Messages

Our cherished Regiment The Brockville Rifles had the great pleasure of hosting a very special guest at our 152nd Officers’ Mess Dinner.  The Commander of the Canadian Army, Lieutenant-general Wynnyk, CMM, MSM, CD, and his Sergeant-major, CWO Alain Guimond, MMM, CD, were present at our unit as a testament on the strengthened role the Army Reserve are to assume to further and better support the many missions of the Canadian Army.

Attending the supper were several distinguished guests, to whom we express our appreciation for their presence at the Regiment. We are thankful for the continued support of our Mayor Henderson, and MP Gord Brown, our Reverend Canon Read, as well as Chief Fraser and the numerous Police service representatives from Gananoque and the RCMP.  Our MPP Steve Clark, and the Brockville Legion President sent messages of support. The Dinner had many special civilian guests attending, and we thank them for their presence and support to the unit and the Army Reserve.

Representatives from numerous regiments were present, including six former commanding officers of the SD&G Highlanders (thank you all), and from the 42nd Field Regiment, our historic “cousin” regiment, from The QOR, our senior regiment, The RCR, The Windsor Regt, the 33 Sigs, and from Montreal’s 34 Bde, the RMR and the 4R22eR. Our allied Regiment from the UK, The Rifles, were also very well represented. We also note the valued presence of officers from our Cadet Corps.

The 4 R22eR commander, LCol Jacques Nicolas, from Montréal showed his support to The Brockville Rifles by attended the evening.

The Mess Dinner sought to commemorate the centennial anniversary of our Battle Honour ‘Pursuit to Mons’, and reproductions of our Colours of the 156th Battalion (Leeds and Grenville) CEF were displayed. These Colours were laid to rest in 1921 in our Regimental Anglican church.  Also on display was the bugle belonging to Sgt Albert Bootes in 1916-1917, recently discovered in France and returned to the Bootes family of Toronto (Our special thanks to the family). These tangible reminders help us recall our sacred link to the men of the 156th Battalion CEF, 6th Division, that were transferred to reinforce the PPCLI (an Ontario Regiment), and the 2nd, 21st and 38th Eastern Ontario Battalions CEF. They valiantly fought at Vimy, Passchendaele, and at the battles of the 100 Days that brought an end to that horrific war.

As Commanding Officer, I wish to express with our Honorary Officers, General DA Pryer, and Lcol R. Garber, the RSM R. Gagnon, as well as our many guests, our thanks to our PMC, SLt A.Melchers, our prior PMC Capt R. Lampron, and Mr R. Hum for making the evening very memorable. Also making the evening a true success were our regimental Bugler AJ Benoit, our Pioneer guards, the serving staff during the evening and the day staff who all contributed to a very pleasant visit to the Regiment for our guest of honour and his Sergeant-major.

We thank the Commander’s Aide de camp for providing the speech by the Commander of the Canadian Army, so we can all share in the inspiring words that express the vision of our Army Commander for the Army Reserve.

This event wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and support from the soldiers of The Brockville Rifles. A special thanks goes out to the members of The Brockville Rifles and the Regimental Society who contributed to the success of the Officer’s Mess Dinner.

LCol Paul d’Orsonnens, MSM, CD

Commanding Officer of The Brockville Rifles

Semper Paratus

 

 

Brockville Rifles Officers’ Mess Dinner

1800 for 1900, Saturday, 28 April, 2018

Speech of the Guest of Honour: Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk, Commander, Canadian Army

 

Good evening and thank you for that kind introduction.

 

Mr.  (Gord) Brown (MP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, The Honourable Justice Kershman, Your Worship Mayor (David) Henderson, Chief of Police (Scott) Fraser, Chief of Police Chief (Gary) Hull, BGen (Ret’d) (Vince) Kennedy, BGen (Ret’d) Pryer HCol, The Brockville Rifles HLCol (Rick) Garber, LCol d’Orsonnens (CO), Honoraries, serving and past, Commanding Officers, CWO Gagnon, Distinguished Guest;

It is a great honour to be here with you this evening.  I am most appreciative to Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Rick Garber and Lieutenant-Colonel Paul d’Orsonnens for their invitation, and for their forbearance after I had to cancel last year, on short notice, from the same dinner.

