The word from Dwyer Hill is that JTF2 personnel who were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their service with Task Force K-Bar in Afghanistan will not be allowed to wear the ribbon because of security reasons. To do so would identify them as JTF2, thus violating unit security.Kudos to those who received the citation from President Bush. Some in the Canadian news media, however, continue to erroneously report that the entire unit (JTF2) was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation, the first since the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry received a U.S. Presidential Citation for its actions at the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War.
That is unfortunately not true.
The whole fiasco started Dec. 8, 2004 when the Ottawa Sun and the Canadian Press news service, working on information provided by Defence Minister Bill Graham's office, reported that JTF2 had received the U.S. Presidential Unit citation.
However, in reality Mr. Bush presented a unit citation to the Joint Special Operations Task Force South, better known as Task Force KBAR, for its work in Afghanistan in late 2001 and early 2002. The task force was made up mainly of U.S. personnel from the Marines, Air Force and Navy (SEAL teams) as well as Green Berets. It also included an estimated 40 members of JTF-2, as well as special operations troops from seven other countries including Denmark, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.
The Oct. 26 presidential citation awarded to Task Force KBAR, led by a U.S. Navy SEAL Capt. Robert Harward, highlighted the task force's gallantry under hazardous conditions and its heroism in action against the enemy. The full story of Task Force KBAR and JTF2's participation is contained in my book Shadow Wars: Special Forces in the New Battle Against Terrorism.
Unfortunately, the claim that JTF2 as a unit is the recipient of the Presidential Unit Citation continues to be made (in error) in numerous news articles and on web pages.
I have included my original news article which clearly notes that it was the JTF2 individuals who served in K-Bar who received the award, not the entire JTF2 unit. However, with the Canada Special Operations formation growing in stature and capability, it may only be time before the unit as a whole wins such an award.
Bush honors Canada's JTF-2 for Afghan duty: Presidential citation
National Post
Wednesday, December 8, 2004
By David Pugliese
OTTAWA - Members of Canada's special forces group Joint Task Force Two were
among those troops honoured by U.S. President George W. Bush for their
actions in Afghanistan during the early days of the war there, Canadian
defence officials will announce today.
Mr. Bush presented a unit citation to the 2,800-member Joint Special
Operations Task Force South, better known as Task Force KBAR, for its work
in Afghanistan in late 2001 and early 2002.
The task force was made up mainly of U.S. personnel from the Marines, Air
Force and Navy as well as Green Berets. It also included 40 members of
JTF-2, as well as special operations troops from seven other countries
including Denmark, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.
The Oct. 26 presidential citation awarded to Task Force KBAR, led by a U.S.
Navy SEAL commando, highlighted the unit's gallantry under hazardous
conditions and its heroism in action against the enemy.
During its six-month stay in Afghanistan, KBAR captured 107 enemy soldiers
and killed another 115. KBAR also completed 42 special reconnaissance
missions and 23 operations, where troops directly attacked targets or
searched for al-Qaeda and Taliban in caves or at other sites.
Its troops called in 147 air strikes and destroyed more than 225,000
kilograms of explosives and weapons, according to U.S. officials.
"The sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and coalition partners of Combined
Joint Special Operations Task Force-South/Task Force K-BAR set an
unprecedented 100% mission success rate across a broad spectrum of special
operations missions while operating under extremely difficult and constantly
dangerous conditions," the citation reads.
Steve Jurgutis, an official with Defence Minister Bill Graham's office, said
that some members of JTF-2 were present when Mr. Bush awarded the citation
to the task force's U.S. commanding officer. Because of security reasons, he
could not give any details on what JTF-2 members did as part of Task Force
KBAR, or whether their actions were singled out for special mention.
The U.S. government had previously singled out members of Australia's
Special Air Service who were operating with Task Force KBAR for their
heroism.
JTF-2's involvement in Afghanistan was highlighted in January, 2002, when a
photo appeared in newspapers around the globe showing the commandos with
Afghan prisoners.
The picture originally identified the Canadians as U.S. soldiers. But once
their true nationalities became clear, a political controversy erupted in
Ottawa when allegations were made that the Liberal government had misled
Parliament about Canadian troops taking prisoners of war.
