canadian military and diplomatic authorities are saying little about whether they will be able to pull out of the UN-led military mission in Libya by the end of September as planned.  Maj.-Gen. John Vance could not give a direct answer when asked Friday morning by MPs if officials will stick to Canada’s mandated exit date of Sept. 27, 2011, based on how stable Libya is today.  “There are a lot of factors at play,” Vance told the informal parliamentary committee meeting. “The efforts of NATO today are essential.”  If the military withdrew today — without a negotiated settlement with dictator Moammar Gadhafi — Vance said it would be an “absolute calamity.”  The general, along with Sandra McCardell, Canada’s ambassador to Libya, and other officials were testifying at the defence committee meeting on Canada’s role in the Libyan mission to protect its citizens from Gadhafi’s military attacks …. Diplomats, meanwhile, are striving to hammer out a “verifiable” ceasefire, McCardell said. Gadhafi has announced a ceasefire in the past, but his forces kept shooting.  She said envoys are still looking for the right person within the regime to come to the negotiating table.  Vance said the military has no plans to “put boots on the ground” in Libya and become an occupying force …. Neither McCardell, Vance nor other witnesses could say for sure if the rebel group would be able to maintain security after NATO leaves, if Gadhafi would ever accept a ceasefire, or if the conflict is on its way to becoming a stalemate ….”
• CFB Borden getting two new dining halls and kitchens, CF Info-Machine version – emphasis mine:  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, today announced plans to construct two new All Ranks Kitchen and Dining Facilities at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden. In total, these projects are valued at approximately $77 million and involve the construction of two new 6,133 m2 facilities that will replace four kitchen facilities …. The construction of the two new single-story kitchen and dining facilities will replace both existing Junior Ranks dining halls, the Officers’ Mess, and Senior NCO Mess currently being used at CFB Borden by 3,000 military personnel daily. This project is part of the CFB Borden Master Real Property Development Plan which aims to consolidate all training and quarters functions into two separate areas. Each facility will be able to serve approximately 1,500 persons per meal, and will be located on the north and south sides of the base. These new buildings will address existing deficiencies found at the current facilities, some of which are over 50 years old ….”  More in Backgrounder here.
• CFB Borden getting two new dining halls and kitchens, media version:  “…. Critics called it a questionable expense, especially at a time when the government says it intends to cut expenditures. “We do have to question how they’re setting their priorities in terms of dealing with the deficit,” NDP defence critic Jack Harris told Postmedia News. “It seems — on the surface — an outrageous amount of money for dining facilities,” Harris said. The government recently announced the closure of two search-and-rescue co-ordinating centres in Quebec City and St. John’s to save “probably a couple of million dollars a year” and yet it can find the cash to replace existing buildings, he added. “Canadians are going to question the timing of this announcement,” said Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. While the armed forces should have up-to-date equipment and infrastructure, the country is running a $30-billion deficit and this type of spending will be difficult to justify to the public, Thomas said ….”
• Way Up North (1)  The Kingston Whig-Standard appears to have a reporter with the CF in the north for Operation Nanook 2011. “The engines on the Twin Otter came up to full power and the aircraft started rolling along the gravel runway. In a remarkably short distance, the aircraft was airborne and on its way. The flight took the plane about 100 km from Resolute Bay, where it delivered three barrels of aviation fuel, part of a fuel cache being set up to support helicopters that are to fly out of the base in the coming weeks. Resolute Bay, at 74 degrees North latitude, is a five-hour flight from southern Ontario. It takes about as long to fly to Vancouver, and Resolute Bay is still almost 1,100 km south of Alert, Canada’s most northern point. Flying in Canada’s Arctic is largely ruled by the extremes of two factors: distance and weather. “The Arctic is difficult because there are so few communities up here. Especially with small aircraft, you have to plan better,” said Capt. Tom Turk, a pilot with the Canadian Forces’ 440 Squadron based in Yellowknife, N.W.T. ….” 