Perhaps I should begin by saying how much I dislike speeches at mess dinners, and how it is tradition within my original corps, the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, not to have speeches at mess dinners.  But, as your Army Commander, I can’t pass up on the opportunity to talk briefly about where the Army is going, and perhaps whet your appetitive for more discussion and conversation after dinner.

The Canadian Army is comprised of about 50,000 people, of which 23,000 are regulars, 17,000 Primary Reservists, 5,000 Rangers and 5,000 civilians.  While we have in the past stated that we are one Army, we haven’t always acted this way, nor have we capitalized on the powerful potential of the Army Reserve.  That is why the Canadian Army has launched a major initiative, the StAR program, or Strengthening the Army Reserve program.

As a key part of StAR, we are fully integrating Reservists into the regular Force for training and operations. Reservists will be expanding their roles and providing mission tasks in areas such as assault pioneers (Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment), mortars (Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada) , direct first support, and light urban search and rescue )(7th Toronto Regiment).  This is already well underway and there will soon be another tranche of 21st century roles assigned to units including intelligence, cyber, linguistics and close protection, keeping unit identities and traditions intact I might add.

By integrating Reserve and Regular Force units at a tactical level, we will be able to get the most out of the skills, experience and specializations of each organization and its members to produce a more cohesive, operationally capable unit.  Although initially branded as Strengthening the Army Reserve, I tend not to use this term as frequently any more when I describe what we’re doing…I simply say we’re strengthening the Army.

We will also be growing our Reserve Force. This was one of the commitments outlined in the new Defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, and Reserve modernization and reform has been one of the Army’s top priorities over the past couple of years.

To ensure that Reservists across the Canadian Armed Forces can realize greater operational potential, we will increase the size of the Reserve force to 30,000, an increase of 1,500 members.  While the numbers have yet to be finalized, this should translate into 23,000 to 24,000 Army reservists, with the budget and resources commensurate with such an increase.

To help meet this goal, we have been aggressively attacking the bureaucracy and Byzantine recruiting practices that have for so long plagued the Army Reserve.  For a little over a year now, the Army has regained control of Reserve recruiting from the Chief of Military Personnel. Many of you are aware that the overall strength of the Army Reserve declined for seven consecutive years, that is until the Army took over recruiting from a cold start and with no additional resources.  I am proud to say that we have arrested the decline and have registered a very modest increase in strength in the last 12 months. While this is by no means victory, momentum is building and I am confident that with decentralized recruiting and the policies we now have in place, we can and will meet our most critical priority for the Army Reserve which is, of course, increasing strength.

For our part, we will continue to aggressively attack needless delay and bureaucracy to achieve the goal of recruiting within a couple of weeks (has been done, but the average is still around three months).

Another way the Canadian Army is working to increase recruitment and improve retention is through the Full-Time Summer Employment program. This guarantees summer employment during one’s first four years, and allows us to front-end load as much individual training as possible, thereby lightening the load later on when individuals are starting careers and families.

Starting this summer, new and recently enrolled Army Reservists will have the opportunity to work full time from May 1st to August 31st each summer, of a portion thereof if they choose not to do the full summer.  We estimated that about one third of those eligible, roughly 2500, would take us up on the offer. To date, over 1500 have signed contracts and another 1700 have signalled their intent, so we are seeing a good uptake across the country and are confident that the a guaranteed means to pay one’s way through school will further incentivize service.  Depending on what path one takes, this could translate into up to $80,000 over a four-year period.

The Army Sergeant-Major and I have made a personal commitment to strengthen the Army by strengthening the Army Reserve for many reasons.  Perhaps most obvious is that we need to get more return from our investment in the Reserves, and to do so we need to allocate more resources and decentralize authorities.  Less obvious, but perhaps more importantly, is that I firmly believe that the strategic centre of gravity of the Army, and indeed the Canadian Armed Forces, is in the Army Reserve because our units are found all across this great country.

The Brockville Rifles is one of 123 Army Reserve units from Vancouver Island in the West to St. John’s in the East, and from Windsor in the South to Yellowknife in the North.  Having close ties to every geographic region in Canada deepens the connection Canadians have with the Army, and the relevance of the Canadian Armed Forces to the public.

