General News

By Holly Bridges

Imagine resting at home on Spring Break, thinking you have a whole week to do nothing except rest and relax with your family and the phone rings. It's work and they want you to come in. Not just to do some routine paperwork or flying training, though - but to plan for a major international operation...and oh yes, the sooner the better.

Within two weeks of receiving just those phone calls, members of 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS), based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, were trained, immunized, outfitted and operating in Port Au Prince, Haiti as part of Operation HALO.

"The unit reacted quite fast," says the current Commanding Officer of 430 Sqn, Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Charpentier. "This was the quickest deployment ever undertaken by the Canadian Forces. We are normally not that fast."

In March 2004, the Canadian Forces deployed about 500 personnel and six CH-146 Griffon helicopters to Haiti to assist the United Nations-sanctioned multinational force in bringing stability to the country. Ninety-three of those personnel were Air Force flying the CH-146 Griffons.

Task Force Haiti (TFH) deployed as part of the United Nations Multinational Interim Force (MIF) to contribute to a secure and stable environment in Haiti, to facilitate the delivery of relief aid to those in need, and to help the Haitian Police and Coast Guard maintain law and order and protect human rights.

It was a 90-day deployment that spooled up in record time, especially considering 430 Sqn was not a "high readiness" squadron at the time, and was just starting to train for a mission to Bosnia seven months later.

For their work, which involved more than 1500 flying hours in extremely austere conditions such as 45-degree heat, day and night missions, vermin-infested tents and muddy camps, members of 430 Sqn have received a Canadian Forces Unit Commendation.

"(Our personnel) generously gave of themselves to improve the lives of the Haitian people," says the nomination for the commendation. "Through their enthusiasm, excellence and dedication, 430 ETAH has brought credit to the Air Force and the Canadian Forces."

Incredibly, the mission wasn't only about flying. Members of 430 ETAH also got involved in the local Haitian community during their deployment, working on what little time off they had in theatre, to build and deliver desks and teaching materials to local schools, and to help with daily foot patrols.

LCol Charpentier says being recognized with a CF Unit Commendation makes the challenges associated with the operation worthwhile.

"It was outstanding for the unit and everybody is pretty happy about it. People at the squadron are very happy and motivated."

	Warrant Officer Luc Desrochers, Operations Warrant Officer/Mission Specialist, refuels his CH-146 Griffon helicopter on the tarmac of the Port-au-Prince International Airport in Haiti during Op HALO. CREDIT: MCpl John Nicholson
	Local children check out the helicopters that were used to bring the supplies and people needed to complete the school project. Members from 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron from Valcartier, Quebec returned to the village of La Miel, Haiti to repair a school that was built by the squadron in 1997. Operation HALO is the Canadian Forces commitment to the Mission des Nations unies pour la stabilization en Haïti (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti), or MINUSTAH, the Command is called Task Force Haiti. CREDIT: Cpl. Matthew McGregor
	Chief of the Air Staff, Lieutenant-General Steve Lucas, (left) presents the current Commanding Officer of 430 Sqn, Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Charpentier, with the Canadian Forces Unit Commendation in Valcartier, Quebec in mid-June. CREDIT: LCol JOHN BLAKELEY