Op IMPACT: CAF in the Iraq & Syria crisis

[The Bread Guy]

Indeed ...

The senior envoy for northern Iraq’s Kurds is calling on the Trudeau government to boost military assistance and help the ethnically distinct group build up its democratic institutions even as it makes plans to start negotiating independence from Baghdad.

These requests put Canada in an awkward position. It has spent two years providing military assistance to the Kurdish peshmerga fighters – training and advice that have helped sharpen fighting skills that could one day be turned against Baghdad if an amicable separation cannot be reached.

The head of foreign relations for the Kurdistan Regional Government told the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual defence and security forum in part sponsored by Canada, that his people plan to start talks on a separate state as soon as the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul is retaken ...

 

[Good2Golf]

Such a potential result is even less expected than the Spanish Inquisition...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

ISIS SVBIED Rams M1 Abrams Tank, Drone Footage

A look from the air of some of the stuff going on in HappyLand.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Such a potential result is even less expected than the Spanish Inquisition...

:nod:

Meanwhile, Go Team (dark) Blue!

For five months in 2016, anyone who looked up in northern Iraq might have caught a glimpse of three odd, dark blue helicopters flying around. From a distance, these choppers would have looked a lot like civilian aircraft, but they were actually part of a unique Royal Canadian Air Force squadron.

Canada’s military is especially tight-lipped about its elite units and the 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron is no exception. The deployment to Iraq between May and October 2016 offered an uncommon glimpse of the unit in action.

“A detachment of three helicopters from 427 Special Operations Aviation … provide essential tactical helicopter transportation,” reads the caption from what appears to be the only official photo from Iraq to mention the squadron by name ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

More on those "Kurds within Kurds" ...

"Kurdish Seams Threaten Anti-ISIS Coalition in Iraq and Syria"

The U.S. Anti-ISIS Campaign has inadvertently emboldened select factions of Kurds in Iraq and Syria in a manner that threatens to exacerbate preexisting political and ethnic divisions, stoke regional conflict, and disrupt current momentum against ISIS. The U.S. has provided extensive military assistance to both the Syrian Kurdish YPG and the Iraqi Kurdish Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) as indispensable partners in the Anti-ISIS Campaign, enabling both groups to consolidate their control over large swaths of terrain outside of the regions traditionally held by Kurds in Iraq and Syria. The empowerment of these factions in turn revitalized nationalist aspirations within Kurdistan. The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) – a political coalition led by the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) – declared the establishment of an autonomous Federation of Northern Syria - Rojava in March 2016. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Masoud Barzani has become increasingly vocal regarding the possibility of formal independence from Iraq. This wave of nationalism has also reinvigorated insurgencies against the state among the sizeable populations of Kurds in Turkey and Iran ...

Map attached.

 

[daftandbarmy]

:nod:

Meanwhile, Go Team (dark) Blue!

So much for 'covert operations' if they can identify your sneaky peeky choppers by the colour from miles away  :

 

[The Bread Guy]

This from Kurdish media, shared under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42) ...

The Canadian Defense Minister arrived at the Kurdistan Region and promised further military assistance to the Peshmerga forces.

On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and other KRG officials received a Canadian military delegation headed by the Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Attending an international meeting with allies battling ISIS, Sajjan said Canada will continue to have a military mission in Iraq through 2017 but did not offer details on the size and scope of it.

According to a statement by the KRG, Sajjan thanked the Peshmerga forces for their good cooperation with the Canadian military advisors and trainers and expressed Canada’s readiness to provide further military assistance to the Peshmerga.

The Minister said that the stability in the Kurdistan Region can attract foreign investors, adding that the Canadian government can encourage its investors to consider the Region.

According to the KRG statement, the Canadian Defense Minister stressed on having a comprehensive joint plan for the post-Islamic State (IS) Mosul to create stability in the region and return trust to the people of the liberated areas.

The KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani reassured the Minister that Kurdistan Region is a stable region and highlighted opportunities for investments.

PM Barzani thanked the Canadian humanitarian and military assistance for the Kurdistan Region, hoping for the continuation of the assistance especially on the humanitarian side as there are extensive number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have been taking shelter in the Region.