The Brockville Rifles epitomizes these ties with the community. This unit has steadfastly and unwaveringly maintained its close relationship with the City of Brockville, as evidenced by the excellent turnout of community members here this evening.  The Brockville Rifles can proudly say that they are older than Canada itself, and they perpetuate the 1st Battalion Leeds Militia, a unit that was raised in this area in 1796.   Formed as the 41st Brockville Battalion on the 5 October 1866, there are very few Canadian Army units that can claim such a rich and unbroken record of service to the British Empire and to Canada.

Members of this regiment have proudly served and been recognized for bravery in all of Canada’s wars, from the Fenian Raids to the present day. I would also add that The Brockville Rifles sent enough soldiers to Afghanistan to be awarded the theatre battle honour, which is not a distinction that was awarded to every Reserve infantry unit and is particularly notable given the size of this unit.

The Brockville Rifles earned the appreciation of many local communities during Operation Recuperation, the Canadian Forces response to the 1998 ice storm.  Indeed, the Brockville Armoury became the headquarters for the main effort in the area and Colonel Craig McQuitty, who was the Commanding Officer at the time and who is with us tonight, saw his command grow from 70 to 700 overnight.  The assistance and relief efforts provided by the Brockville Rifles during this domestic operation exemplified the core values of the Canadian Army: courage, dependability, and professionalism.

There aren’t only strong ties between this unit and the City of Brockville, there are amazing personal connections as well.  Hundreds of soldiers who started with the Brockville Rifles continue to serve today, both in and out of uniform. I know there are many here tonight, but I would like to highlight two in particular.  The first is your Honorary Colonel, Brigadier-General Don Pryor. From a reserve gunner who began his career here in Brockville to an officer and CO of the Queen’s Own Rifles, to command of Central Militia Area and now as your honorary, he has given an extraordinary part of his life to Queen, country and this Regiment, and I would ask that you join me in giving him a big round of applause.

The second is Lieutenant-Colonel John Selkirk whose record of service both as a regular officer, the Commanding Officer of this Regiment and as an honorary, has been extraordinary.  As the Executive Director of Reserves 2000, he has worked tirelessly to advocate for a stronger Army Reserve. Early on in my tenure I met with John and we decided that we could accomplish a lot more by working together, and I am indebted to him for his wisdom, pragmatism and sage advice.  Many of the changes that we are implementing in the Army Reserve are not original thought on my part, they are long-overdue initiatives that were championed by John, an officer whose roots run deep in your Regiment. I would ask that you also give him a round of applause for all that he has done and continues to do for the Army, and the Army Reserve in particular.

The final point that I would like to make is the importance of embracing your history and traditions, and the Brockville Rifles do this well.  As I am constantly explaining to my Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force counterparts, the Army is not a homogenous force; it is a loose collection of clans that come together for a common good.  It is based on the time-proven British Regimental tradition, and it works. To that end, anything that strengthens unit pride and identity, whether it be uniform distinctions or instructing your soldiers in your rich history and heritage, is good because it strengthens one’s devotion to the Regiment and, by extension, the Canadian Army.

I applaud all that the Rifles are doing in this regard, from maintaining the dress and traditions of a rifle regiment, to renewing your links with the Rifles in the UK, to the battlefield tours that you have or will take to France and Belgium.  There is little or no public funding for activities of this nature, but those of us who serve or who have served know how important they are and I am grateful that you have the mechanisms and support in place to ensure that your soldiers know their regimental roots.  I am particularly delighted to hear that you are in the process of establishing a Brockville Rifles museum.

In closing, I would like to thank you again for the honour of being here this evening. Your unit is not only a source of pride to this community, but to the Canadian Army.  I wish you every success as you grow in size and strength.

 

Thank you.

 

After a long summer of quality training, instructing and getting our qualifications at the different training centers and courses, it is soon time to return to the unit, share our summer stories, and launch into our collective and individual training cycle.

On Tuesday 5 sept, all unit leadership from MCpls to Majors are expected to be present for briefings by WO Coxworth, our new Ops WO, on this year’s exercises and individual training priorities. Everyone is expected to complete their AAG with our new Chief Clerk, Sgt Gosselin, and his team.

