I just recieved this email. I would assume it is from a 1 CER member but no idea who originated it. It has made its way around and I thought it interesting and a good topic for discussion. I have simply cut and paste and have not altered this piece; all ideas are that of the originator. Would love to hear everyones thoughts. Chimo
The Effects of Operations in Afghanistan on
The Regimental and there Families
As with any unit, operations oversees can take their toll on the personnel and their families. This is especially true for the operations in Afghanistan. With the increase in terrorist activity comes the increase in stress on the home front.
1 CER is one of the busiest regiments when it comes to oversees operations. With fewer soldiers than the other regiments in the brigade and being the only regular force engineer regiment in western Canada, 1 CER is constantly committing to operations overseas. The Regiment as a whole finds itself constantly struggling to man the positions required for deployment. The main reason for this is that at CFB Edmonton it support's 3 possible battle groups coming from The Lord Strathcona's Horse, 3 PPCLI, and 1 PPCLI as well as 2 PPCLI in Shilo, MB. This constant tempo of rotation leaves the Regiment drained of soldiers as well as moral. The end result is a unit that is beaten down.
For the new soldiers, it can be very disheartening to hear the low level of moral in their peers who have been on operational deployments abroad. For the soldiers that have been on these operations, being away from their families and friends can cause deep emotional scars and an unwillingness to deploy on future missions. This is especially true in Afghanistan where the emotional burden is high. The main reason for this is the sights, sounds, and smells of a foreign land, especially in a place where a good percentage of the populous is at odds with your presence. The native people of Afghanistan are not bad people. The majority of the population goes about there daily lives with great difficulty, but pride. However, the inability to differentiate between terrorist and civilians leaves constant doubt in a troops mind.
This emotional strain felt by the troops eventually finds its way into the home. With more and more deployments the feelings of despair, hopelessness, impatience, and numbness become more frequent. (This is not always the case). The military preaches about family values yet it seems that the "Family" is the first thing to be put aside whenever an operation requires it. In some cases this can result in emotional detachment from spouses, and children as well as the soldiers themselves. Nothing is worse for a troop's moral then coming home to a family that does not recognize them. The operations are not the only cause of stress. Work up training on average is 180 days prior to embarkation. This alone can have adverse effects on the stability of a family. The high tension in turn take's its toll on the families. The unfortunate but sad result is often divorce.
In closing, being one of the major players on the battlefield we find ourselves constantly tasked to perform for the Battle Group. As soldiers we all understand our duty and obligation to the citizens of Canada and the Allied countries. However, the military needs to pay attention to the delicate ties from the soldiers to their families. As the personal tempo increases we can expect to see more broken families and less deployable soldiers. In resent years the military has emplaced a lot of support for the deployed and their families. This needs to continue as well as keep improving in order to improve the quality of life at home and overseas. All soldiers are aware that it is there over all responsibility to care and nurture there families. Who is going to care for them?
The Effects of Operations in Afghanistan on
The Regimental and there Families
As with any unit, operations oversees can take their toll on the personnel and their families. This is especially true for the operations in Afghanistan. With the increase in terrorist activity comes the increase in stress on the home front.
1 CER is one of the busiest regiments when it comes to oversees operations. With fewer soldiers than the other regiments in the brigade and being the only regular force engineer regiment in western Canada, 1 CER is constantly committing to operations overseas. The Regiment as a whole finds itself constantly struggling to man the positions required for deployment. The main reason for this is that at CFB Edmonton it support's 3 possible battle groups coming from The Lord Strathcona's Horse, 3 PPCLI, and 1 PPCLI as well as 2 PPCLI in Shilo, MB. This constant tempo of rotation leaves the Regiment drained of soldiers as well as moral. The end result is a unit that is beaten down.
For the new soldiers, it can be very disheartening to hear the low level of moral in their peers who have been on operational deployments abroad. For the soldiers that have been on these operations, being away from their families and friends can cause deep emotional scars and an unwillingness to deploy on future missions. This is especially true in Afghanistan where the emotional burden is high. The main reason for this is the sights, sounds, and smells of a foreign land, especially in a place where a good percentage of the populous is at odds with your presence. The native people of Afghanistan are not bad people. The majority of the population goes about there daily lives with great difficulty, but pride. However, the inability to differentiate between terrorist and civilians leaves constant doubt in a troops mind.
This emotional strain felt by the troops eventually finds its way into the home. With more and more deployments the feelings of despair, hopelessness, impatience, and numbness become more frequent. (This is not always the case). The military preaches about family values yet it seems that the "Family" is the first thing to be put aside whenever an operation requires it. In some cases this can result in emotional detachment from spouses, and children as well as the soldiers themselves. Nothing is worse for a troop's moral then coming home to a family that does not recognize them. The operations are not the only cause of stress. Work up training on average is 180 days prior to embarkation. This alone can have adverse effects on the stability of a family. The high tension in turn take's its toll on the families. The unfortunate but sad result is often divorce.
In closing, being one of the major players on the battlefield we find ourselves constantly tasked to perform for the Battle Group. As soldiers we all understand our duty and obligation to the citizens of Canada and the Allied countries. However, the military needs to pay attention to the delicate ties from the soldiers to their families. As the personal tempo increases we can expect to see more broken families and less deployable soldiers. In resent years the military has emplaced a lot of support for the deployed and their families. This needs to continue as well as keep improving in order to improve the quality of life at home and overseas. All soldiers are aware that it is there over all responsibility to care and nurture there families. Who is going to care for them?
the more's the pity
