Afgan warrior

Sgt Mick Glass and the Counter Measures detachment consisting of two vehicles (Bison AFV’s) and two crews. Each member is attached to a first-response team. (Note the Queens Palace to the rear).

The bombed-out Kings Palace with Camp Julien in the foreground.

iThe view from the top of the Russian officers’ mess in Camp Julien looking west. Photos by Sgt Mick Glass

For Sgt Mick Glass in Task Force Kabul, the war on terror is providing both an operational and cultural experience as he works alongside Canadians on Op Athena.

Op Athena is Canada’s participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), where they contribute about 700 troops to the NATO-led, United Nations (UN)-authorised mission in Afghanistan and Task Force Kabul comprises of all Canadian Forces committed to Op Athena within the Kabul Multi National Brigade (KMNB).

For the past four months, Sgt Glass has been embedded in 11 Field Squadron, 1st CER, among the roughly 700 Canadians in Task Force Kabul.

The bulk of the Task Force is the Canadian armoured reconnaissance squadron, the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), with the remaining Canadians providing support and reinforcement to ISAF and the squadron in the conduct of their tasks.

The Canadian contingent is based at Camp Julien (Kabul), and although previously the home of two Canadian battle groups, the downsizing of the Canadian commitment for this rotation has given Camp Julien an international flavour, now housing other KMNB members from contributing NATO nations including Belgium, Hungary and Norway among others.

The United States also has some troops based there temporarily.

Nestled among Afghanistan’s mountains on a plateau, which is also a de-mined former battlefield, Camp Julien sits at about 1815m above sea level and provides a view to two bomb-damaged Kabul landmarks, the King and Queen’s Palaces, through to some of the worlds most beautiful and rugged mountains.

Sgt Glass appreciates the view as, “...Impressive.” he says. “There is a rugged beauty to this place that lets you forget from time to time that you are actually in a war-ravaged country.

“But a short walk to my place of work or a drive in Kabul city quickly brings you back to reality.”
While OPSEC precludes Sgt Glass detailing his role and tasks during his deployment, he can provide a general outline. The mission of ISAF is to help maintain security in Kabul and the surrounding areas so the Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA) and UN agencies can function.

It also includes liaison with political, social and religious leaders to ensure that ISAF operations appropriately respect religious, ethnic and cultural sensitivities in Afghanistan.

ISAF’s tasks include ensuring freedom of movement in Kabul and the region surrounding the city, force protection, providing advice to the ATA on security structures and issues, assisting in the operation of Kabul International Airport and assisting in the reconstruction of the national armed forces of Afghanistan.

“I’m tasked with providing advice on counter-measures vital to force protection for Canadians and soldiers of other nations deployed in and around Kabul. My team and I directly support force protection efforts and are on a very short notice-to-move timing.”

He says that when not on duty, life at Camp Julien interacting with ISAF’s many contributing nations (at this time, ISAF comprises about 6,500 troops from more than 35 nations) is providing an experience in itself.

“Camp Julien is an amazing place. The food is excellent. There is a Junior Ranks’ mess and a combined Officer and Senior NCO mess. Two beers a day is the limit, as long as you aren’t on duty.”

Camp Julien is built on Canada’s experience gained in Kosovo, Bosnia and Eritrea and is the main Canadian base in Afghanistan.
Built at a cost of CAN$42 million, with about another CAN$50 million in nearly new tents, kitchens, generators, toilets, showers, and clean water and sewage systems, it has a reputation as the benchmark in modern military bases.

“A 24-hour laundry service, above average accommodation and phone and Internet service all managed by the civilian company CANCAP, which is staffed by an army of Nepalese workers, handles all of these services and contributes to making life pretty comfortable.

“These guys are great. They are genuinely friendly and extremely polite. They will always engage you in conversation.”

For the fitness conscious, there’s a well-appointed gym with a rock-climbing wall, a ball-hockey rink and a beach volleyball court, with a popular anecdote surrounding the latter.

“... Rumour has it that the sand for the court was imported from the Middle East.

“As for workload, things have been sporadic. While my team and I have been deployed on numerous occasions, many of the calls we have responded to have thankfully been hoaxes or false alarms.

“Of the real calls we have attended, all have been handled in a highly professional manner by my team and the first-responders we support.”

Sgt Glass says the main concern during his tour was the presidential election held on October 9, which was the pivotal point in Afghanistan’s development following years of suppression under the Taliban regime, and this wasn’t helped with Al-Q’aida, Taliban and Hekmatyar Gulbuddin’s “Hezb e Islami” faction all vowing to disrupt the election process.

“The mood during the days before the election was understandably tense. Attacks, however, were extremely infrequent. Rocket attacks were the preferred ‘MO’ and seemed to concentrate on the airport and ISAF headquarters (located in the centre of Kabul).”

He says the aggressive posture adopted by the Camp Julien troops, may have helped prevent any attack on the camp.
“The elections proceeded virtually trouble-free and although there were some irregularities, the people of Afghanistan seemed to revel in the moment.

“The opposing militia forces were unable to disrupt the people’s enthusiasm for democracy. I guess when you allow people to choose after being repressed for so long, it would be akin to holding back the tide.”

He says there seems to be a cautious optimism existing in the city since the election.

“A trip into Kabul city reveals bumper-to-bumper traffic and the streets packed with people going about their daily business. Children wave to us and approach passing vehicles for water, food, writing material or whatever is on offer.

“However, the daily discovery of unexploded ordnance, the ever-present threat of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers or rocket attacks, and the recent abduction of three UN aid workers reminds us of the dangers still prevalent in Afghanistan.

“It appears that NATO and the United States could have a presence in this country for a long time to come.”