On Thursday 7th Sept, all members of The Brockville Rifles are expected at the unit and will be received by the RSM, and then join up with their Companies for Ops briefs. All will complete their AAG with our orderly Room, to update all personal information forms for the Next of Kin, Marital status, Wills, Life insurance (SISIP) and Memorial Crosses. This is essential before we start our collective training cycle.

On the 9-10 Sept weekend, a leadership planning and training coordination will be held to prepare for the planned CT cycle and refresher on Battle procedure.

On Thursday Sept 14th, we resume regular Thursday evening unit training with preparation for our first collective training exercice on 15-17 Sept, EX CYMRU FIGHTER, jointly with the PWOR. This will be an exciting year of training as we launch into defensive ops on private land, so that we can continue to improve our defensive layout with each weekend while also conducting some patrols.

The Summer activities. All personnel were very active this summer, with all positions for Reserve Summer training filled, and many getting their qualifications. Congratulations to Cpls Ashford and Burns on the completion of their Primary Leadership Qualification Infantry course, a challenging course aimed at giving the necessary experience for upcoming leaders to become Master Corporals. Well done! Congratulations also to three newest Riflemen who are joining us, Rfmn Hutchinson, Rfmn Pearson and Rfmn Johnston, after their graduation from the DP1 Infantry course in Meaford ON that the RSM and I attended.

Those unit members not on courses and available formed our unit Pioneer section (with the classic beards) to compete at the Glengarry Highland Games in the Highlanders Tug-O-War Challenge Cup. Many chants of “shorts and beards” were called out by the Highlanders, in support of The Brocks team, after we caused an upset by winning throughout the morning. Moral was high during the competition and all enjoyed their first-ever experience with a 5th place finish out of 10 teams.

Other Riflemen and women set themselves apart, such as Sergeant Jana Eagle who was tasked to the Ottawa Ceremonial Guard, and earned a 4 Division Commander’s Commendation for a road-side accident rescue. Congratulations Sgt Eagle. Our other members at CG also did very well, and the CG CO thanks the unit for having Riflemen and women at CG that are dedicated to getting on with the job. Well done all.

OP ELEMENT. This operation is on-going as Border Services and Immigration Canada address the situation. Our deployed members currently supporting this task all understand that the situation will evolve as the flow of asylum-seekers changes.

Recruitment. Since April, the unit has been steadily engaged in an extensive recruitment campaign to increase our numbers and to raise public awareness on the employment possibilities with the Army Reserve. The aim is to ensure our Mons company is fully manned, as well as our unit C2 and support functions, so that the unit can draw on sufficient personnel for overseas deployments or exercises. Recruitment is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone should make the effort to inform others around them, both peers and parents, of the advantages of joining The Brockville Rifles. Sgt Hopper will brief everyone this sept, before we hold the National Canadian Army Open-House event at the unit on 30 Sept.

Our IT priorities. This year, our IT cycle will focus on preparing our new recruits for their BMQs, and ensuring our Junior leaders are skilled and ready to be qualified as instructors. There will be plenty of course training and instructor positions for those that are motivated and interested.

FORCES Combat Test. Our other IT priorities are to prepare everyone for the new Forces Combat test, so that everyone will pass by end December. Our Padre will continue to offer Unarmed Combat training courses on Tuesdays, so that all of us can defend ourselves against a potential knife attack, neutralize an assailant, and save lives. My intend is that everyone trains on the SAT trainer, so that our DCO, Major Giberson, after working with CAFSAC in Connaught, will help select our Riflemen and women for our unit Rifle team to be ready for next year’s competition. The Rifles are all about sharpshooting, and we will work towards that goal. Also, we will work with CF Health Group to strengthen our mental resilience by offering advanced R2MR training. A soldier is only as good as his positive mental attitude. So we will strengthen that part of us all, and get strategies to overcome stress and emotional reactions.

The Armoury. Our Armoury is our home and our pride, and thanks to Sgt Hopper and his hard-working team, and with Capt Lampron assisting, the Messes have undergone a welcome change. The JRs have moved to the second floor to better accommodate everyone and the many new Riflemen and women we are expected to recruit in the next year.

Cadets. An important part of our unit is our affiliated Cadet Corps. Our 113 Cadet Corps celebrated their 113th anniversary this year on 6th June 2017. This is a remarkable event and highlights how Brockville cares for its youth and has ensured that a quality training and instruction is offered by dedicated instructors. Our unit and its Riflemen and women support wholeheartedly our cadets and their Corps.

