A
autumnweapon
Guest
just read an artical in todays toronto star. whats up with out guys/gals snubbing our own snipers for helping out americans in afganistan. its pretty sad that our own troops are so against this. it gave me second thoughts about who is beside me when I get in to infantry. I thought part of the job was protection of others. I know we all have our american jokes, but we help those on our team and we do not turn our backs on our own. :rage: 
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STEPHEN THORNE/CANADIAN PRESS FILE
Three Canadian snipers watch over Canadian troops conducting operations in an Afghanistan valley in 2002. The Forces' ombudsman is probing claims that colleagues resented the snipers' U.S. ties.
STAR COLUMNISTS
> Miro Cernetig
> Graham Fraser
> Richard Gwyn
> Stephen Handelman
> Chantal Hebert
> James Travers
> Ian Urquhart
> Thomas Walkom
Snipers say U.S. ties angered comrades
Military probe claims they were deemed traitors
Hailed as heroes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan
BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWAâ â€Hailed as heroes for their crack shots in the mountains of Afghanistan, a group of decorated Canadian snipers were considered traitors by their fellow soldiers for the simple reason they worked alongside American troops.
That's the troubling allegation behind a new probe under way by the Canadian military.
André Marin, the Canadian Forces ombudsman, has been given the task of finding out why the snipers were treated so poorly by their colleagues.
In an unprecedented request, Gen. Ray Henault, chief of defence staff, has asked Marin to probe the treatment that is blamed with forcing a few of the snipers from the military.
"It's the first referral we've received by the chief of defence staff," Marin said yesterday.
"The chief of defence staff is concerned about the nature of the complaints that he's heard and he wants an independent investigation to get to the bottom of it," Marin told the Star.
"These are very serious allegations," Marin said.
For the countless American soldiers whose lives were saved by sharp eyes and crack shots of the snipers, the Canadians were seen as heroes.
But other Canadian soldiers resented their close affiliation with the American troops and made no secret of it when the snipers returned to their base in Afghanistan and then home to Canada, a source told the Star.
The ombudsman said the abilities or the heroism of the snipers is not being questioned.
"They did a fabulous job over there. Everyone recognizes that they were heroes," Marin said.
The snipers, members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 3rd Battalion, were sent to Afghanistan in late February 2002 as part of the first deployment of Canadian Forces in that country after a U.S.-led coalition launched its war against terrorism.
More than 20 kills were unofficially accredited to the snipers during Operation Anaconda in Shah-i-Kot Valley.
Five of the snipers were nominated for one of the highest awards given by the United States military â †the Bronze Star, two of them with Vs for Valour, marking exceptional bravery. But in what was a signal of the troubles they were encountering, awarding of the American medal was delayed by Canadian protocol officials.
News of the investigation was bittersweet for the father of one sniper, who suggests his son, now on medical leave, was denied the assistance he needed after the mission ended.
"It's dangerous work and as far as I'm concerned they need to be treated properly.
"They need counselling, they need all sorts of things," said the father, who asked not to be identified.
Asked if his son was denied those services because others resented his close work with the Americans, he responded, "I think that's a fair statement."
"I know how my son was treated in Afghanistan and upon his return to Edmonton. It wasn't appropriate," he said.
Maj. Rita LePage said the forces conducted its own internal investigation into the snipers' complaints but wanted an independent probe to ensure nothing was overlooked.
Marin said he's been given "carte blanche" for the investigation and hopes to report on his findings in a few months.
On a separate front yesterday, Marin also warned that the military will have a hard time adding 8,000 new recruits unless it overhauls a recruitment process marked by long delays and inflexible rules that turn away good candidates.
Marin launched a probe of military recruitment after receiving 570 complaints over the past five years from people frustrated by the hiring practices.
"What we're hearing so far are complaints about delays, about the too-rigid interpretation of entrance rules, about the need to show a little more compassion before rejecting applications," Marin said.
Marin said yesterday the system is ill-equipped to make good on the Liberal election promise of adding 5,000 soldiers and 3,000 reservists.
One of the main gripes is that applicants are left waiting for months, even up to a year, before they learn whether they've been accepted into the military â †a delay that forces many to accept work elsewhere.
However, the officer in charge of recruiting said most applicants find out in seven weeks whether they've been accepted.
