Op IMPACT: CAF in the Iraq & Syria crisis

[PuckChaser]

And still no word on tax free status.  :Tin-Foil-Hat:

Which is very wierd, considering that committee is supposed to sit once or twice a year to decide those mission risk/hardship values. When will the CAF learn its more expensive and painful to backpay people, then to just sort it out right away.

 

[dimsum]

Which is very wierd, considering that committee is supposed to sit once or twice a year to decide those mission risk/hardship values. When will the CAF learn its more expensive and painful to backpay people, then to just sort it out right away.

Think about it as a very nice present when (if?) it comes in. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Well, folks were in theatre for well over half a year before the HA/RA was decided/announced.  Last info was request was submitted and waiting for CRA decision...something like that. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Think about it as a very nice present when (if?) it comes in. 

:nod:

 

[Kirkhill]

It looks like the RAF will be taking over the Canadian role. Not to worry.

David Cameron launches 'Isil-first' case for launching airstrikes in Syria
Prime Minister unveils 36-page dossier to justify military, legal and moral arguments for RAF to bomb Isil in Syria

Tom Whitehead By Tom Whitehead, Security Editor5:54PM GMT 26 Nov 2015

David Cameron has revealed his “Isil-first” case for Britain to launch airstrikes in Syria because it was unacceptable to outsource our security to allies.
The Prime Minister published a 36-page dossier detailing a series of arguments as to why it was militarily, legally and morally right to attack the terror group in its heartland.
• Jeremy Corbyn isolated as 'majority of shadow cabinet backs air strikes' despite McDonnell ally lobbying MPs demanding opposition
He said Isil posed a “very direct threat to our country and our way of life" and that inaction put the country more risk.
Airstrikes in Iraq, which Britain is part of, had helped in the recovery of 30 per cent of territory seized by Isil, he said.
“If we won't act now, when our friend and ally France has been struck in this way, then our friends and allies can be forgiven for asking: If not now, when?” Mr Cameron said.

War could last ‘many years’

However, Mr Cameron cautioned that even with airstrikes it will still take “many years” to restore stability in Syria and that a post-conflict strategy was crucial.

“We know that peace is a process, not an event and I am clear that it can't be achieved through a military assault on Isil alone,” he said.

“There is a credible military strategy to defeat Isil in Syria, as well as in Iraq. We should not expect this to happen quickly. It will require patience and persistence. But it is achievable.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12019470/David-Cameron-launches-Isil-first-case-for-launching-airstrikes-in-Syria.html

 

[The Bread Guy]

A tiny bit more clarity, via "an advisor" ....

The Liberal government will withdraw Canada's fighter jets from the fight against ISIS, but CBC News has learned that not all military aircraft will be pulled from the mission in Iraq and Syria.

The Department of National Defence said Thursday that while the CF-18s will be withdrawn from the U.S.-led coalition combat mission, other planes — two Auroras, which are surveillance aircraft, two transport planes and a Polaris in-flight refuelling plane — will still fly alongside our allies.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has faced criticism at home for withdrawing the jets, but Canada's international allies have not asked the government to reconsider its position, according to a senior adviser to Trudeau.

Trudeau sat down for a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday in London.

The adviser, who spoke to reporters on background and on condition that he not be named, said there was "absolutely no pressure for Canada to continue its contribution to the bombing mission." ....

.... and "a senior defence official":

Canada will pull six CF-18s from the combat mission against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria but two reconnaissance aircraft and an air-to-air refueller could remain to assist coalition aircraft in their own bombing sorties.

A senior defence department official said Thursday that discussions on the future of Canada's contribution to the multinational campaign against ISIL continue and that no decisions have been made whether to leave other elements of the air task force in the region ....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Fromthis article:

Before Trudeau's meeting with Cameron, Howard Drake, the British high commissioner to Canada, told Power & Politics on Monday that it's for Canada to decide how it will contribute to the battle against ISIS.

"We've made very clear that it is for each country, for each participant in the coalition, to indicate and make clear where it thinks it can make the best contribution, and that's what Prime Minister Trudeau has said he's going to do," Drake said.

