Vanguard Magazine

22 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 www.vanguardcanada.com deFence POLICY d low for the leadership of the full range of functions, including leading military forces on the land, providing for the integration of their actions and capabilities with joint, air, maritime and civilian partners, and as- suring their protection and sustainment over time. Effective safety, security and defence are assured, credibility with part- ners is preserved, and the confidence of Canadians in their government's ability to provide for their safety is protected. a brigade-based army The brigade – an all arms formation of land forces – is the lowest level at which these functions exist, are led, and can be integrated effectively. This is true in force generation,3 such as the training of battle groups and other unit level forces as com- bined arms teams and parts of a joint force. And this is particularly true in operations, especially in complex and high stakes oper- ations abroad including full spectrum and combat, and in conducting complex secu- rity missions at home. The brigade is the lowest level where high threat and high stakes land operations can be effectively integrated with coalition and civilian part- ners. And it is at this level where Canada can effectively integrate for employment, under the CAF, land and joint force capa- bilities of other militaries for land missions. It was at the brigade level that Canadians exercised operational control of US and Dutch forces in Afghanistan. Governments should have and will want to have the op- portunity not only to be a provider of forc- es, but also to be a provider of leadership that leverages the offerings of other mili- tary forces, where that matters, in peace support as well as full spectrum operations. A joint-capable and joint-enabled all arms brigade force structure is the lowest level at which Canada can assure its ability and capacity to generate integrated forces, and operate as a team of teams – military, civilian and multinational – in complex and high stakes missions. Brigade capabilities are the bridge for integrating air/land op- erations of all forms, and are the platform for planning and conducting operations ashore, projected from and supported by the maritime forces. The Canadian Army must continue to evolve brigades as the foundation of this joint and integrating capability. the lead force generator for land operations Canadian Joint Operations Command is the CAF's force employer. Its mission is to lead the anticipation, preparation for and conduct of operations to defend Canada, protect North America, and contribute to peace and security abroad. Large parts of the Army's command and control capa- bilities, as the other services, are assigned to CJOC for this mission. The enduring Army mission, on the other hand, is to generate combat effective, multi-purpose land forces to meet Canada's defence objectives. The Canadian Army, like the other services, is consumed by this force development and force generation effort. In a world where we need to be agile, adaptable and flexible in responding to shock and surprise, the Canadian Army needs to be grounded on a firm, sophis- ticated and modern force generation base that is adaptive, flexible and responsive in its own right. That generation base is the backbone of the Canadian Army – its system of training and development of individuals, exercising of combined arms teams, and building and delivering joint, integrated, multinational forces for land operations. The Canadian Army's capa- bilities and capacities are assured (or not) by the rigour and robustness of this force generation base. This includes modern well-equipped school houses, comprehen- sive sets of simulations and training aids, large maneouvre training areas that facili- tate high readiness, and deploying forces to experiment, train and 'live it out here be- fore they live it out there,' and the learning and change processes that go with these. The role of the Canadian Army as the lead force generator for the CAF for land oper- ations – including its Regular and Reserve components, its civilian workforce, and the industries which support them – is deliv- ered on the back of a unified, adaptive and resilient system of doctrine and training. This role and these capacities must also evolve and endure. the professional's face to canadians Finally, the CAF is a profession of volunteer citizens, supported by families and enabled by communities. The profession's ability to endure is founded on people, and on a healthy number and quality of citizens who volunteer to join. As the largest element of the CAF with the most diverse presence in communities across Canada – in particular by virtue of a healthy and proud Reserve component – the Canadian Army should continue to play a key role to connect, in real and meaningful ways, with fellow citi- zens. The endurance of its human capital and the assurance of public engagement and support will continue to rely on this person- al and 'in my neighbourhood' presence. conclusion Canada's strategic relevance in a world in distress, and its real ability to advance and protect its interests at home and abroad, will continue to rely on the strategic util- ity of force in the range of crises to come, the reality of relevant options for govern- ment, and on the operational and tactical credibility of Canadian forces in all opera- tions, in particular on the land amongst the people, up to and including combat. We do not live in a fireproof house nor are we immune to the real need to promote peace and fight for security, where need- ed, internationally. A team of integrated Regular and Reserve forces that are gen- eral-purpose and combat capable, within a brigade-based Army that is founded on a modern, adaptive and innovative insti- tutional system of doctrine, training and force generation, will remain core to the CAF's capacity to generate and sustain options for the government, and to the credible, confident and capable applica- tion of land forces – with partners – in op- erations. And, in communities across the country, the Canadian Army's contribu- tion to the real presence of the Canadian Armed Forces at large will be key to re- maining connected with citizens. LGen (ret'd) Stuart Beare retired in fall 2014, having served 3 years as the Com- mander of Canadian Joint Operations Command – charged with the anticipation, preparation for, and conduct of CAf opera- tions, in all domains, at home and globally. he was Commander Land force Doctrine and Training System and then Chief of force Development. he is also a fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. New capabilities for high-risk operations cannot be manufactured and brought to bear at the speed with which crises occur…

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