Canadians deploying to AFG (early days, merged)

[Kendrick]

Makes two of us!

 

[pbi]

Go for it! There are lots of things that good Res soldiers could do there: IMHO we are well behind the US in the challenges we offer to our Res soldiers. As mentioned elsewhere, the US is doing the ETT thing using ARNG and USMC (R). Good luck! Cheers.

 

[westie47]

Having served in Croatia in 1993 as a reserve member of B Coy 2 VP , I think reservists with the right amount of work-up training  do quite well on operations! We will show that again.

 

[ImanIdiot]

I just hope there are enough available positions for those that want to go, or at least a selection period that will weed out those who maybe shouldn't go.

 

[little_mp]

I'm pretty sure for R031 positions there were some open to go to the secret airbase in the middle east yes you kno which one I'm talking about, and i belive they are then going from there into theater in Kabul around March if I'm not mistaken, however they're work up is finished and they are leaving the middle of this month, so theres no change on getting on that one 

 

[foerestedwarrior]

I just hope there are enough available positions for those that want to go, or at least a selection period that will weed out those who maybe shouldn't go.

There was for this tour that is leaving soon, they were in meaford, atleast for LFCA, for this selection proccess. They then moved to pet, My unit has one guy going to the "secret" base that my whole unit know about, because we had like 6 people on the selection process.

 

[Kendrick]

We have a few people from my unit that just came back from said "secret" base. 

 

[DFW2T]

We have a few people from my unit that just came back from said "secret" base.  

Mirage is a secret????  I'm a civi (privy to a little INT) but i know about it....friends of mine know about it.  Is the military trying to keep this a secret?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Nuff said. If the government hasn't announced it, we shouldn't be even alluding to it. Everyone knock it off.

 

[Gunner]

Camp Mirage is not Canada's version of Area 51.  The Host Nation has asked that we don't publicize the fact that they have allowed the use of one of its airbases to support the war on terror.  Being Canadians, we respect the right of our hosts to do this.  Camp Mirage as the theatre support base is much nicer than other countries have (ie Germany in Turkmenistan (or Uzbeckistan...can't remember).

Cheers,

 

[Kendrick]

Durkadurkastan?
hehehe

 

[Fishbone Jones]

 The Host Nation has asked that we don't publicize the fact that they have allowed the use of one of its airbases to support the war on terror.  Being Canadians, we respect the right of our hosts to do this.  

Like I said.

 

[Gunner]

Like I said.

Big difference between a secret location (ala Area 51, etc) and Camp Mirage. 

 

[ImanIdiot]

Exerpt from the DND website, indicating the layout for Roto 2 OP Athena:


-An airlift element in Camp Mirage, the Canadian sustainment base located in southwest Asia,
operating CC-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft; and
-An infantry element from 38 Canadian Brigade Group responsible for force protection in Camp Mirage.


Obviously, while they don't want everyone knowing where it is, they have acknowledged its existence. Area 51 it is not.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Semantics. I'm not the one that said it was secret. Just said.....wait, I have to go piss up a wall.

 

[foerestedwarrior]

Durkadurkastan?
hehehe

lol,

Just said.....wait, I have to go piss up a wall

sounds fun, but different

 

[Scott]

Mirage is a secret????   I'm a civi (privy to a little INT) but i know about it....friends of mine know about it.   Is the military trying to keep this a secret?

Privy to a little bit of Int....wouldn't that mean that you've had an OPSEC briefing?

recceguy hit the nail on the head, enough chatter about Mirage, please.

 

[DFW2T]

Nuff said. If the government hasn't announced it, we shouldn't be even alluding to it. Everyone knock it off.

 OK enough.. I'm scripting this from the Red Zone in Baghdad.(And I'm comfortable with saying this,  it's..non-compromising)  As a former soldier for 15 years I know enough about OPSEC to carry on here.  CAMP MIRAGE is not TOP SECRET If it was  all my buddies from SA, Austrailia, US ...(I could go on)  wouldn't know about it!
I think some people here are inflicted wth with the "BIG BROTHER" syndrome.......you know ...."OH..... don't say    J T........"
  A tour in Alert, Golan or Bosnia (late 90's) doesn't make you a cleric/guru, an OPSEC OPI..
 
My question was only..."why is every body referring to Mirage like it's ....Well....   Area 51?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I think your question has been answered above.

  I think some people here are inflicted wth with the "BIG BROTHER" syndrome.......you know ...."OH..... don't say    J T........"
  A tour in Alert, Golan or Bosnia (late 90's) doesn't make you a cleric/guru, an OPSEC OPI..    
My question was only..."why is every body referring to Mirage like it's ....Well....  Area 51?

When I was flying in and out on Athena, we were ordered not to talk about it, no one has recinded that order that I know of.

 

[bossi]

For crying out loud ...
"Shake your head, Dopey!  Do you hear anything?  No?  I'M NOT SURPRISED!!!"

I have been asked to post the following (and, if you haven't already noticed, somebody else locked this thread because too many people were talking about something they KNOW they shouldn't ...)

Hi, I was the person that gave the "Welcome to wonderful beautiful Camp Mirage Intro" for all the soldiers on Roto 0 to Afghanistan. I'm sure those that were there, were way to busy drinking the bottles of water from the kitchen as opposed to listening anyway...

I just wish to clairify why The CF doesn't talk about where Camp Mirage is.

Camp Mirage is located in a Arab nation in the Middle East.  The Host Nation has allowed the CF to use it with the condition that the CF does not release its location.  This is actually for two reasons, and I can not claim to know which is higher priority:

1.  The Host Nation also uses the location, and does not want the general population to know where it is.

2.  The Host Nation does not want to appear to be picking sides. (reading between the lines, the host Nation wants strong western relationships, but not at the expense of its neighbour Arab nations)

As far as I know, The CF is keeping the location of Camp Mirage quiet at the request of the Host Nation, not for CF reasons. The CF is just being a good tenant doing what the landlord asks...

Sorry no conspiracy...