"We happen to think, and other allies happen to think ... that bombing is a very essential part of this to protect our interests."

 

[Zoomie]

And still no word on tax free status.  :Tin-Foil-Hat:

If they follow the Afghan strategy - you won't get it.  You need to be actually on the ground to get tax free.

AWACs crew flew over Afghanistan for almost 10 years - no tax free, no HLTA.  Unless you land there, it doesn't count. 

 

[dimsum]

If they follow the Afghan strategy - you won't get it.  You need to be actually on the ground to get tax free.

AWACs crew flew over Afghanistan for almost 10 years - no tax free, no HLTA.  Unless you land there, it doesn't count.

Did the folks in Mirage get it?  If so, I'd think that the folks in Kuwait will as well.  HLTA would be for 6 months and over, of course.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I think the "resource bit" is a red herring to make it look like the government is acting wisely and not just following a campaign promise that is past it's due date. It's a nice dodge but it has nothing to do about resources and frankly if we can't maintain 10 aircraft overseas indefinitely, then clearly we are under resourced and we can use that "out" to DND's advantage during the next election.

 

[SupersonicMax]

For Op MOBILE, when you were in Italy, you didn't get it.  As soon as you hit the NFZ, that counted towards 1 day of RA/HA level 3 and tax free.  Fly over midnight?  Get a second day.

 

[dapaterson]

frankly if we can't maintain 10 aircraft overseas indefinitely, then clearly we are under resourced and we can use that "out" to DND's advantage during the next election.

Under resourced or poorly organized and poorly managing?

Both are possibilities in that scenario.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

For Op MOBILE, when you were in Italy, you didn't get it.  As soon as you hit the NFZ, that counted towards 1 day of RA/HA level 3 and tax free.  Fly over midnight?  Get a second day.

Which is pretty much how things go for qualifying service for the GCS-Exp.  Although, this one, the crews who are going into the actual theatre are getting the same RA as the folks how never see the theatre at all.  Makes tons of sense.  :

If anything, the crews should get tax free; 1 day for each sortie in theatre.  That would make sense.  We are operating in the same boundaries as the folks on the ground who are getting tax free.

 

[SupersonicMax]

The GCS argument is a whole different can or worms. IMO, you either did it or not.  If you were in a flying line number, for 30 days, you should get it.

 

[PuckChaser]

Did the folks in Mirage get it?  If so, I'd think that the folks in Kuwait will as well.  HLTA would be for 6 months and over, of course.

No, they were 1/1 for levels and not tax free. They did get HLTA though.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The GCS argument is a whole different can or worms. IMO, you either did it or not.  If you were in a flying line number, for 30 days, you should get it.

Because the Exp is a '30 sortie' one, most ppl thought they'd do a new ribbon up...but...nope.

 

[Zoomie]

Big-Dome crews spent 6 months overseas - no HLTA.  No tax free for flying over hostile airspace.  Only HA/RA adjustments.  Each flight over bad-guy land gave one day towards the required 30 days.  Flying over the GOO counted for nothing.  30 sorties is almost 4 months of flying - for an airplane that does 14-16 hour missions at a time.

Time in the UAE (Mirage) counted towards the GSM - pretty sure that qualifying time has expired and no longer applies to those currently in Qatar.  GCS for ATF-I pers not flying over bad guy land is a bit misdirected - they should bring back or stand up a GSM-EXP for them.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Even the HA/RA adjustment would seem appropriate but not happening. 

IMPACT aircrew with 30+ will see the GCS-Exp, those with less will see the GSM-Exp.  Anyone flying for the ATF is logging hours over the Badlands.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I believe there is an initiative to lower the number of mission from 30 to 10.

 

[PuckChaser]

I believe there is an initiative to lower the number of mission from 30 to 10.

The "get pilots more medals" initiative?

What I don't understand, is why its taking so long to get all these stories. 30 missions takes 4 months? 8 missions a month? Is there too many pilots? Too much downtime? Under utilization of the airframes?