Military Relocates Commando Regiment To Comox

As part of that new strategy, the military will move its 600-member Joint Task Force 2 counter-terrorism unit to Trenton, Ont., from its current location in Dwyer Hill, Ont., just south of Ottawa. It will also further expand a recently formed special forces regiment located at Petawawa, Ont., and pre-position special forces equipment at sites around the country to allow for a quicker response to terrorist attacks. JTF2 will complete the move to its new home at Canadian Forces Base Trenton by 2010. Positioning JTF2 at one of the country's main air bases allows it immediate access to aircraft for both domestic and overseas missions, military officers said. The idea for the Comox regiment was first mentioned last June by Rear Admiral Roger Girouard, commander of maritime forces in the Pacific, during a speech in Victoria. At the time, he said "no decisions had been made" about the regiment, but he noted that ferries and cruise ships are particularly vulnerable to terror attacks, and indicated the unit would likely comprise of navy personnel and specially trained officers. Currently, the military base in Comox is focused on air force operations. Built in 1942 to defend against a possible Japanese invasion, it is the only air force base in B.C., and employs about 1,400 people. It is responsible for maritime patrol and search and rescue operations. http://tinyurl.com/3cwspc [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on January 31, 2007]

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