Canadian Special Operations Regiment

Commando and special forces unit of the Canadian Armed Forces

Canadian Special Operations Regiment

Régiment d'opérations spéciales du Canada (French)

Regimental badge

Active| 2006–present[1]
Country|  Canada
Type| Special operations forces
Role| Special operations
Size| Battalion[1]
Part of| Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Garrison/HQ| CFB Petawawa[2]
Motto(s)| Audeamus (Latin for 'Let us dare')
March| "Over the Hills and Far Away"
Engagements|

* Afghanistan
* Iraq

Website| canada.ca/en/special-operations-forces-command/corporate/organizational-structure/so-regiment.html
Commanders
Notable
commanders| LCol Jamie Hammond
Insignia
Standard|
Headdress| Tan beret

Military unit

The Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR; French: Régiment d'opérations spéciales du Canada, ROSC) is a commando and special forces unit of the Canadian Armed Forces and forms part of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). As a special forces unit, the regiment's roles include conducting complex or difficult raids, capturing strategic facilities and undertaking reconnaissance. It is also capable of working with the armed forces of other countries.

## Unit history[edit]

Members of the regiment during a freefall jump out of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III during Emerald Warrior 2013, Hurlburt Field, Florida

The unit traces its roots to the First Special Service Force (FSSF), the joint Canadian–American special forces unit that was stood up in 1942 and earned the "Devil's Brigade" moniker for daring night raids on German forces at the Anzio beachhead.[2]

CSOR perpetuates the battle honours of the FSSF.

Recruiting for the new unit took place in early 2006, and the first CSOR selection course took place with approximately 175 candidates.[3]

On 13 August 2006, an official stand-up ceremony for CSOR took place at the unit's home station, Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, with approximately 250 soldiers participating. The ceremony included a skills demonstration including rappelling from helicopters, and both static and freefall parachuting. It was also announced that the second training serial of CSOR recruits would take place in early 2007. The first commanding officer and regimental sergeant-major of CSOR were Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Jamie Hammond and Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Gerald Scheidl.

The regiment suffered its first casualty on 24 June 2011: Master-Corporal Francis Roy died in a non-combat incident while deployed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.[4][5]

In 2013, the unit competed in an international special forces competition held in Jordan, coming in third place after Chinese Special Police teams took first and second place.[6]

In March 2015, Sgt Andrew Joseph Doiron was killed by friendly fire while serving on Operation Impact in Iraq.[7]

## Operations and exercises[edit]

The regiment maintained a presence in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2014 in support of Canada's mission in Afghanistan.[8][9]

Under the auspices of the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program of Global Affairs Canada, CSOR conducted training with both the Jamaica Defence Force and the Belize Defence Force, culminating in Exercise Tropical Dagger.[10][11]

CSOR participates in Exercise Flintlock,[12] a special operations forces–focused exercise planned, coordinated and executed by African partner nations and sponsored by United States Africa Command.

CSOR participates in the CANSOFCOM commitment to Operation Impact, the Canadian Armed Forces' support to the international military intervention against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.[13]

Due to the Taliban offensive in 2021, CSOR operators were deployed to Afghanistan to assist Canadian embassy staff to leave and destroy anything sensitive.[14][15]

In January 2022, CSOR was deployed to Ukraine.[16]

## Organization[edit]

Canadian special operations soldier descends in front of Mount Rainier onto Fort Lewis, Washington, with U.S. 1st Special Forces

While the regiment is composed of personnel from the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force, it is part of CANSOFCOM, a joint command reporting directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff, responsible for providing agile, high-readiness special operations forces capable of operating across the spectrum of conflict at home and abroad.

CANSOFCOM is composed of CSOR, 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron, and the Canadian Special Operations Training Centre in Petawawa, Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2) in Ottawa, and the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit in Trenton.[17]

## Battle honours[edit]

* Monte Camino[18]
* Monte la Difensa – Monte la Remetanea[18]
* Monte Majo[18]
* Anzio[18]
* Rome[18]
* Advance to the Tiber[18]
* Italy, 1943–1944[18]
* Southern France[18]
* North-West Europe, 1944[18]
* Afghanistan[19]

## Regimental association[edit]

The Canadian Special Operations Regiment Association was incorporated May 2016 and founded to provide an avenue to resources and support services, including training, social services, family education grants, emergency support services and the like.[20]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Background Information – CSOR". National Defence and the Canadian Forces. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013.
2. ^ a b "Canadian Special Operations Regiment". National Defence and Canadian Forces. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013.
3. ^ "Creating Canada's new Commandos". The Ottawa Citizen. 5 August 2006. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
4. ^ Fisher, Matthew (26 June 2011). "Latest Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan identified". News.nationalpost.com. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
5. ^ Sachs, Susan (26 June 2011). "Casualty is Canada's 157th Afghan death". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011.
6. ^ Murphy, Jack (4 June 2013). "Canadian Special Operations Regiment Places 3rd in CT Competition". Sofrep.com. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
7. ^ Chase, Steven (7 March 2015). "Canadian soldier killed in friendly-fire incident in Iraq". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
8. ^ "Behind the secret world of Canada's covert commandos". Ctvnews.ca. 5 April 2014.
9. ^ "CSOR: Canada's SOF part 1". Sofrep.com. 18 December 2013.
10. ^ "Canadian special forces personnel from Petawawa wrap up exercise in Belize". Ottawa Citizen.
11. ^ "Beyond Top Secret: Undercover with Canadian Special Operations Forces in Jamaica". Legionmagazine.com. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
12. ^ "United States Africa Command". Africom.mil. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
13. ^ "A Case for Investing in Canada's Special Forces". Natoassociation.ca.
14. ^ "Canada to send special forces to Afghanistan to close embassy in Kabul, official says". Cnbc.ca. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
15. ^ Graham, Karen (13 August 2021). "Canada sending special forces to close Afghan embassy". Digitaljournal.com. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
16. ^ Shakil, Ismail; Ljunggren, David (17 January 2022). "Canada sends small special forces detachment to Ukraine amid tensions with Russia: report". National Post. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
17. ^ "CSOR: The Canadian Special Operations Regiment". March 2022.
18. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Canadian Special Operations Regiment: Approval of a Standard". Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges. Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
19. ^ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Prime Minister of Canada. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014.
20. ^ "Canadian Special Operations Regiment Association". Canadian Special Operations Regiment Association. Retrieved 27 March 2018.

### Bibliography[edit]

* Rhoads, Franklyn. (2012). Elite Warriors: Special Operations Forces of the World (ebook) (1st ed.). New Delhi, India: World Technologies. ISBN 9788132328537.
* Horn, Col. Bernd (2016). No Ordinary Men: Special Operations Forces missions in Afghanistan (ebook). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Dundurn. ISBN 9781459724105.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canadian Special Operations Regiment.

* Official website
* Canadian Special Operations Regiment Association
* Special Force CBC Documentary