Afghanistan - Master Corporal Dave Patton photos
February 2006
Photos courtesy MCpl Dave Patton

Calgary Highlanders Master Corporal Dave Patton, Master Corporal Steve Malenfant, and Corporal Shawn McDermott deployed to Camp Nathan Smith, at the site of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar City, in late 2005.  As part of Operation ARCHER Roto 0, they are tasked primarily with force protection as well as assisting the patrol company on their patrols, mostly a variety of escort mission for Canadian civilians and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members, who liaise with local officials.

Operation ARCHER

The most recent phase of Canada's participation in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation ARCHER has two components:

* a small cadre of CF instructors involved in training the Afghan National Army in Kabul, and
* the deployment, in August 2005, of a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kandahar, where it is expected to be active for at least another year, after the current rotation comes home in late January 2006.

In July 2005, a Theatre Activation Team of about 220 personnel from the Canadian Forces Joint Operations Group in Kingston, Ont., arrived in Kandahar to provide the support and install the infrastructure necessary for the arrival of the PRT, which deployed in August 2005. The PRT is an integrated Canadian effort that includes a large component of CF personnel, diplomats from Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), development experts from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and police officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The PRT reinforces the authority of the Afghan government in and around Kandahar and helps local authorities stabilize and rebuild the region. Its tasks are to monitor security, to promote the policies and priorities of the national government with local authorities, and to facilitate reform in the security sector. The PRT operates from Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City, and draws some of its support services from the coalition base at Kandahar Airfield.

The military component of the PRT is about 250 strong, drawn largely from Land Force Western Area and 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group based in Edmonton, Alberta:

* An infantry company from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI);
* An engineer squadron from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER);
* A combat support company from 1 Service Battalion (1 Svc Bn) and 1 General Support Battalion (1 GS Bn);
* Health and medical support from 1 Field Ambulance (1 Fd Amb); and
* Other specialized elements from various CF units.

The PRT has also helped lay the groundwork for the follow-on Canadian missions in Kandahar with a view to creating a stable society under Afghan governance.

MCpl Patton