• Way Up North (2)  CF research arm paper on proposed staging bases in Canada’s Arctic:  “Optimal RSOM-hub Locations for Northern Operations: A MAJAID Scenario Analysis” (PDF).  Part of the executive summary (abstract and executive summary is downloadable here (PDF) via Army.ca):  “…. The study indicated that the RSOM-hub concept could offer potential cost avoidance and response time reduction on deployment lift for MAJAID operations in the North and could be a potential strategy for improvement of the CF domestic support capability. For a single RSOM-hub solution, Yellowknife would be the time effective RSOM-hub location. From a cost avoidance perspective, Iqaluit would the optimal hub location. Both airfields have the required capability and resources (e.g., fuel, maintenance) for supporting strategic lift aircraft (CC-177) and tactical helicopter (CH-146) operations. For a multiple RSOM-hub solution, the analysis indicates that the optimal number of RSOM-hubs would be two, corresponding to Iqaluit and Yellowknife, when response time and cost avoidance are both considered ….”
• CF troops headed south – 4 Aug 11:  Honduras’ government approves 150 Canadian troops to enter as part of Exercise PANAMAX II
• CF troops headed south – 12 Aug 11 (1) (emphasis mine):  “…. Canadian troops have been cleared to train with the Honduran military. On Aug. 4, the National Congress of Honduras approved the entry of Canadian soldiers into the country to take part in a joint training exercise. The results of three votes on the matter were posted this past Monday on the National Congress’ website. Canada’s Department of National Defence has not announced any training exercises in Honduras. The Prime Minister’s Office said it was unaware of any joint training exercise taking place ….”
• CF troops headed south – 12 Aug 11 (2):  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, is pleased to announce the participation of the Canadian Forces in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Athabaskan and Algonquin in Exercise PANAMAX, a multinational exercise that focuses on the defence of this important region and the Panama Canal …. Approximately 500 Canadian Forces members will participate in this exercise. HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Algonquin, each carrying approximately 240 sailors, will work with seventeen countries, including the United States, as part of this multinational exercise aimed at defending the Panama Canal from threat of terrorist attack, natural disaster or pandemic outbreak in order to maintain free and open access to the Panama Canal. HMC Ships Athabaskan and Algonquin are Iroquois-class destroyers, based in Halifax and Esquimalt respectively. These ships are area air defence destroyers and command and control platforms. They are fitted with sophisticated anti-air weapons systems, advanced weapons and communications systems and are capable of leading national and international task groups such as those in Panama. In addition to the naval assets, a CP-140 Aurora aircraft will deploy to Panama airport to participate in the exercise ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?   Wanted:  someone to carry out accreditation survey for Canadian Forces Medical Service, “Capabillity Survey of Naval Soft-Kill Systems” (more on that in bid documents – PDF – here) and someone to fly bad guy and target planes for training (more on that in bid document extract – PDF – here).
• Afghanistan  “She grew up and went to school in Winnipeg, now Alexandra “Ali” Lamont is trying to make it safe for kids in Afghanistan to go to school. “I’ll be assisting with the institutional development of Afghan police,” said Lamont, who leaves for Kabul next week. Making Afghanistan safe for people to get around is key to its future, said the 45-year-old with a law degree and masters in economics who works with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. “It’s fulfilling over there, trying to make some kind of difference,” said Lamont, who spent five months in Kandahar last year. “You see flocks of kids going to school.” There’s so many kids enrolled, some schools run in three shifts. “Afghans are keen to move forward — girls and boys — to take advantage of this opportunity.” Her one-year term is in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. The diplomat and policy analyst will work with experts from a number of countries to establish a police force to serve and protect Afghans ….”
• A reminder: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canada’s constitution, guarantees the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.  That said, what’s worse than someone faking s/he has served in the military?  Someone faking military service AND lying about an illness to rip people off.  “A B.C. man wanted for allegedly posing as a member of the military and seeking donations to pay for his health costs has been charged with fraud. Douglas Archie Clark, 64, of Burnaby, was charged with 13 counts of fraud, police said in a news release Friday. Police allege Clark has defrauded 40 or more victims out of more than $1 million. Complaints dating back to the 1990s claim Clark portrayed himself as either an active or retired member of the Canadian military – and was even seen in a military-style uniform, police said. It’s alleged he asked for money to pay for cancer treatments that were not covered by his medical plan. After an investigation spanning three and a half years, police arrested and charged Clark in June. The court released him under the conditions he not contact any of the alleged victims or wear any military uniform. He was also ordered to stay in B.C. and return to court July 11. When he failed to appear at that court date, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was picked up again Thursday ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 4 Aug 11

• Who’s taking part in Operation Nanook this year (1)?  “Three Canadian navy ships and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter are being outfitted in St. John’s for an extended mission to the Arctic. The Canadian Forces says the frigate HMCS St. John’s will be joined by the coastal defence vessels HMCS Moncton and HMCS Summerside, as well as the American coast guard cutter USCGC Willow ….”