In 2014, when Canadian soldiers first arrived in the Region to help the fight against ISIS, they wore the Kurds’ distinctive red, white and green flag with a sun emblem on the Canadian soldiers’ uniforms next to the Canadian maple leaf.

Another take from Kurdish media ...

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan to discuss the Islamic State (ISIS) fight, Mosul liberation, and investment in the Kurdistan Region.

The KRG PM received a Canadian delegation headed by the Defense Minister in Erbil on Wednesday (December 21), the KRG official website stated.

The Canadian Defense Minister expressed his country’s readiness to provide assistance to the Kurdistan Region, according to the KRG statement.

Sajjan also discussed the stability in the Kurdistan Region which he noted was a good motive for foreign investors to head to the Kurdistan Region and invest.

Regarding Mosul city, he said a broad plan by all the Iraqi and international sides should be made after the liberation of Mosul to return stability to the city, the statement added.

The KRG premier acknowledged Canada’s support for the region, hoping the assistance, including humanitarian aid to the country would continue. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been displaced to the Kurdistan Region during the ongoing Mosul operation.

Barzani called on the Canadian delegation to encourage the country’s companies to invest in the Kurdistan Region due to its stability.

This is Sajjan’s second visit to the region since being appointed Canadian Defense Minister by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Sajjan was previously in Erbil on 20 December 2015 to meet with Kurdish senior officials, days after Canadian Coalition forces helped Peshmerga repel a large-scale Islamic State (ISIS) attack east of Mosul.

Before visiting the Kurdistan Region, Sajjan met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday.

According to the Iraqi premier’s office, they discussed bilateral relations between both countries, the Mosul operation and Canada’s support for Iraq in the training of Iraqi forces.

Aaaaand one more ...

Canadian Minister of National Defense said on Wednesday that the stability in the Kurdistan Region is a good incentive for the foreign investors and Canada is ready to persuade its businessmen to invest in Kurdistan.

Harjit Singh Sajjan's comment was made today in his meeting with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil.

In response, Barzani reiterated that the Kurdistan Region's situation is stable and there are opportunities for the foreign businessmen to put their assets in Kurdistan and invited the Canadian Minister to encourage their entrepreneurs to work in Kurdistan.

In another part of their talks, Barzani and Sajjan expanded on the current state of war and refuge crises in Kurdistan.

Sajjan thanked the Kurdish people and the KRG for their patience in the difficult days of the war against the Islamic State (IS), and commended the Kurdistan Region's military development and humanitarian reputation.

The official also thanked the Kurdish Peshmerga forces for their cooperation with the Canadian military trainers and voiced his country's willingness for further assistance to Peshmerga.

Barzani also extended his gratitude to the Canadian government for their military and humanitarian aid to Kurdistan.

Kurdistan PM hoped that the international community continues providing aid to Kurdistan and Peshmerga.

Nothing noted at the Kurdistan Regional Government page English version as of this post - and Google Translate doesn't seem to work for the Kurdish version of the page

 

[The Bread Guy]

From The Canadian Press:

National Defence is refusing to disclose details about several Canadian soldiers treated at a military hospital in northern Iraq in recent weeks, including whether any of them were wounded on the battlefield.

The soldiers were among 120 patients who were seen at the medical facility since it began operating near the Kurdish city of Erbil at the end of November, according to figures provided to The Canadian Press.

The hospital, staffed by about 50 Canadian Forces medical personnel, is providing emergency and non-emergency care to those involved in the battle for nearby Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city.

The figures show that the majority of patients seen at the facility have been troops from other coalition countries such as the United States, which has more than 5,000 soldiers in Iraq.

But the hospital had also treated seven Canadian soldiers, as well as three members of Daesh who were captured and needed medical aid.

Military spokesperson Capt. Vincent Bouchard refused this week to say whether any of the seven Canadians were wounded in combat.

“For privacy reasons and operational considerations, the Canadian Armed Forces do not release details about the types of injuries treated at the Role 2 medical facility,” Bouchard said in an email.

As for the captured Daesh fighters, officials said they remained in the custody of coalition members even while being treated by Canadian medical personnel ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

Statements from yesterday's technical briefing (via the Info-machine) ...

Brigadier-General Shane Brennan, Commander JTF-I

Thank you Mark, and thanks to all of you for taking part in this update. I am Brigadier-General Shane Brennan, Commander of the Canadian Armed Forces’ Joint Task Force – Iraq.

