resupply.”[105] The CJSOTF-S commander, Rear Admiral Bob Harward, simply acknowledged, “his JTF 2 team was his first choice for any ‘direct action’ mission.”[106]
Unquestionably, JTF 2’s participation in OEF was a critical turning point in its evolution and CANSOF history. JTF 2’s participation, or, more important, impact in theatre bolstered Canadian credibility. “We had to shoulder our way into the international SOF community,” explained Colonel Clyde Russell, the CO of JTF 2 at the time, “but once we got our seat at the table, now we can hold our own.”[107]
Participation in OEF also finalized the debate back at Dwyer Hill in Ottawa. JTF 2 was now a Tier 1 SOF organization. One JTF 2 detachment commander explained, “9/11 put us full throttle into the warfighting game and allowed us to pass a number of hurdles that would have taken years in a peacetime environment.”
Lieutenant-General Michael Day, one of the Canadian OEF SOTF commanders and a former commander of Canadian Special Operations Command (CANSOFCOM) assessed, “We progressed the unit in maturity decades that first year [in Afghanistan].”
Quite simply, the operation planted the seeds of CANSOF growth and maturation. “It allowed us to move into a kinetic mode,” asserted Day, “it showed the connection of the counterterrorism/hostage rescue piece to the expeditionary capability.” It not only revitalized the unit, but it also revealed a very potent international capability.[108]
“Stepping out onto the world stage was our first big show,” commented Colonel Russell. “From a strategic perspective,” he added, “it opened the eyes of the grownups [to] how SOF can be used as a bit of a strategic place marker in a crisis.” Russell explained, “we had a small footprint but a large impact. The country got a lot of credit.”
Consistently, CANSOF leadership attest to the fact that JTF 2’s participation in OEF in 2001–2002 was a seminal event for the unit and CANSOF. “9/11 and Afghanistan allowed CANSOFCOM to grow into a mature combat capable force,” explained Lieutenant-General Day, “It was instrumental in shaping our ability to field kinetic forces, which we now use to leverage our ability to shape a theatre.”[109] He concluded, “our first deployment will remain the defining moment of who we are.”
The CANSOF commanders were not the only ones who recognized the importance of JTF 2’s first combat deployment. On December 7, 2004, George Bush, the president of the United States, awarded the JTF 2 component of the CJSOTF-S (later called Task Force K-Bar ) a Secretary of the Navy, Presidential Unit Citation. American officials sent the request for Canadian approval prior to its actual presentation to the CAF members. DND issued a press release the following day to announce the presentation. The Canadian governor general congratulated JTF 2 on the award on December 10, 2004, through a media advisory.
The narrative of the citation read:
For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy in Afghanistan from 17 October 2001 to 30 March 2002. Throughout this period, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force — SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR , operating first from Oman and then from forward locations throughout the southern and eastern regions of Afghanistan successfully executed its primary mission to conduct special operations in support of the U.S. efforts as delegated to Commander US CENTCOM through the JFSO Component Command JFSOCC to destroy, degrade, and neutralize the TB and AQ leadership and military. During its six month existence, TF K-Bar was the driving force behind myriad combat missions conducted in Combined Joint Operation Area Afghanistan. These precedent[-]setting and extremely high-risk missions included search and rescue, recovery die ops, non-compliant boarding of high interest vessels, special reconnaissance, hydrographic reconnaissance, SSE [Sensitive Site Exploitation], DA missions apprehension of military and political detainees, destruction of multiple cave and tunnel complexes, identification and destruction of several known AQ training camps, explosion of thousands of pounds of enemy ordnance and successful coordination of UW operations for Afghanistan. The sailors, soldiers, [a]irmen, Marines, and coalition partners of CJSOTF (S)/TF K-Bar set an unprecedented 100 percent mission success rate across a broad spectrum of special operations missions while operating under extremely difficult and constantly dangerous conditions. They established benchmark standards of professionalism, tenacity, courage, tactical brilliance, and operational excellence while demonstrating superb esprit de corps and maintaining the highest measures of combat readiness.[110]
In the aftermath of the award, the Canadian leadership took the opportunity to heap praise on the shadow warriors. “This citation from the U.S.,” announced Bill Graham, the MND, “signifies the outstanding counterterrorism and special operations capability that has been developed by the Canadian Armed Forces.” He added, “JTF 2 has played a critical role in Canada’s contribution to the war against terrorism and will continue to be an important part of our domestic security.”[111]
Similarly, General Ray Henault, the CDS at the time, asserted, “The presentation of the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation to members of JTF 2 brings important recognition to a group of incredible CAF members whose accomplishments normally cannot be publicly recognized in the interest of national security.”[112] He concluded, “Canadians should be very proud of this specialized Canadian military unit.”[113]
The importance of the mission and the recognition of the CANSOF contribution was also evident in the governmental decision to increase the size and capability of JTF 2. The MND quickly realized the strategic impact, at a relatively low cost, that even a small SOF task force could achieve. As such, he pushed for expansion.[114]
Despite the great effort and incredible results, the JTF 2 initial deployment to Afghanistan ended rather quickly. By late 2002, with the Taliban largely routed and the country entering what appeared to be a period of relative calm, Canada withdrew all of its forces from Afghanistan. However, it returned the following year as a contributor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul. As part of the redeployment, Canadian SOF also maintained a footprint in the form of a Joint Liaison Team-Afghanistan (JLT-A ) in theatre.
But the winds of change were blowing. On December 24, 2004, the Americans requested Canada to deploy another Canadian SOTF as early as possible. The request affirmed that Canada’s previous SOF contribution to OEF in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002 “was highly valued by the United States” Moreover, it confirmed “that relatively small numbers of special operations forces exert a disproportionately large operational impact.”
This was no surprise, since JTF 2’s performance had elicited praise from the American ambassador, Paul Cellucci. He publicly stated, “Canada’s elite Tier 1 JTF 2 is as capable as any Tier 1 [s]pecial [f]orces in the world [and it] makes a significant contribution whenever deployed.”[115]
The request was strongly supported by both the CDS, General Rick Hillier, and the deputy minister, W.P.D. Elcock. They explained, “The deployment of Canadian special operations forces to Afghanistan would make evident our ongoing commitment to an active engagement in the Campaign Against Terrorism and it would also demonstrate our direct burden sharing with our closest allies.”
The deployment was also in consonance with ongoing strategic objective for the CAF in the global war on terrorism. The deployment would assist the Government of Afghanistan in providing security and stability in the country and in supporting reconstruction activities; it would assist with the elimination of al-Qaeda , the Taliban, and other anti-coalition militants, as continuing terrorist threats to international peace and security; and it would support efforts to address the humanitarian needs of Afghans.
The high-level support was not surprising. After all, the leadership were now well-versed in the strength of the unit. “One of my first visits,” acknowledged General Hillier, “was to Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2), our special forces unit based near Ottawa, no strangers to me after the many operations.” He explained, “JTF 2 troopers are the Olympic athletes
