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Luis_Rancagua

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quote:Originally posted by Luis_Rancagua

Redhad, I was officially discharged from the airborne before the Somalia mission. Please try not to ask me for the reasons of my discharge. They are deeply personal of which I can not discuss on any board. Right now I'm part of a forum trying to reinstate the regiment. It does appear that Harper Government are moving into that direction. Certainly, their will be complete changes to the officer corp, the NCOs, and the type of men they recruit. One thing I don't like are these young punks walking the streets with the purple T-shirts of the regiment. My motto: in order to wear that T-shirt you need to earn it.

OK Luis. I assume then that you with the Airborne in Petawawa (after their relocation from Edmonton). What years? I had a few encounters with the (more maroon than) purple T's there.

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Ed, it was indeed Petawawa for me in the early 90's. I came into the scene during the very last stages of this regiment. I was only deploy to the Western Sahara mission in 1991. After this mission I was discharged from the regiment (I can not discuss this info). The regiment was officially terminated by the Chretien Liberals in late 1995 early 96. Rumour has it now that the Government of Canada will re-innitiate the regiment somewhere in Ontario. Rumours are now starting to circulate that Ottawa is the place in order to keep close watch on the activities of this new airborne regiment.

By the way, all these rumours you heard about us being a bunch of gang of renegades are absolutely NOT true at all. This is what the morons of the CBC want you to hear.

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I didn't hear that? I heard they were amoung the most elite regiments in the world, but they had extreme hazing (my uncle explained to me when I was a kid that this is actually good cause if you get captured, then your alot better off in the case of torture cause you might have made it through worse already, my uncles not an expert or nothing, he might be full of it but it made sense to me), if the hazing happened you got a ****ty hand, get through the hazing, one mission then kibosh.

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They had some discipline problems in Somalia. No doubt about that. Met an old fellow (passed away now) here in Calgary who was one of the first to wear the beret, led his team of Airborne on a drop over the Rhine. He was mighty pissed when they pulled the pin on the regiment. They were good soldiers I guess but a nightmare in their interaction with the civvy population (on base and off) in Petawawa (in my timem there).

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quote:Originally posted by Luis_Rancagua

Redhad, I was officially discharged from the airborne before the Somalia mission. Please try not to ask me for the reasons of my discharge. They are deeply personal of which I can not discuss on any board.

No problem. I was just curious; I have friends/clients out of

Petawawa ...

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Ed, for your information, this regiment, since its foundation in 1941 by the then Minister of War CD Howe, was the first racially integrated regiment in Canada. The first black paratroopers were incorporated during the start of the Second World War. About 15 black paratroopers enlisted and made the ranks of the regiment during the initial stages of the regiment. Many of the names of these paratroopers were Polish, Ukrainians, Irish, Scottish, and many others... There's an excellent book (An Intimate Account of 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion) that was published by retired Lieutenant-Colonel Bernd Horn and Michel Wyzczynski in 2002.

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I have worked with the airborne as well. Not nearly as close as you Luis. I have never jumped out of a plane.

I would characterize the group (big paint brush here) as 95% great people 4% easily swayed, and 1% evil. Not to much unlike the rest of society. A small group of bad people tortured and killed a Prisoner. That is against the rules. Soldiering is all about the rules. Pte Brown was a bit of a scape goat. The Duty Sgt on Watch that night was a bit of a scape goat. (can not remember his name). Where was the NCO I/C of the observation post that could here the screaming from the beating. The CO, Company Commander and Platoon Commander, should have been hung out to dry. The CSM should have been Charge under 129 of the National Defense Act (Conduct negligent to the good order of Her Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces). The CSM is responsible for discipline.

When you wind up a group of mostly young men as tightly as the Airborne were you must keep them on a tight leash. This was done very well until the mid to late 80's.

AS for the disbandment. The Tactical usefulness of Air Mobile units (Battalion size) is questionable. No matter how good they are. Drop zones are too large for such a small force. History has taught us that Airborne operations are either 100% successful of 100% failure.

Luis I have met many very good people who were released from the airborne for many reasons. Hold you head up high. Just being able to pass the physical aspect of training to put on the red beret is a feat unto itself.

WE DARE (the motto of the CAR)

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