Before I begin, I will take the opportunity to thank all Canadians for their ongoing support to our personnel and to this mission. Our men and women come from military units across the country, from St. John’s Newfoundland to Comox, British Columbia. To the families of our brave members here: your loved ones are making a huge difference. Their sacrifice and hard work help the Coalition and most importantly our Iraqi partners, fighting to defeat Daesh and re-establish security and stability in their country. Equally important, your own personal sacrifices and support to your serving loved ones are essential, and for that I want to offer you my most sincere thanks, especially as we just passed a traditional holiday period where families normally gather.

On the mission itself, I first will use this occasion to communicate what Canada and Canada’s Armed Forces are doing in the region. We are working as part of a Coalition of countries, led by the US, with a common objective to remove the Daesh threat to ensure regional and international security. This work is complicated by the region’s complex geo-political context. As we have learned from the past, proper conditions need to be established for long term security and stability in a given country or region. Canada has been supporting and continues to support the establishment of these conditions, but we cannot and should not engineer them for others. For durable and sustainable security and stability, this hard work has to be done by the individual nations themselves, such as Iraq. This is why the fight against Daesh and the efforts to bring stability in Iraq in the long term are directly conducted by the Government of Iraq. In doing so, the Government of Iraq has formally requested the presence and support of the Coalition, which takes a large degree of cooperation and teamwork in order to be successful. Canada is contributing to the Coalition mission and providing support to our Iraqi partners.

Now I will provide an overview of how the Canadian Armed Forces, through Op Impact, are contributing to this effort.

Currently Canada is contributing approximately 830 personnel serving in the region in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and Lebanon. We are an important and committed partner and Canada’s military contribution is multi-faceted and valued by the coalition. This effort features a variety of military capabilities and expertise, which can be categorized and grouped as follows: air operations, provision of military leadership, staff expertise and specialist capability, regional capacity-building, targeting and intelligence operations, and finally logistical support elements. Of note, I will not be covering the Special Forces contribution as that will be covered at a later date.

Since Oct 2014, six out of seven days a week we have been conducting air operations with Aurora  Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft from Greenwood and Comox, and Polaris Air to Air Refuelling aircraft from Trenton. They have both done tremendous work. The Aurora aircrews gather intelligence that directly informs the development and striking of Daesh targets, and the Polaris refuels Coalition fighter aircraft. To put this in perspective, the intelligence gathered by the Aurora was used to support the ongoing battle for Mosul and is now being used in a variety of other areas where Daesh is active. The Polaris Tanker has provided nearly 40 million pounds of fuel which equates to about 1500 coalition fighter jets being refuelled.

Another significant capability is provided by 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron from Valcartier that has been providing tactical air transport for Canadian Special Operations Forces in the Erbil region of Northern Iraq.       

Canadian military expertise has been assigned to numerous areas within the coalition effort. These include: the Ministerial Liaison Team, Role 2 hospital, the All-Source Intelligence Centre and personnel embedded in the Coalition HQs. I’ll briefly elaborate on these areas starting with the Ministerial Liaison Team:

This team is a Coalition organization currently under the leadership of Canadian Brigadier-General David Anderson. The team is formally embedded within the Coalition Joint Task Force in Baghdad and works directly with Iraq’s Ministries of Defence and the Interior to ensure that they are well-synchronized with Coalition efforts.

To the Role 2 hospital: As you may be aware, this past November we established a Coalition Role 2 medical facility in Erbil, northern Iraq, for one year. With 50 Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to this facility, it provides two operating rooms, two surgical teams – including an Allied surgical team, and intensive care support. These capabilities allow it to provide resuscitation and life-saving medical services for Canadian, Coalition and Iraqi troops, and whoever requires medical attention under international law.

Joint Task Force - Iraq Headquarters is where I’m situated and is the command element of Op Impact. With the support of staff and advisors representing the Navy, Army, and Air Force, the HQ oversees the execution of the Canadian mission.

This headquarters includes and provides direction to an All-Source Intelligence Centre (ASIC), which has been in operation since May of last year. It is responsible for collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing information derived from a variety of sources, which is used by the Coalition for situational awareness. This information is used to develop targets for the Coalition. These targets, when struck, degrade Daesh’s ability to operate, and the ASIC is therefore central to Canada making a substantive and direct contribution to the fight against Daesh.