• Who’s taking part in Operation Nanook this year (2)?  “Frostbite, trench foot, snow blindness and wild animal attacks aren’t things Peter McKenna usually has to worry about while he’s at work. But they are on the list of things the UPEI professor might encounter when he heads to the Arctic as an observer in the Operation Nanook 11 sovereignty exercise. McKenna said before he could go on the trip, he had to sign a waiver acknowledging the risks involved, which included falling through ice, hypothermia, dehydration and geographic disorientation. “I’m mildly concerned but I think that I’m in capable hands when it comes to the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence,” he said ….”
• Here here.  “…. The Department of National Defence currently offers programs for serving members to address operational stress, addictions, mental health and wellness. There are also 32 Military Family Resource Centres across Canada and more in other countries. The centres run a full range of services on youth, parenting, wellness, deployment, and family separation and reunion. Like all programs, they need independent evaluations of their effectiveness. No doubt, they could work better and reach more people. They also could better target participants by working more closely with veteran’s organizations. Nonetheless, they are essential tools of support for military families — especially for the thousands of spouses who are fighting for their partners, and for us, on the new front line of troop reintegration. (M)inister Mackay, General Natynczyk: Don’t touch the funding of these programs.“
• Afghanistan (1a)  Survey says….  “As QMI Agency followed the last Canadian combat troops out of Afghanistan last month, there was one question that seemed to get under the thick skin of even the toughest soldier. In fact, after repeatedly being asked by media in the combat zone, it became a catch phrase among some combatants — tossed about with shrugs and often rolled eyes. The question wondered: “Was it worth it?” Now, in the settling dust of Canada’s combat exit from Afghanistan — our soldiers now remain in logistical and training missions only — an exclusive Sun Media national poll has found almost three in five Canadians doubt whether the sacrifice asked of our country was worthwhile. Only 30% of respondents to the Leger Marketing survey felt it was. As well, 58% of Canadians thought the mission could not be categorized as fully accomplished after we pulled out last month ….”  More poll details here (PDF).
• Afghanistan (1b)  “…. Despite the costs and the human loss, Canada’s role in Afghanistan, its combat assignment now over, has at least given the people of that tortured country a chance at a better life. What the Afghan people do with that opportunity is now up to them. It goes without question, however, that our soldiers did their uniform proud and, while only 30% of Canadians may ultimately see the cause as worthwhile, it will never negate the fact that no soldier has ever been more supported at home, despite the war’s unpopularity ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  Bringing home the signs, flags, letters and other paraphenalia.
• Afghanistan (3)   Guess where the last Canadian flag that flew over Kandahar’s Provincial Reconstruction Team base Camp Nathan Smigh has ended up?
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  “Remember the Used Subs” editorial:  “…. As they go about their work, each member of the bureaucracy in charge of military procurement would do well to keep a photo of Canada’s woebegone subs close at hand, as a caution against false economies. In the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander in the Second World War: “There is no victory at bargain basement prices.” “
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Remember earlier this year when the CF research arm said it was hiring someone to do taser weapon research (second item)?  There’s a bit more time to offer an alternative the companies proposed.
• F-35 Tug o’ War:  Troubles in the U.S.  “All 20 F-35 Lightning IIs have been grounded following a failure of the aircraft’s integrated power package (IPP). The incident took place at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., during a ground maintenance run of aircraft AF-4, the fourth conventional takeoff and landing version of the triservice Joint Strike Fighter. Following the failure of the IPP — which combines the functions performed by an auxiliary power unit, emergency power system and environmental controls — the crew shut down the aircraft as per standard operating procedures, according to a press release by the JSF program office. There were no injuries ….”
