Upon arrival to Qandahar Airfield, one gets the sense of the state of affaires as well as an appreciation of the efforts of those that have come before.  Canadian modular tentage still stands in the location of the old Canadian Headquarters, from OP APOLLO in 2002.   The road adjacent to the site bears testament to the footprint that Canada has left behind here. 

The LO team has hit the ground running.  As with any Theatre Activation (TA), there are many challenges and co-ordination issues.  The activities mainly comprise operational integration, force protection frameworks, construction and the provision of infrastructure and utilities, intelligence interoperability factors, logistics, and many other synchronization activities.  The composition of the team (with various expert backgrounds) gives it a robustness to deal with the majority of circumstances that arise in theatre.  The team is working very closely with their US counterparts in order to establish a smooth transition from the American run PRT to Canadian based operations.   The LO team is also the eyes and the ears of Canada and the Canadian Forces and provide useful planning input to planning teams back in Canada.  They work closely with their counterparts back in Canada at the Joint Operations Group, Kingston.  They also liaise with Task Force Kabul within theatre.  It’s a busy time to be in Afghanistan these days.  The LO team is involved with supporting the establishment of the PRT and assisting with the transition of forces from Kabul to Qandahar.   As well, there are many players involved;  It is very much a joint effort in order to deploy troops into theatre.   

( Qandahar Minefield)        From an engineering perspective, the mine, improvised explosive devices (IED), and unexploded ordinance (UXO) threat is quite real.  Engineers will be well-equipped and well-informed in order to deal with these unique threats.  Design and construction of infrastructure in order to house and protect CF members is one of the priority items for the TAT.  The procurement of building materials and the availability of contractors in theatre is also a concern; as these are scare within Qandahar.  Materials and equipment that can be sourced within Afghanistan (and surrounding area) will lighten the load associated with strategic airlift from Canada – this will also provide a significant cost savings.  Potable water sources, sewage, waste disposal and environmental issues are also of consideration and have been addressed.  Many Canadian construction projects have already been identified and designed by Engineers at the Joint Head Quarters in Kingston, ON and 1 Engineer Support Unit in Moncton, NB, respectively. Construction of this infrastructure is the next step.  For this purpose, a Specialist Engineer Team (SET) and Construction Troop (CT) will be used; these personnel will be flying into theatre soon. QAF and the PRT location will never look the same. 

The operations in Qandahar, unlike in Kabul, are under the mandate of Operation Enduring Freedom.  The Provincial Reconstruction Teams operate within this mandate until NATO Phase III expansion makes its way into this region.  The LO team looks forward to receiving more Canadian troops here, in Qandahar, in the near future.   It has been invaluable to have Canadian Liaison Officers working closely with their American counterparts in order to set the conditions for mission success.   

It is great to see that Engineers are leading the way.  Chimo!