Col. Kevin Cotten made no apologies for the strictstandards.
"We're talking about enrolling somebody into the military of the country, not somebody to flip hamburgers," he said.
with files from Canadian press
>ADVERTISEMENT<
STEPHEN THORNE/CANADIAN PRESS FILE
Three Canadian snipers watch over Canadian troops conducting operations in an Afghanistan valley in 2002. The Forces' ombudsman is probing claims that colleagues resented the snipers' U.S. ties.
STAR COLUMNISTS
> Miro Cernetig
> Graham Fraser
> Richard Gwyn
> Stephen Handelman
> Chantal Hebert
> James Travers
> Ian Urquhart
> Thomas Walkom
Snipers say U.S. ties angered comrades
Military probe claims they were deemed traitors
Hailed as heroes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan
BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWAâ â€Hailed as heroes for their crack shots in the mountains of Afghanistan, a group of decorated Canadian snipers were considered traitors by their fellow soldiers for the simple reason they worked alongside American troops.
That's the troubling allegation behind a new probe under way by the Canadian military.
André Marin, the Canadian Forces ombudsman, has been given the task of finding out why the snipers were treated so poorly by their colleagues.
In an unprecedented request, Gen. Ray Henault, chief of defence staff, has asked Marin to probe the treatment that is blamed with forcing a few of the snipers from the military.
"It's the first referral we've received by the chief of defence staff," Marin said yesterday.
"The chief of defence staff is concerned about the nature of the complaints that he's heard and he wants an independent investigation to get to the bottom of it," Marin told the Star.
"These are very serious allegations," Marin said.
For the countless American soldiers whose lives were saved by sharp eyes and crack shots of the snipers, the Canadians were seen as heroes.
But other Canadian soldiers resented their close affiliation with the American troops and made no secret of it when the snipers returned to their base in Afghanistan and then home to Canada, a source told the Star.
The ombudsman said the abilities or the heroism of the snipers is not being questioned.
"They did a fabulous job over there. Everyone recognizes that they were heroes," Marin said.
The snipers, members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 3rd Battalion, were sent to Afghanistan in late February 2002 as part of the first deployment of Canadian Forces in that country after a U.S.-led coalition launched its war against terrorism.
More than 20 kills were unofficially accredited to the snipers during Operation Anaconda in Shah-i-Kot Valley.
Five of the snipers were nominated for one of the highest awards given by the United States military â †the Bronze Star, two of them with Vs for Valour, marking exceptional bravery. But in what was a signal of the troubles they were encountering, awarding of the American medal was delayed by Canadian protocol officials.
News of the investigation was bittersweet for the father of one sniper, who suggests his son, now on medical leave, was denied the assistance he needed after the mission ended.
"It's dangerous work and as far as I'm concerned they need to be treated properly.
"They need counselling, they need all sorts of things," said the father, who asked not to be identified.
Asked if his son was denied those services because others resented his close work with the Americans, he responded, "I think that's a fair statement."
"I know how my son was treated in Afghanistan and upon his return to Edmonton. It wasn't appropriate," he said.
Maj. Rita LePage said the forces conducted its own internal investigation into the snipers' complaints but wanted an independent probe to ensure nothing was overlooked.
Marin said he's been given "carte blanche" for the investigation and hopes to report on his findings in a few months.
On a separate front yesterday, Marin also warned that the military will have a hard time adding 8,000 new recruits unless it overhauls a recruitment process marked by long delays and inflexible rules that turn away good candidates.
Marin launched a probe of military recruitment after receiving 570 complaints over the past five years from people frustrated by the hiring practices.
"What we're hearing so far are complaints about delays, about the too-rigid interpretation of entrance rules, about the need to show a little more compassion before rejecting applications," Marin said.
Marin said yesterday the system is ill-equipped to make good on the Liberal election promise of adding 5,000 soldiers and 3,000 reservists.
One of the main gripes is that applicants are left waiting for months, even up to a year, before they learn whether they've been accepted into the military â †a delay that forces many to accept work elsewhere.
However, the officer in charge of recruiting said most applicants find out in seven weeks whether they've been accepted.
Col. Kevin Cotten made no apologies for the strictstandards.
"We're talking about enrolling somebody into the military of the country, not somebody to flip hamburgers," he said.
with files from Canadian press