• Some Canadian government systems are included in a report of systems found to be attacked or hacked.  “Security experts have discovered an unprecedented series of cyber attacks on the networks of 72 organizations globally, including the United Nations, governments and corporations, over a five-year period. Security company McAfee, which uncovered the intrusions, said it believed there was one “state actor” behind the attacks but declined to name it, though several other security experts said the evidence points to China. The long list of victims in the extended campaign include the governments of the United States, Taiwan, India, South Korea, Vietnam and Canada; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); the International Olympic Committee (IOC); the World Anti-Doping Agency; and an array of companies, from defense contractors to high-tech enterprises ….”  More from the McAfee blog here, and a Q&A here.
• Pack o’ Wanted War Criminals (1)  Number six nabbed, Amnesty International wants war crime trials here.
• Pack o’ Wanted War Criminals (2)  “It’s not up to Canada to prosecute people suspected of crimes against humanity, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Wednesday. The federal government has been publicly stepping up deportations of people found inadmissible to Canada because of a suspicion they may have participated in war crimes. But Toews said it’s not realistic for Canada to investigate, prosecute and imprison people who commit crimes against humanity in other countries. “Canada is not the UN. It’s not our responsibility to make sure each one of these faces justice in their own countries,” he (said) …. “What we are doing with [the Canada Border Services Agency] is ensuring that Canadian law is obeyed ….”
• Pack o’ Wanted War Criminals (3)  The courts say you shouldn’t hear what group one of the nabbed from Pakistan is allegedly associated with.
• A bit of perspective on the Winnipeg Jets logo:  “…. drawing political conclusions from a sports logo — racial issues aside — can point you down a long and winding road to insanity. Where does it end? Can’t cheer for the Ottawa Senators, as it conflicts with views on Canada’s unelected Senate. Or the Edmonton Oilers, as it might imply you support the pillaging of our natural resources. Or the L.A. Kings, since that would mean acceptance of any atrocities committed throughout history under monarchist rule. Or the Carolina Hurricanes, because it would be insensitive to those who have suffered at the hands of natural disaster. Forget the Calgary Flames, as too many people perish in house fires and to wear that sweater would be disrespectful. Or the Minnesota Wild. Nothing against the outdoors, they’re just ugly f*%kin’ sweaters.”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 21 Jul 11

• Afghanistan (1)  Final report on 2009 fatal helicopter crash in Afghanistan is now out – report here, media coverage here and here.
• Afghanistan (2)  More on the last combat ROTO coming home.
• CF flying even MORE folks out of northern Ontario communities threatened by forest fire & smoke.  “The Canadian Forces evacuated over 500 more people today from the communities of Sandy Lake and Kingfisher Lake, which are among the communities in northern Ontario threatened by wildfires. Working alongside municipal and provincial authorities in the forest fire-ravaged parts of northern Ontario, Canadian Forces aircrew flew residents to safety aboard CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Canadian Rangers, activated in 14 communities throughout the area, participated in several of the evacuations. Hundreds more Canadian Forces personnel were involved in the detailed planning and coordination of logistics for this complex operation. …. The air evacuations were conducted by Canada Command’s Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC), located at 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg. The Canadian Forces aircraft flown in today’s operations originated from 14 Wing in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario, and 17 Wing in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada Command’s Joint Task Force Centre, based in Toronto, mobilized members of the 3rd Canadian Patrol Ranger Group, which assisted in evacuation efforts at Sandy Lake by coordinating the logistical plans, loading aircraft and communicating with the families of community members throughout the operation. …. Canada Command, which is responsible for Canadian Forces operations in Canada, is continuing to work together with other federal, provincial and municipal authorities to assist those Canadians who are still at risk of smoke or threatened by the wildfires. The evacuation is continuing with more flights planned for tomorrow. Since the beginning of July, the Canadian Forces has flown over 2,500 residents of Deer Lake, Cat Lake, Fort Hope, Keewaywin, Kingfisher Lake, and Sandy Lake to safety.”
• Meanwhile, senior cabinet minister Tony Clement drops by some of the northern Ontario forest fire action.
• New boss coming for Canada’s Navy tomorrow.
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Aussie firm reportedly part of Canada’s small arms replacement research work – full news release and letter from Defence Research and Development Canada (PDF) available here (via Army.ca).
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Loads o’ box lunches for Valcartier & beyond, 130 x “lounge chairs” for Trenton’s Sergeants’/Warrant Officers’ Mess, “a firm quantity of 3000 meters of  (dark blue) Cloth, Tropical, Polyester/Wool” and a clothing/boot shredder (or gym equipment?) for CF Support Unit in Germany.