We also have individual Canadian Armed Forces members embedded within other Coalition headquarters across the region. They provide expertise that is in high demand, such as planning, logistics, targeting, engineering and communications.

Moreover, we have established two Canadian Training Assessment Teams working to enhance our cooperation with Jordan and Lebanon. They are both working with their respective Host Nation military on developing projects to support improving and assisting their security forces.

Of note, our team in Jordan has assisted in Canada’s contribution by facilitating training, providing materials and supplies used in the enhancement of defensive structures, and the provision of equipment such as high-quality rain gear to the Jordanian Armed Forces, all in an effort to stop Daesh infiltration along the Jordan-Syria border.

In Lebanon, our team has so far contributed to Canadian procurement of essential equipment such as winter and mountain gear for the Lebanese Armed Forces. This project aims to increase the capacity of Lebanon’s forces to be effective in its fight against Daesh along its border with Syria.

When deployed, we always work to ensure that each of our members are kept safe, healthy and well equipped to carry out their mission. In these capacities we have logisticians, engineers, medical personnel and other specialized professionals who work on a 24/7 basis to deal with all of these special requirements.  Without their support and tireless effort the mission could not be successful.

In summary, you can see that Canada has been an active and meaningful contributor within the coalition supporting Iraq Security Forces in the fight against Daesh and efforts to foster regional security and stability.

Over the course of the campaign we have seen the situation change for the better as Iraqi Security Forces have continued to clear Daesh elements from their footholds across the country. For the future, it will continue to take a joint, coalition team to be successful. Brigadier General Steve Kelsey will be able to expand on these positive messages.

I will now turn over to Gen Steve Kelsey, - Steve over to you.

Brigadier-General Stephen Kelsey

Thank you General Brennan and good evening from Baghdad,

This is Brigadier-General Stephen Kelsey and I am the Canadian Chief of Staff embedded in the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command, or the coalition Land HQ for Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.  Our multi-national headquarters represents a coalition of 19 different countries that works closely with our Iraqi Security Force partners to coordinate the employment of land forces on behalf of the overall Combined Joint Task Force, but importantly, the Government of Iraq. 

I’ll now use this opportunity to provide an update on the Iraqi-led operations to liberate Mosul.

The assault to recapture Mosul began on 17 October 2016 and the ISF are 101 days into the fight.  After conducting operations for about six weeks an operational refit occurred before combat operations resumed again on 29 December.  Since that time, Iraqi Security Forces continued with great success to clear sectors of East Mosul on three axes; the Iraqi Army from the north, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorist Service from the east, and the Federal Police with the Iraqi Army from the south-east.  The Coalition land component contribution to combat operations in East Mosul remains, through: Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; stand-off direct and indirect fire systems; and, through embedded Advise & Assist teams within Iraqi Security Force at the Division and Brigade level.  As all are likely aware, Prime Minister Abadi formally announced on 24 January that Iraqi Security Forces have liberated East Mosul.  This is a significant achievement for the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces, and a momentous step towards the defeat of Da’esh, but of course there is much work that remains. 

The focus of ISF operations is now squarely on consolidating the security environment in East Mosul, supporting the population, and now setting condition for the next phase which is the liberation of West Mosul. 

Fighting in Mosul has resulted in Internally Displaced Persons or IDPs.  There are a number of IDP camps that have been established which are currently under capacity.  The number of people in IDP camps around Mosul is around 135,000.  With the success in Eastern Mosul, IDPs will be encouraged to return to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so in their neighborhoods, and the living conditions are suitable.  The number of IDPs that have returned to liberated areas of Mosul is about 26,000. Current available capacity in IDP camps in Northern Iraq sits at around 58,000, with even more under construction.

While the main effort of the Iraqi Security Forces and by extension the Coalition remains Mosul, counter Da’esh operations continue in Iraq including, the Tigris River Valley (North of Baghdad to Qayyarah), the Euphrates River Valley (Ramadi West toward Haditha and Rawah), and here in Baghdad.  The coalition is also very much focused on assisting the Iraqi Security Forces to sustain combat operations but re-establish also law and order, through a process the coalition refers to as Building Partner Capacity.  Training is delivered on average, to 4,500 Iraqi soldiers and Federal Police every week at five training sites across the country.  Courses include Basic and Advanced Infantry, Combat Life-Saving, Explosive Hazard Awareness, Military Engineer and Law Enforcement to mention a few.

