New Canadian battle group ready for work in Task Force Kandahar
By Captain Lena Angell
Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan — In a ceremonial transfer of command authority on 5 May 2010, the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Battle Group from Edmonton, Alta., commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Jerry Walsh, handed over its responsibilities in Task Force Kandahar to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR) Battle Group from Petawawa, Ont., commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Conrad Mialkowski.
The 1 PPCLI Battle Group came to Kandahar Province in September 2009, and operated in the districts of Panjwayi and Dand, southwest of Kandahar City. The 1 RCR Battle Group arrived in April 2010 and will complete a six-month tour of duty in the same area.
The presiding officer was Brigadier-General Daniel Ménard, commander of both the entire Canadian joint task force in Afghanistan and the ISAF formation of Task Force Kandahar. In his remarks to the soldiers on parade, he praised the out-going battle group for a job well done and expressed confidence in the new troops, who constitute the ninth rotation of the Canadian battle group in Task Force Kandahar.
On completing his address, BGen Ménard took his place between the outgoing and incoming battle group commanders to sign the documents formalizing the transfer of command authority. LCol Walsh then stepped forward to address the parade.
“There are numerous discussions back home centred on whether the work Canadians are doing here is making a difference to the lives of ordinary Afghans. I’m here to tell you that, unequivocally, the answer is yes. We have seen it first-hand. The problems in Afghanistan are multifaceted, with governance, development, reconstruction and security taking place at the same time,” he said.
He went on to discuss pride in the Battle Group’s accomplishments. “It is sometimes difficult to measure success because doing so in a counter-insurgency environment means measuring the perception of the Afghan people. However, we have seen governance become stronger and more involved in addressing the needs of the people. We have seen development and reconstruction take hold in the most under-developed parts of the country. We have seen the Afghan national security forces step up and take the lead in partnered operations. These are not small steps; these, in fact, are significant milestones, and a clear indication that the situation in Afghanistan is improving.”
Canadian soldiers have played a significant role in the progress of the multi-national effort in Afghanistan during the past seven months, building on the accomplishments of previous Battle Groups.