• What’s Canada Buying? (3)  Does this bit in an invitation to companies interested in providing a new Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Plane mean the CF is considering privatizing search and rescue operations?  Or does it mean the CF’ll consider leasing instead of buying?  Or both?  “…. The Government of Canada will consider all options to ensure the best possible SAR service to Canadians and best value for taxpayers. The main goals of this consultation include:  reviewing project status; reviewing the updated requirements; and seeking Industry opinions on Alternate Service Delivery options.  During the consultation, Government of Canada officials will discuss the outcome of the NRC independent review and provide a summary of the revised key requirements followed by a discussion on potential procurement approaches for FWSAR including Alternate Service Delivery options ….”  We’ll have to wait and see – more on that here.
• What’s Canada Buying – Big Honkin’ Ship Building Edition  “Four provinces are about to begin an anxious wait for the federal government’s decision in a battle to build the country’s next generation of warships and coast guard vessels, but military analysts say the benefits of the program will be widespread – no matter who wins. The deadline for final bids passes on Thursday on $35-billion in contracts to build navy warships, coast guard cutters and other vessels over the next 30 years ….“
• Meanwhile, Senator Colin Kenny explains why Canada needs a decent navy. “…. Countries with navies matter. Countries without them matter mostly to themselves. Canada is never going to rule the world. But while defending itself it can help keep the world from falling apart. Without a navy, we can’t pull our weight on the global stage. If the government wants Canada to matter, it needs to take the navy seriously.”
• Any chance of sharing this report with the readership, QMI Media?  “Criminals have smuggled drugs into Canada’s ports by hiding it in everything from sofas to cat food, water chestnuts, cotton, plastic thermoses, Moroccan pottery, foot spas and bongo drums, according to a new report. The draft government report, obtained through access to information, probes the vulnerability of Canadian marine ports to organized crime and compiles some 20 years of criminal activity in the Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax ports. It paints a portrait of Canadian ports as a gateway for hash, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines smuggled in through shipping containers sent from Venezuela, Guyana, Turkey, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Kenya, Jamaica, with Pakistan reportedly a primary source of hash. Drugs also move out of Canada through the ports, with reports of ecstasy, meth, and cocaine heading from here to Asia-Pacific markets. Records of police arrests suggest counterfeit goods are also coming in, especially through Vancouver’s seaport, from credit cards to cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, electronics and fake designer duds ….”
• “On July 21, the Canadian Forces (CF) contingent participating in the 95th annual International Four Days Marches Nijmegen will visit the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands ….”
• “A French plan to install towering wind turbines within sight of a beach where thousands of Canadians fought a bloody battle launching the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe is raising the ire of some veterans. “I think it’s a disgusting affair,” said Jack Martin, who was among the Canadians who stormed Juno Beach during the D-Day landings of 1944. “I saw so many of my buddies and friends die on Juno Beach that I figure it is very hallowed grounds.” Martin was a company quartermaster-sergeant with the Queen’s Own Rifles during the assault and later ran tours to the beach where 359 Canadians were killed. The French government announced last week that it was receiving tenders for over 1,000 wind turbines off the country’s northwestern coast, including at Courseulles-sur-mer, where Juno Beach is located. The entire project is eventually predicted to power more than 4.5 million homes ….”
• “When Private Richard Harold Armer first arrived at the newly-opened Camp Borden in July 1916, he was far from impressed. “This is an awful place, all trees and shrubs growing in sand… our tent was pitched where there had been a fire and there was plenty of black dust flying around,” he wrote to his wife. “I don’t like this place one bit [but] I am keeping well. I’m in the army now.” …. Pte. Armer, who strongly believed it was his duty to serve Canada and the old country, spent about four months at the Borden training camp west of Barrie. In late October 1916 he and other soldiers boarded a train to Halifax, and then a ship to Europe. Dick arrived in France to fight in April 1917. His journey and experiences were documented in approximately 400 letters he wrote to his wife during his time in service. These letters were kept by descendants of Dick’s children, who still reside in Middlesex County. Late last year the family made the letters available to Museum Strathroy-Caradoc for digitization by volunteer John Sargeant, who scanned each piece of correspondence and read Dick’s story with great interest ….”