Members from Task Force KBAR also took part in Operation Anaconda, which was
designed to destroy al-Qaeda's last remaining force in Afghanistan.
There is still debate on whether the main enemy force of 500 to 1,000
fighters slipped away before Anaconda began. (Copyright National Post)
BELOW ARE THE PRESS RELEASES FROM THE VARIOUS COMMANDS AND A COPY OF THE
UNIT CITATION.
UNIT CITATION
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20350-1000
1650
Ser NDBDM/0934
26 October 2004
From: Secretary of the Navy
To: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: RECOMMENDATION FOR PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
Encl: (1) COMNAVSPECWARCOM LTR 1650 Ser 00/0511 of 02 AUG 2002 with
encl
1. After considering the recommendations contained in enclosure (1),the
awarding of the Presidential Unit Citation to Combined Joint Special
Operations Task Force-South/Task Force KBAR for the period of 17 October
2001 to 30 March 2002 is approved.
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20350-1000
The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in presenting the
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to
COMBINED JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS TASK FORCE-SOUTH
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action
against the enemy in Afghanistan from 17 October 2001 to 30 March 2002.
Throughout this period, Combined Joint Special Operations Task
Force-SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR, operating first from Oman and then from
forward locations throughout the southern and eastern regions of
Afghanistan, successfully executed its primary mission to conduct special
operations in support of the United States` efforts as delegated to
Commander, U.S. Central Command through the Joint Forces Special Operations
Component Command, to destroy, degrade, and neutralize the Taliban and Al
Qaeda leadership and military. During its six-month existence, Task Force
K-BAR was the driving force behind myriad combat missions conducted in
Combined Joint Operations Area Afghanistan. These precedent setting and
extremely high-risk missions included search and rescue, recovery dive
operations, non-compliant boardings of high interest vessels, special
reconnaissance, hydrographic reconnaissance, sensitive site exploitation,
direct action missions, apprehension of military and political detainees,
destruction of multiple cave and tunnel complexes, identification and
destruction of several know Al Qaeda training camps, explosion of thousands
of pounds of enemy ordnance and successful coordination of unconventional
warfare operations for Afghanistan. The Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines
and coalition partners of Combined Joint Special Operations Task
Force-SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR set an unprecedented 100 percent mission
success rate across a broad spectrum of special operations missions while
operating under extremely difficult and constantly dangerous conditions.
They established benchmark standards of professionalism, tenacity, courage,
tactical brilliance , and professional excellence while demonstrating superb
esprit de corps and maintaining the highest measure of combat readiness. By
their outstanding courage, resourcefulness and aggressive fighting spirit in
combat against a well equipped, well trained, and treacherous terrorist
enemy, the officers and enlisted personnel of Combined Joint Special
Operations Task-Force SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR reflected great credit upon
themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Armed
Forces.
DND News Release
Joint Task Force Two Members Receive U.S. Presidential Unit Citation
NR-04.098 - December 8, 2004
OTTAWA - Members of the Canadian Forces unit (CF) Joint Task Force Two (JTF
2) received the United States Presidential Unit Citation from President
George W. Bush in the United States on December 7, 2004. Personnel from JTF
2 received the citation for their outstanding contribution to the
multi-national Special Operations Forces task force in Afghanistan in 2002.
" This citation from the United States signifies the outstanding
counter-terrorism and special operations capability that has been developed
by the Canadian Forces," said Defence Minister Bill Graham. "JTF 2 has
played a critical role in Canada's contribution to the war against terrorism
and will continue to be an important part of our domestic security."
"The presentation of the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation to members of JTF 2
brings important recognition to a group of incredible Canadian Forces
members whose accomplishments normally cannot be publicly recognized in the
interest of national security," said General Ray Henault, Chief of the
Defence Staff. "Canadians should be very proud of this specialized Canadian
military unit."
