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BACKGROUND: The Special Service Force (SSF) of the Canadian Armed Forces was established in 1972, and is currently based at Canadian Armed Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario, 150km (90 miles) north of the capital, Ottawa. Adjoining the barracks is a training area of no less than 350 square kilometres (133 sq miles). The SSF is the descendent of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, Canada's first airborne unit, raised July 1st 1942. The first combat operation of this battalion occurred on D-Day, when its 25 officers and 60 men parachuted into France to capture German positions. After four months of heavy fighting, it fought against the German assault in the Ardennes, the only Canadian unit to do so. It was also involved in the major airborne operation across the Rhine, before being disbanded in 1945.
In 1942, am elite Canadian-U.S. force was also created with the purpose of carrying out special operations in Europe. In order to raise the 500 Canadian members of this force without alerting German intelligence to the presence of the unit, the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion was officially created. By May 1943, it had been redesignated the 1st Canadian Special Force Battalion, and deployed with U.S. airborne troops as the Special Service Force. By the end of WW2, this unit was also disbanded.
In 1968. the Canadian Airborne Regiment was formed in Edmonton (Alberta) with the designated role of providing a combat ready, rapid deployment force, in support of national, North American, and international defense. The Regiment took on the roles of the Airborne Brigade, and absorbed many of its constituent units, including battalions of the Royal Canadian Regiment (R.C.R.), Princess Patricia's Light Infantry, and the remnants of the Royal 22ème Regiment, an airborne arctic warfare force reduced to cadre size and redesignated the Defense of Canada Force. The 1st Airborne Battery RCA was also authorized, in order to provide fire support. The CAR is the elite unit of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the core of the Special Service Force.
In 1977, the CAR was moved to its current headquarters at Petawawa, and in 1978 the Regiment was reorganized. It has retained its role of a rapid deployment force, a commando group being permanently on 12 hour notice to move to the air-head at Trenton (Ontario), as well as charged with carrying out commando operations and pathfinder operations. The Special Service Force is also committed to the defense of Norway in the form of CAST (Canadian Air/Sea Transportable Brigade). Due to its special arctic warfare training, the CAR and the SSF are also tasked with producing special rescue teams for operations in the far north.
Although Canadians are often unaware of the actions of their armed forces, the elements of the Special Service Force have been quite visible over the past years. The Royal Canadian Regiment and the Royal 22ème Regiment were deployed in Oka (Quebec) during the stand-off between the Quebec government and Mohawk Indians. These and other elements were also deployed to the Persian Gulf during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, providing security to the Canadian field hospital and air base, as well as providing recon and intelligence gathering functions.
Selection & Training: Very little has been published about the selection and training process of the CAR, but it can be assumed to be similar to the British Special Air Service, from which it has borrowed its motto and badge, and the AWT/AST of 3 Commando Brigade RM. Given all the charges it has been tasked with, the typical training must last from 8 to 12 months.
It is known that weapons training has highest priority, though pathfinder and reconnaissance techniques, HALO parachuting, sniping, mountaineering and rappelling in arctic conditions, hand-to-hand fighting, SCUBA, and small boat operations are also taught.
Yearly training exercises include regimental skill-at-arms training, brigade small arms camp, commando exercises, winter survival training, jungle and desert warfare training, and brigade and divisional field exercises.
Unit Organization: The CAR consists of three company-sized airborne commandos; 1st Airborne Commando is French-speaking, 2nd is English speaking, and 3rd is bilingual. The CAR consists of 741 officers and men, of which 192 form the HQ and signal squadron, and 138 form each of the Airborne Commandos. Members appear to operate as conventional airborne units, in platoons and rifle companies rather than small units.
The Special Service Force itself, a part of Canada's Mobile Command is organized as a light brigade, yet contains only two infantry units. The main offensive units are the CAR, the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (Infantry), and the 8th Canadian Hussars (armour). Combat support comes from the 1st Airborne Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, integral helicopter support from the 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, and additional engineer, signals, and combat service support squadrons.
Weapons & Equipment: The standard small arms of the CAR include the cold weather-modified C7 (M16A2), C8 (M16A2 carbine), and C9 (M249 Minimi), with the Sterling (C1), the FN FAL (C1A1) and C2A1 SAW being phased out of service. Heavy weapons include the .30 and .0 calibre Browning MGs, and various missile weapons including the TOW antitank weapon.
Uniforms: On combat operations, the CAR use a smock of Canadian design, a solid olive drab color as opposed to any form of DPM camouflage. Some have been seen wearing Dennison smocks, however. Arctic uniforms are all-white, and are worn over the combat smock, while winter "tree-line"uniforms consist of arctic bottoms only. White balaclavas are also worn. Maroon berets identify CAR troopers.
Talents:
Commando Training, Assaults, Tactics
Melee Weapons
Gunsmith
Parachuting, Static Line HALO
Survival, Temperate (Arctic, Desert, Jungle, Urban)
Skiing
Climbing, Glacier
Resistance to Cold Only
Boating
SCUBA, Basic Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Night Diving
Demolitions
Forward Observer, Ground Support, Air Support
Language/French (or English)
Recon: Stealth, Tracking
Navigation
Cartography
Perception
Sniping
Small Arms
By Matthew Sztajnkrycer