I think I’ll close out this brief update by underscoring the remarkable transformation of the Iraqi Security Forces and in particular the Iraqi Army.  The ISF are enjoying significant success and together with the other coalition partners, we remain united in our resolve to defeat Da’esh. This concludes my statement and I will now hand the call back to the moderator.

... and headlines from the media:

• "Torture 'counter to our values,' say Canadian military commanders" (CBC)
• "Iraq mission commanders warn Canadians will not use torture" (ipolitics.ca)
• "Canada military raises torture objections" (Agence France-Presse)

 

[The Bread Guy]

This from three Kurdish media outlets ...

• "Canadian Defense Ministry stated on Sunday that Canada was ready to ship arms to the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga forces after the Iraqi central government approved the delivery.  The Canadian Defense Ministry’s Communications Advisor Dominique Tessie told a local Kurdish media outlet that Iraqi government has officially approved Canadian request to directly arm the Kurdish forces.  “Canada had requested the Iraqi government to send an official endorsement on the arms delivery to the Kurdish forces and we have received Baghdad’s official endorsement, signed in December of last year,” Tessie told Xendan.  According to the Canadian Defense Ministry official, the weapons planned to be delivered to the Peshmerga forces are light weapons such as rifles, pistols, anti-tank rockets and some military equipment ...
  [*]"Within a month, Canada is expected to follow through with a promise to assist a battalion of Kurdish Peshmerga forces by acquiring for them enough weapons and equipment for their fight against ISIS within the international coalition.  “It should include weapons, military equipment and devices for the size of a battalion — everything, not including vehicles,” Brigadier General Hajar Ismail, director of coordination and relations at the Kurdish Ministry of Peshmerga told Rudaw English on Wednesday. “The paperwork is done, Baghdad has signed off.”  The acquisition of the equipment was reported earlier this week.  “Canada will also provide the Kurdish Peshmerga forces with personal protective equipment, communications systems, medical supplies and optics, such as cameras, sights and scopes,” Sputnik News reported on a statement by the Canadian Ministry of Defence. “The intent remains to deliver the items as quickly as possible, in line with suppliers’ ability to provide the quantities sought.” ..."
  [*]"Canada will deliver military assistance to Peshmerga forces fighting Islamic State (ISIS) militants when the bids for provision of the equipment are completed.  The head of Media Relations at the National Defence Department for the Canadian Government, Daniel Le Bouthillier, told NRT on Tuesday (February 7) that bids for the provision of the equipment will be evaluated and assessed before any acquisition contracts are published.  Bouthillier said the exact time of the shipment is still unknown but the intent remains to deliver the items as quickly as possible.  “Material and equipment planned for the provision to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraqi include personal small arms (carbines, pistols) and light support weapons (mortars); personal protective equipment; communication systems; optics (cameras, sights, scopes) and medical supplies,” Bouthillier said in a statement to NRT.  The Iraqi government provided consent to the Canadian government for the provision of the equipment to Kurdish forces through a “diplomatic note” signed in December 2016, according to the official Canadian statement.  “The administrative arrangements to ensure that adequate controls are in place to govern the use of the equipment are being refined by GAC and DND/CAF,” Bouthillier said ..."

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Statements from yesterday's technical briefing (via the Info-machine) ......

I know the PAO types and media LOs like to keep a 'positive message' but...jesus.  That was a little too rosy.

When deployed, we always work to ensure that each of our members are kept safe, healthy and well equipped to carry out their mission. In these capacities we have logisticians, engineers, medical personnel and other specialized professionals who work on a 24/7 basis to deal with all of these special requirements.  Without their support and tireless effort   :rofl: the mission could not be successful.

Oh man!  Part of that makes me laugh and part of that makes me kinda angry.  There are more "Hours of Operation" signs around Camp Canada than most bases and garrison's in Canada.  JTFSC, the self-licking icecream cone!  :facepalm:  Most people there don't even know what The Mission is;  seriously. 

JTF-I is like 99% of our HQ; lots of fat, little teeth, 'huge tail. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

I know the PAO types and media LOs like to keep a 'positive message' but...jesus.  That was a little too rosy.