National Sentry Program. The RSM is preparing a plan to have two Riflemen and women join the NSP at the Ottawa War Memorial, for the Anniversary of the unit and the Pursuit to Mons commemorations. Available and interested members to this 3 week experience should discuss soonest with the RSM.

Army Run. The unit has registered a team to attend the Army Run, and we look forward to participating and demonstrating our support for this important event and fundraiser for our Wounded Warriors.

Pursuit to Mons Commemoration. A unit presence at the Pursuit to Mons commemorations in France in 2018 is being planned to remember the 100 Days, when the Canadian Corps in 1918 were in pursuit of the retreating Imperial German Army from Amiens to Mons, Belgium. It will also be an occasion to visit again The Rifles HQ and the amazing Rifles Museum in Winchester UK!

LCol P. d’Orsonnens, MSM CD

Semper Paratus

I feel privileged to join the Commanding Officer and the Honourary Colonel in welcoming you to the Brockville Rifles web site – the on line home of one of the Canadian Army’s longest serving regiments – on the eve of our sesquicentennial. Through this site, users have access to a wealth of information about our proud unit – ranging from our proud history through present day organization and activities to our upcoming 150th Anniversary celebrations.

As a former Commanding Officer of the Brocks, and currently the unit’s Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, I take great pride in the accomplishments of our regiment: the accomplishments of soldiers who have work the Brocks’ cap badge on active service in Canada from the War of 1812 through the Ice Storm of 1998, and overseas in the Fields of France and Flanders, in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Second World War, and most recently in Afghanistan. The Brocks have earned a hard won reputation for serving the city for which we are named, our county of Leeds Grenville, our province of Ontario and our nation – Canada!

To those of you with an interest in local history, in Canada’s Army or perhaps contemplating military service – welcome. To those of you who have served in the Brocks – welcome back!

SEMPER PARATUS

Lieutenant-Colonel R.S. (Rick) Garber, CD
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel
The Brockville Rifles

The Government and our Minister of National Defence have released the new Defence Policy, following a lengthy public consultation process. I encourage all members of The Brockville Rifles to become better informed by reading the message below from our Chief of the Defence Staff, General J. Vance.

Chief of the Defence Staff message on Canada’s new Defence Policy
Strong. Secure. Engaged.

Today the Government of Canada announced its new Defence Policy, which outlines how Canada expects to care for and employ its Armed Forces over the next 20 years. It also represents a significant investment in our future, one that will ensure we remain a flexible, responsive, combat-capable force that is prepared to deploy anywhere in the world.

As members of the Canadian Armed Forces, your job is now to build a force that will meet this intent. And over the coming weeks, your chain of command will communicate with you to help you understand what this new policy means for each of you and your families. For now, I will offer a few overarching observations.

Your primary mission is unchanged: you must stand ready to defend Canada and Canadians. You belong to an agile operational force that can and will be called upon to respond to emergencies at home, and to face and defeat modern threats around the world. Achieving this mission means we must be ready to operate in multiple theatres at any given time.

To ensure we meet Canada’s objectives, the policy calls for a significant increase in our budget; the Government of Canada has indicated it will increase defence spending over the next 10 years from the current $18.9 billion to $32.7 billion in 2026-27, with a total increase of $62.3 billion in new money over the next 20 years.

This funding will be used to pay for key CAF capabilities and equipment that will enable your success on operations, including:

The Regular Force will grow by 3,500 personnel (to 71,500 total)
The Primary Reserve will grow by 1,500 personnel (to 30,000 total)
Enhanced command and control capabilities, as well as cyber, space and intelligence-gathering functions to ensure targeting efforts are effective across the full spectrum of conflict, giving the Canadian Armed Forces an operational advantage over adversaries
The Reserve Force will be properly equipped, trained and integrated into the total force so its members can play a greater role on domestic and international operations
The Royal Canadian Navy will acquire 15 new Canadian Surface Combatant ships, five to six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, two Joint Support Ships and enhanced weapons and reconnaissance systems
The Canadian Army will acquire ground-based air defence systems, replace the family of armoured combat support vehicles, modernize logistics vehicles and upgrade the light armoured vehicle fleet
The Royal Canadian Air Force will acquire 88 future fighter aircraft and replace the CC-150 Polaris, CC-138 Twin Otter and CP-140 Aurora aircraft
The Canadian Special Operations Force Command will increase its operational capacity so it can expand its capability to rapidly deployable as an agile force around the world
The new policy is also driven by a focus on you, it recognizes that you and your families are at the very heart of our operational success. Because you have chosen to proudly wear the uniform and serve our country, you and your family deserve the best care throughout your career and beyond. Under the policy, some of the improvements to the care you and your family receive will be:

$198.2 million will be spent on implementing a new total health and wellness strategy that focuses on the physical, mental, spiritual and familial health of our people
$144.8 million to support Military Family Resource Centres
A new Personnel Administration Branch will be established
International named operations will be tax free and the hardship and risk allowance will continue
A new Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group will be established to ensure a professional, personalized approach to transition and administration
A team is only as strong as the people within it. Personalizing our approach to how we care for and value you and your families will make the Canadian Armed Forces a more effective force; more flexible, more combat-ready, and able to respond quickly and decisively to any threat or situation, anywhere and at any time. This is the Canadian Armed Forces of the future.

As you read the policy, I want you to pay attention to its eight core missions, which recognizes the imperative of our ability to conduct concurrent operations. This policy directs the Canadian Armed Forces to be ready for simultaneous operations where we will show leadership on a variety of combat operations, peace support operations and humanitarian missions at home and abroad. This means we could be called upon to operate and sustain two or more theatres of operation for both long and short periods of time conducting operations in support of the UN, alliances or coalition. All planning, force generation and resource allocation from this day forward will ensure that the expected operational outputs are available to be employed on operations.

I expect everyone in the Canadian Armed Forces to know this policy, and that’s where you come in. As the senior leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces, I want you to educate your people on the details of this policy. To help you do that, the following resources have been made available. Please ensure your chains of command issue this policy to the unit level today within your organization:

Thank you for your continued professionalism and selfless dedication. You make me proud.

Jonathan H. Vance
General
Chief of the Defence Staff

——————————————————————————————————————

Message du chef d’état-major de la Défense au sujet de la nouvelle politique de défense du Canada
Protection. Sécurité. Engagement – Juin 2017

Aujourd’hui, le gouvernement du Canada a dévoilé sa nouvelle politique de défense, dans laquelle il établit comment le Canada a l’intention de s’occuper de ses forces armées et de les employer au cours des 20 prochaines années. Cette politique engendre aussi un investissement majeur dans notre avenir, un investissement qui nous permettra de nous assurer que nous demeurons une force flexible, réactive et apte au combat prête à se déployer partout dans le monde.

En tant que militaires des Forces armées canadiennes, votre tâche consiste désormais à bâtir une force qui tend vers cet objectif. Et, au cours des prochaines semaines, votre chaîne de commandement communiquera avec vous pour vous aider à comprendre ce que la nouvelle politique signifie pour chacun d’entre vous et pour votre famille. Pour l’instant, je vous ferai part de quelques constatations d’ensemble.

Votre principale mission demeure la même : vous devez être prêts à défendre le Canada et les Canadiens. Vous appartenez à une force opérationnelle agile qui peut être appelée – et qui le sera – à intervenir en cas d’urgence au pays, et à combattre et vaincre les menaces modernes partout dans le monde. Pour accomplir cette mission, nous devons être prêts à mener des opérations dans de multiples théâtres à tout moment.

Pour nous assurer d’atteindre les objectifs du Canada, la politique appelle une augmentation significative de notre budget. Le gouvernement du Canada a indiqué qu’il augmenterait les dépenses en matière de défense au cours des 10 prochaines années pour passer du montant actuel de 18,9 G$ à 32,7 G$ en 2026-2027, avec une augmentation totale de 62,3 G$ au cours des 20 prochaines années.

