Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
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R READINESS www.vanguardcanada.com aPRIL/May 2015 17 and how operationally focused are we, on fighting for the information, commanding sensors, collaborating with partners, and fusing the picture across institutions and partnerships at all levels, from tactical to operational, to strategic? Who commands the Force's network operations, assuring the integrity of the network, building, adapting and protect- ing our information and connecting it with partners, while assuring our integration and interoperability before crises happens? Who commands in the space domain, including our partnerships and efforts in the exploitation and preservation of space capability and capacity? Where, with whom, and how do we set conditions for preparedness across nation- al security institutions and with traditional and non-traditional partners? With whom do we partner, plan, and practice? What is the understanding and attitude of the profession, the institution and the central agencies about the structure and resources required to do all these things? Is this expression of "mission prepared- ness" – its functions, structures, processes, partnerships and best practices – taught and universally understood by those in uni- form? And do those functions have a home in doctrine, training and education and in the long-term capability plan for the Force? The answer? Yes, to an extent. I know most of these are in play within the profession and the Defence institution, but they don't enjoy the same understand- ing, interest or demand for resourcing as our equally vital but far more visible capa- bilities and operational readiness. Making sense of all of this – determin- ing real resource requirements and making best use of those available – isn't a home- work assignment for National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Focusing and managing the massive array and concur- rency of security challenges today is easier to do when it is informed by a national se- curity strategy. Normalizing "mission preparedness" alongside general purpose combat capabil- ity and operational readiness requires a de- fence policy that accounts for all of them, and has stable and predictable funding to enable all of them. Steering these through an increasing dynamic and unpredictable international and national security environment and dealing with surprise requires a persistent and engaged framework for national secu- rity, intelligence, planning and operations that connects our institutions at home and that allows those institutions to foster and make best advantage of key international partnerships abroad. Competitors, adversaries, and enemies – and Mother Nature – don't care what our institutional capability, readiness and pre- paredness challenges are. But assuring our understanding, relevance, effectiveness, and readiness for the defence of Canada and Canadians today – and our posture and preparedness for the future – requires that we do. This article was adapted from a presentation to CdaI and will be developed into an upcoming paper for the Canadian defence and Foreign affairs Institute, where LGen Beare is a Research Fellow.