Canadian Military News

[undercoverbrother]

What a POS

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...-day-1.4041078

The Governor General's office says a retired soldier who was court-martialled for wearing Afghanistan and Somalia medals and parachute wings he wasn't entitled to at a Remembrance Day ceremony has lost his membership in the Order of Military Merit.

Richard Fancy was a member of the regular forces between 1984 and 2010 and then joined the reserves with the Halifax Rifles until 2015. He became a master warrant officer in the regiment and received the Order of Military Merit in October 2014, a month before the Remembrance Day incident in Halifax.

[surferguy]

Vimy Ridge


There is a talk next week at the Central library commemerating the 100 yr anniversary of Vimy Ridge. I signed up for it and was curious if anybody else was attending.

[CaptainCrunch]

I really wanted to go, but I'm going to be on the road next week.

Kind of bummed about that.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I really wanted to go, but I'm going to be on the road next week.

Kind of bummed about that.

That's too bad - I find WWI fascinating. I was lucky enough to visit Vimy while in high school some 20 yrs ago. In hindsight, I think I have a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made nowadays.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by surferguy

That's too bad - I find WWI fascinating. I was lucky enough to visit Vimy while in high school some 20 yrs ago. In hindsight, I think I have a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made nowadays.

As much as I talk about the 2nd World War and the modern era wars. WW1 history is a guilty pleasure because it was the war that really tried to bridge the gap between civility and barbarism.

The senior leadership and officer corps of the nation almost approached this war in a manner similar to camelot, even the way that they promoted recruiting was along the lines of the whole by gone age of get your glory, fulfil your quest, be home by christmas.

The reality and the actual split between the officers and the men was massive. I tend to believe that it had to be to fight a war of that style.

It was also the first war that really combined old thoughts with new technology and then eventually new tactics. It was also a war that bread the main architects of facist evil. Something monstrous came out of those trenches, something callous and uncaring was born in the trenches of WW1 and later the uncaring economic collapse in the world.

Not to wax on.

But my biggest fear of any war large or small is that it usually is followed by the rise of extremist ideas.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

As much as I talk about the 2nd World War and the modern era wars. WW1 history is a guilty pleasure because it was the war that really tried to bridge the gap between civility and barbarism.

The senior leadership and officer corps of the nation almost approached this war in a manner similar to camelot, even the way that they promoted recruiting was along the lines of the whole by gone age of get your glory, fulfil your quest, be home by christmas.

The reality and the actual split between the officers and the men was massive. I tend to believe that it had to be to fight a war of that style.

It was also the first war that really combined old thoughts with new technology and then eventually new tactics. It was also a war that bread the main architects of facist evil. Something monstrous came out of those trenches, something callous and uncaring was born in the trenches of WW1 and later the uncaring economic collapse in the world.

Not to wax on.

But my biggest fear of any war large or small is that it usually is followed by the rise of extremist ideas.

very good points all around.

I recently listened to Dan Carlins Harcore History - Blue Print for Aremeggedon

Have you given this podcast series a spin? It was so damn compelling, fascinating, terrifying and heart wrenching all at once. I cant recommend it enough to get a proper perspective of this war.

[CaptainCrunch]

There was a documentary on that traced the major leaders in WW2 back to their roots in WW1. It looked at Hitler, and Churchill and McArthor and Tojo and others. It was really well done. Basically their thesis is that WW1 really didn't end and WW1, the depression and WW2 were all one mankind defining event.

It was really well done.

[btimbit]

The way warfare changed during WW1 is what fascinates me the most. From brightly coloured uniforms, and cavalry charges to camouflage and trenches. Started as this grand, poetic thing and very quickly was viewed as the nightmare it really is

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by btimbit

The way warfare changed during WW1 is what fascinates me the most. From brightly coloured uniforms, and cavalry charges to camouflage and trenches. Started as this grand, poetic thing and very quickly was viewed as the nightmare it really is

WW1 was just finishing what the Crimean War started.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by btimbit

The way warfare changed during WW1 is what fascinates me the most. From brightly coloured uniforms, and cavalry charges to camouflage and trenches. Started as this grand, poetic thing and very quickly was viewed as the nightmare it really is

That change really started to happen in the civil war in the US, when the American's significantly increased the effective firing range of their rifles. They also proved the effectiveness of iron clad boats moving the world into the battleship races and we saw the advent of the submarine.

The Americans' also started using less gaudy uniforms and practicing ambush tactics.

The biggest effect on warfare was with the internal combustion engine, which allowed a more effective logistics train and the ability to more quickly move troops to the front.

At that point with the advent of more accurate bullets, and artillery and the move from the Gatling gun to the fast firing accurate machine gun and improvements in artillery which moved from line of site to ranged accurate that for the first time the concept of an effective offensive war or speed war was being overtaken by the concept of fighting a defensive war and attempting to bleed your enemy into submission.

Even naval warfare became a defensive war, with ships having to deal with submarines.