Ces fonds serviront à financer les capacités et équipements clés qui contribueront au succès des opérations, notamment :

L’effectif de la Force régulière sera accru de 3 500 militaires (pour atteindre 71 500 au total)
L’effectif de la Première Réserve sera accru de 1 500 militaires (pour atteindre 30 000 au total
On procédera à la mise à niveau de plusieurs capacités de commandement et de contrôle et fonctions relatives au cyberespace, au domaine spatial et à la collecte de renseignements pour nous assurer de l’efficacité des activités de ciblage dans le cadre de tous les types de conflit, ce qui conférera aux Forces armées canadiennes un avantage opérationnel sur leurs adversaires.
La Force de réserve sera adéquatement équipée, formée et intégrée à la force totale pour que les réservistes puissent jouer un rôle plus important dans le cadre d’opérations menées au pays et à l’étranger.
La Marine royale canadienne fera l’acquisition de 15 nouveaux navires de combat canadiens, de 5 ou 6 navires de patrouille extracôtiers et de l’Arctique, de 2 navires de soutien interarmées et de systèmes d’armes et de reconnaissances améliorés.
L’Armée canadienne fera l’acquisition de systèmes de défense aérienne au sol, remplacera ses véhicules blindé de soutien au combat, modernisera sa flotte de véhicules de soutien logistique et mettra à niveau sa flotte de véhicules blindés légers.
L’Aviation royale canadienne fera l’acquisition de 88 chasseurs du futur et remplacera ses appareils CC-150 Polaris, CC-138 Twin Otter et CP-140 Aurora.
Enfin, le Commandement des Forces d’opérations spéciales du Canada accroîtra sa capacité opérationnelle pour être en mesure d’augmenter son aptitude à se déployer rapidement comme force agile partout dans le monde.
La nouvelle politique est aussi axée sur vous. On y reconnaît que vous et les membres de votre famille êtes au cœur même de notre succès opérationnel. Parce que vous avez choisi de revêtir fièrement l’uniforme et de servir notre pays, vous et votre familles méritez d’obtenir les meilleurs services de soin et de soutien tout au long de votre carrière, et après. Dans le cadre de cette politique, certaines améliorations seront apportées aux soins et au soutien que vous et votre famille recevez. Les voici :

198,2 M$ seront consacré à la mise en œuvre d’une nouvelle stratégie globale en matière de santé et bien-être axée sur la santé physique, mentale, spirituelle et familiale de nos gens
$144,8 M$ à l’appui des centres de ressources pour les familles de militaires
Une nouvelle branche chargée de l’administration du personnel sera créée.
Les militaires déployés dans le cadre d’opérations internationales divulguées bénéficieront d’une exemption fiscale et continueront de recevoir des indemnités de difficulté et de risque
Un nouveau groupe de transition des Forces armées canadiennes sera mis sur pied pour garantir une approche professionnelle et personnalisée de la transition et des processus administratifs.
La force d’une équipe équivaut à celle des gens qui la composent. En personnalisant leur approche quant à leur manière de prendre soin de vous et de vous valoriser, vous et votre famille, les Forces armées canadiennes deviendront plus efficaces, plus flexibles, plus aptes au combat et capable d’intervenir rapidement et fermement à la suite de n’importe quelle menace ou incident, à tout moment et en tout lieu. Voilà les Forces armées canadiennes du futur.

Quand vous lirez la politique, je veux que vous portiez une attention particulière aux huit principales missions, par lesquelles on reconnaît qu’il est absolument nécessaire que nous ayons la capacité de mener plusieurs opérations simultanément. La politique enjoint les Forces armées canadiennes à être prêtes à exécuter des missions simultanées et à faire preuve de leadership dans le cadre d’une vaste gamme d’opérations de combat et de soutien de la paix, et de missions humanitaires tant au pays qu’à l’étranger. Cela signifie que nous pourrions être appelés à mener des opérations et à les maintenir en puissance dans deux ou trois théâtres à court et à long terme à l’appui de l’ONU, ou d’autres alliances et coalitions. À partir d’aujourd’hui, toute la planification, la mise sur pied des forces et l’allocation des ressources feront en sorte que les résultats opérationnels attendus puissent être utilisés dans le cadre d’opérations.

Cette politique aura une incidence sur vous pendant plusieurs années. Je veux que vous vous renseigniez sur son contenu et sa signification et que vous alliez demander conseil à votre chaîne de commandement au besoin. Pour vous aider, je mets à votre disposition les ressources suivantes :

Je vous remercie de votre professionnalisme constant et de votre généreux dévouement. Je suis fier de vous.

Jonathan H. Vance
Général
Chef d’état-major de la Défense