Honourable committee members, good afternoon.
I am Colonel Omer Lavoie. Currently I am the commander for the Canadian Forces, Counter Improvised Explosives Task Force, based here in Ottawa.
Related to this appearance, ending at about this time last year I was the battle group commander for the Task Force Kandahar 3/06 rotation. I commanded the First Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in Kandahar province from August 2006 until March 2007. The 1 RCR Battle Group was a Petawawa-based unit comprising approximately 1,200 soldiers. However, individual soldier augmentees and sub-units came from across Canada. The 1 RCR Battle Group had a full range of combat arms and combat service support. It included infantry, artillery, armour, combat engineers, reconnaissance, signals, intelligence, medical, and an unmanned aerial vehicle capability.
Training for our mission consisted of approximately ten months of individual, collective, and field training prior to the deployment. Most training consisted of live fire exercises using real ammunition in order to inoculate soldiers to the reality of the modern-day battlefield. Of note, the 1 RCR Battle Group was the first unit to receive training and be validated for operational readiness at the then newly created Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta.
My role as the battle group commander was to command the battalion and ensure that our battle group achieved its assigned missions while in theatre. The 1 RCR Battle Group's six-month deployment can be characterized in terms of intense offensive combat for the first third of the tour, defensive combat operations for the second third of the tour, and counter-insurgency operations for the last third of the tour.
Of note, the 1 RCR Battle Group was the lead unit during Operation Medusa, NATO's first ever ground offensive operation. The 1 RCR Battle Group was assigned a mission to defeat a concentrated enemy within the Panjwai-Zhari district. This operation was an intense offensive combat operation of a conventional nature that saw extensive close ground combat supported by significant offensive air support. The 1 RCR Battle Group achieved its mission, seizing ail assigned objectives and defeating a determined enemy.
Most of the combat casualties during our mission occurred during Operation Medusa. Overall, my battle group suffered approximately 140 soldiers wounded in action and 19 soldiers killed in action. Despite these significant losses, the battle group managed to force out and keep out concentrated enemy forces and successfully achieved its mission on subsequent major operations, including the construction of a combat road, Route Summit, and a brigade-directed operation, Operation Baaz Tsuka. I believe that part of the success of our mission can be partly attributed to the high standard of medical support available to our soldiers. I say this not only from the physical standpoint but, equally important, from a morale perspective. Our soldiers, me included, had great confidence that, despite our often being in harm's way, every effort possible was in place to take care of our wounded.
I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of the 1 RCR Battle Group, and in particular the resolve, courage, and professionalism of my troops.
With that, I would be happy to take your questions.
Thank you.