The first attempt to break that stale mate was really with the first tanks, but mechanical failures killed more tanks then enemy ammunition. Just like poor hygene and infections probably caused more casualties then a bayonet charge.

[InglewoodFan]

The Mark Norman case just keeps getting sleazier. If it turns out he was suspended because he was trying to do the right thing, it reflects really poorly on the naval command.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/corre...1caa6d5f4591fc

It's no wonder procurement is out of control if there is backroom nonsense going on.

[CaptainCrunch]

First of all this is a multipart issue. Clearly there was some direct lobbying done by Irving shipyards to the Liberals to steal the awarded contract away from the Davie shipyards. If that's the case then there needs to be a actual investigation of those Liberal ministers as there isn't supposed to be lobbying like this anymore.

The bigger issue is that sensitive documents were leaked to the media, whether they were leaked by Norman or someone within the government has yet to be proved. However I don't blame the RCMP, they have to investigate the leak.

There seem to be a few scandals rising in the DND, the ship building contract, the suddenly silent procurement of the F-18's that might be far more expensive then the government said they are going to be.

And the blatant lie by our defense minister over the withdrawing of the F-18's from Iraq. His statement that our allies were all ok with our removal of the jets and replacing them with advisors was shown to be untrue as documents gained under the access of information by the conservatives that the Iraqi government found that the Canadian Forces jets were extremely effective in their usage against ISIS after the Liberals said that they weren't effective, and the Iraqi government multiple times during conversations with our Defense Minister asked and begged him to keep the Jets on mission.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sajj...iraq-1.4053485

Right now it just seems that the Canadian department of defense under the liberals is a disaster and combined with a budget that should have made Harjit Sajjam puke as the budget will ensure a serious rust out of the forces and a reduction in its ability to do its job.

There's a similar feel to me to how Justin's old man did things and I'm willing to bet that moral is extremely low and we're going to see a involuntary reduction in the forces as members decide not to continue on.

Leaks, a terrible budget, dishonesty, the Liberal's eagerness to deploy the forces to Latvia, Iraq, and to a meat grinder UN mission in Yemen. no capital procurements for something like 20 years.

Pretty sad to read.

And don't crow about our forces punching above their weight when the budget ensures that they go into field without boxing gloves.

I'm sure that Sajjan was a effective field commander, but that doesn't make him qualified to be the defense minister, and its showing.

[undercoverbrother]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34611326/

The RCMP allege Vice-Admiral Mark Norman violated the Criminal Code by leaking government secrets, an accusation that arises from a 16-month probe into the release of information about cabinet deliberations to a Quebec-based shipbuilder that wanted Ottawa to stop delaying approval of a $667-million contract for an interim naval supply ship. A breach of trust conviction under Section 122 of the Criminal Code carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.

Soon after taking power in November, 2015, the Trudeau Liberals put the supply ship project on hold after receiving a letter of complaint from Irving Shipbuilding Inc., which already had a multibillion-dollar contract to build the navy’s new fleet of warships. This delay meant that cabinet might look at other, lower bids, threatening Chantier-Davie’s contract.

The heavily redacted affidavit provides little idea of what the RCMP allege are Vice-Adm. Norman’s motives. The senior naval officer, however, last year said delays in shipbuilding programs had hurt the navy. “It’s important to keep in mind that [the delays were] completely avoidable,” he said in 2016.

Oh my what a mess.

[CaptainCrunch]

In the words of the Warrant Officer who ran the basic training group that I was part of

"Oh my %%%%%%% GOD!!!"

[Baron von Kriterium]

If I understand this correctly, the leaked documents were letters from Irving to the Government. If that's the case, I don't regard those as Cabinet "secrets" but more of a constituent "petitioning the King". As such, they are matters of public record.

Another item: apparently the two journalists who received the leaked documents were hired by the Government. If true...

[CaptainCrunch]

You're thinking what? Witch hunt/(divided by) how do we shut this guy up

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

You're thinking what? Witch hunt/(divided by) how do we shut this guy up

In my opinion, it looks like a witch hunt for the purpose of creating a chill effect in the civil service. If the problem is a breach of "cabinet confidences", then why aren't the cabinet members or cabinet officials who must be the one(s) who breached the confidence to start with (Adm. Norman is not part of the cabinet and there is no reason for him being privy to their deliberations unless told by someone who was there) being investigated?

I guess they (the Government) offer a deal. If it goes to trail, then look out.

[CaptainCrunch]

Interesting because now your also pointing towards improper use of the RCMP.

[undercoverbrother]

Why not head out. Everyone Loves a Parade!!

Join Calgary's Army Reserve units on Saturday, 8 April at 1230h to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at Poppy Plaza (Memorial Drive). Soldiers from the King's Own Calgary Regiment, 41 Signal Regiment, 41 Combat Engineer Regiment, the Calgary Highlanders, 41 Service Battalion and the British Army Training Unit Suffield will be on parade to remember the monumental sacrifice that helped form our great nation, Canada.

[CaptainCrunch]

Give them freedom of the city.

I love that tradition, we're going to march through your city and not destroy it as long as you don't resist.