The President of the United States presented the Presidential Unit Citation
to the Commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force - SOUTH
(JSOTF-SOUTH) for its success during operations in Afghanistan from October
2001 until April 2002. Canada's JTF 2 was one of several international units
in JSOTF-SOUTH. The United States Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to
units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allied nations for
extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after
7 December 1941. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and
esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and
hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating
in the same campaign.
JTF 2 is the Canadian Forces Special Operations unit responsible for federal
counter-terrorist operations. It provides a force capable of rendering armed
assistance in the resolution of an incident that is affecting, or has the
potential to affect, the national interest. The primary focus is
counter-terrorism, however, the unit can expect to be employed on other high
value strategic tasks.
U.S. Navy PRESS RELEASE/OFFICIAL NEWS STORY FROM USN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Enduring Freedom Task Force Earns Presidential Unit Citation
Story Number: NNS041208-06
Release Date: 12/8/2004 2:20:00 PM
By Senior Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Austin Mansfield, Naval Special Warfare
Command Public Affairs
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, MIRAMAR, Calif. (NNS) -- President Bush awarded
the Presidential Unit Citation to members of the Combined Joint Special
Operations Task Force - SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR (CJSOTF-SOUTH/TF K-BAR) Dec.
7 during a private ceremony for their heroic efforts while serving in
Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) from October 2001
to March 2002.
Capt. Robert Harward commanded the CJSOTF-SOUTH, which was established in
response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The Task Force was
comprised of U.S. Navy SEALs (Sea, Air, Land), Special Warfare
Combatant-craft crewmen, U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Air Force Combat
Controllers, and Coalition special operations forces from Canada, Norway,
Denmark, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.
The Citation was presented to the Task Force on the same day that President
Hamid Karzai was sworn in as President of Afghanistan.
"The tremendous successes achieved by the Task Force during the first six
months of OEF paved the way for this day," said Rear Adm. Joseph Maguire,
commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, referring to the swearing in of
President Karzai.
The CJSOTF-SOUTH initially operated from Oman, and then moved forward to
locations in the southern and eastern regions of Afghanistan. Its primary
mission was to destroy, degrade, and neutralize the Taliban and Al Qaeda
leadership and military.
During its six-month existence, Task Force K-BAR was the driving force
behind myriad combat operations. These extremely high-risk missions set a
powerful precedent, and included search and rescue; recovery dive
operations; boardings of high-interest, non-compliant vessels; special
reconnaissance; sensitive site exploitation; direct action; hydrographic
reconnaissance; destruction of multiple cave and tunnel complexes;
apprehension of military and political detainees; identification and
destruction of Al Qaeda training camps; explosion of thousands of pounds of
enemy ordnance; and successful coordination of unconventional warfare
operations for Afghanistan.
The warriors of CJSOTF/TF K-BAR established an unprecedented 100 percent
mission success rate across a broad spectrum of special operations missions
under extremely difficult and constantly dangerous conditions.
Navy Secretary Gordon England, who was the approving authority for the
award, Vice Adm. Bert Calland, and U.S. and coalition forces were also
present at the ceremony.
In the citation accompanying the award, England praised them for "their
outstanding courage, resourcefulness, and aggressive fighting spirit in
combat against a well equipped, well trained and treacherous terrorist
enemy."
Additionally, England said, "They established benchmark standards of
professionalism, tenacity, courage, tactical brilliance, and operational
excellence."
This event marks the first time since the Vietnam era that a Naval Special
Warfare unit received this award.
The Navy Presidential Unit Citation was established by Executive Order 9050,
which was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt Feb. 6, 1942, and
promulgated by Navy Department General Order Number 187 Feb. 3, 1943.
According to Navy regulations, "The Navy Presidential Unit Citation is
awarded in the name of the President to units of the Armed Forces of the
United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action
against an armed enemy. The unit must have accomplished its mission under
such extremely difficult and hazardous conditions to set it apart from and
above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism
required is the same as that which would be required for award of a Navy
Cross to an individual."
The regulation further stipulates that "Presently, the Navy Cross is awarded
to a person who distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism
not justifying the award of the Medal of Honor. To warrant this distinctive
decoration, the act or the execution of duty must be performed in the
presence of great danger or at great personal risk."
Presidential Citation Controversy