Alternative narrative?  >

 

[Eye In The Sky]

If I could...I would...

 

[PuckChaser]

Do those places have a duty cell number to call? You cannot realistically expect places to be 100% manned 24/7, otherwise you'd have 3 times the people there. It only becomes an issue when people are unable to be at their core function because they're too busy playing ball hockey.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

It's hard to explain without saying details I can't on here.  But, I've witnessed enough to be comfortable saying what I say and knowing I can defend it.  It's not a matter of 3 times the people, there are too many now IMO.  It is having the right people do the job that needs done, at the right time, and should be in a manner that supports the mission types, first and foremost.  However, it is more Tail wagging the dog, like it is all to commonly these days.  CC wasn't called Garrison Kuwait by some people who are on the 'mission' side for no reason, or as a compliment.

:2c:

 

[PuckChaser]

Same thing happened in Kandahar. Longer the mission goes, the more staff positions are created so people are able to work less and less hours in the day and still accomplish their tasks. I saw it in my former employment where we went from having 2 crews covering a very large AOR to 4 crews a few rotos later even though the Canadian AOR was reduced from the Maiwand/Zhari/Panjiway/KCity/SWK/SB monstrosity we worked in.

 

[Quirky]

:facepalm:  Most people there don't even know what The Mission is;  seriously. 

JTF-I is like 99% of our HQ; lots of fat, little teeth, 'huge tail.

The HQ folk at AJAB didn't even know where the flight line was nor did they know what the jets did every mission. Biggest kicker was them complaining about maintenance runs being too loud at 2 am disturbing their sleep. :facepalm:

 

[Ping Monkey]

Morale must have gotten too high in Kuwait...  [Xp

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/soldiers-serving-in-kuwait-lose-major-tax-exemption-1.3277313

Soldiers serving in Kuwait lose major tax exemption

Canadian troops critical to the fight against ISIS have lost a major tax break that had saved them more than $9,000 each over the course of a six-month tour.

The tax breaks, worth between $1,500 to $1,800 per month, are provided to soldiers who meet certain criteria related to the risk of their duties and the relative hardship of their living conditions while deployed overseas.

Fifteen soldiers at Camp Arfijan, a base in Kuwait, lost the tax break in September, after the military downgraded the risk level. They fought to get it back, arguing that they faced no less danger or hardship than other soldiers stationed in the country.

But instead of restoring the tax break to Camp Arifjan’s soldiers, the military took the exemption away from the more than 300 soldiers stationed in Kuwait who will no longer be eligible as of June 1st, 2017.

One soldier told CTV News that, out of all the nations fighting ISIS, he believes the Canadians are the only ones who will not be getting the tax break. The Pentagon confirmed to CTV News that all American soldiers deployed to Iraq receive tax exemption status.

Military sources say the change is already causing hardships. One deployed soldier supports his disabled sister and pays his elderly mother’s mortgage, and now their financial future is uncertain.

His mother, Glenda Lindsay, said it feels as though her son is being cheated. “They're cutting corners at the troops' expense,” she told CTV News.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan promised to fix the situation at a defence committee meeting on Dec. 1 when he was pressed by Conservative Defence Critic, James Bezan.

But there has yet to be any change. One affected soldier feels like “we got kicked in the stomach.”

 

[dimsum]

Morale must have gotten too high in Kuwait...  [Xp

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/soldiers-serving-in-kuwait-lose-major-tax-exemption-1.3277313

"The Pentagon confirmed to CTV News that all American soldiers deployed to Iraq receive tax exemption status."

Which has nothing to do with Kuwait.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I heard this was coming as far back as last October.  I'm not there now (and have zero intention of going back again), but I don't think this is right if the folks *up north* are getting tax free as well, because of a line in the sand.  I think this is a kick in the nads to everyone serving over there, meanwhile our government is quite happy to hand those tax dollars away outside our borders.

Having said that, now the question for LRP and AAR types is will they get tax free for mission days, as they will cross that line?  At the very least, they should.  But, knowing the attitude some have towards the actual mission types over there and the real mission, I suspect the aircrew who are stuck at CC will get fucked over while dobbers up north continue to get tax free.  BZ. 

At least there is a good coin for this op.  :nod: