News / Military
By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 2, 2016
PHOTO: Canadian air force Col. Paul Keddy is his nation’s senior national representative to the international coalition of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. (HOWARD ALTMAN / Times)
For the past three years, Canadian air force Col. Paul Keddy has served as his nation’s senior national representative to the international coalition of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Recently, Canada changed its contributions to the ongoing battle against the so-called Islamic State, halting all bombing missions but increasing its presence on the ground. Keddy, 52, sat down with Tampa Bay Times staff writer Howard Altman to talk about Canada’s military missions in the CentCom region and his role with the command. Here are excerpts from the conversation.
There have been some changes in the way the Canadians are going to help in the fight against the so-called Islamic State jihadi group. What’s going to change and why?
Prime Minster (Justin) Trudeau campaigned on reducing in some areas, and increasing in others. It is more complex than a one-line answer. In the summer of 2014, the red rash was spreading across Iraq and across parts of Syria, and the demand from the coalition at large was to halt ISIL, ISIS, or whatever you call it — we use the term Daesh, which is an Arabic translation.
They were moving across the region and the imperative at the time was to stop them. One of the things a lot of western nations do quickly, because of the advanced technology and aircraft, is get to the region and start operations almost immediately, and have an effect on the ground almost immediately, and do that with air forces. That is nothing new. So Canada signed up for that. We had eight F-18 fighters. But the net result of Canadian contributions after the election far exceeds the contribution numerically and in terms of long-term effect.
How so?
We started with about 600 troops in the train, advise and assist mission, and this year, we have an 830-person cap. To be honest, the stuff decided upon is really a more long-range view — how best to effect things on the ground and most importantly, assist the Iraqis getting on with the security of their nation against Daesh and building up institutions in the future so they can continue to maintain security long after the fighter forces and other kinetic effects on the ground have moved on. We tripled Canada’s advise-and-assist forces, doubled our intelligence enterprise and are leaders of the liaison team at the operational and strategic level.
Who are you training and what kinds of things are you training them on?
First of all, the advise and assist mission is part of a bigger building partnership capacity approach by the coalition, basically to build up the capability of Iraqi forces to counter these threats now and in the future.
There are a number of training sites around Iraq. They are very static and get the troops training that focuses on a seven-day to 12-week time frame. They get trained on the most basic things. Nothing extraordinary. Everything from first aid to leadership to basic infantry tactics on the ground. That’s the foundation. When they move into their areas of operation, they are pretty much handed over to some of the advise and assist forces for the coalition, including the Canadians, who are focusing up to the north, in and around Irbil. We generally work with the Peshmerga, but do work with others in the area.
What’s your role at CentCom?
I was posted down here to be the senior national representative for Canada. I am the senior liaison with CentCom. The most important thing I do here is assist in developing a common understanding out there in the CentCom area of responsibility as to what is going on. Myself and the liaison officers working with me are kind of like sensors, the eyes and ears of our command if you will, to provide Canada a view to which direction CentCom is moving in terms of emerging threats.
Any examples of how this has worked?
The coalition nations were asked to provide a Ministerial Liaison Team to operationally and strategically advise the Government of Iraq’s Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Defense. Canada answered that call and we will lead that effort to put the ministerial liaison team together. It started with CentCom sending out a message to the senior national representatives.
How have you liked the Tampa area?
My wife and I bought a house in west St. Petersburg. We travel and have seen more of Florida than most Floridians. On Mother’s Day, we went with some friends to Tampa Bay Downs. The event was free to get in. There were dollar hot dogs and two bucks a beer. I don’t gamble. I shadow gamble. The (Tampa) area is full of fun stuff to do, as long as you get outside of working hours and rush hour, it is a great place to get around.
This isn’t your first assignment to Florida, right?
I served in Florida before, at Tyndall Air Force Base (12 miles east of Panama City), with NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) and U.S. Northern Command from 2001 to 2005. I was the chief of combat plans. It was the 9/11 period. It was busy.
Every time I come and stay and work in the U.S., I find myself in war. I was coming on duty on the morning of 9/11. I was the senior air defense officer at the time. I just came in on duty and the view to the whole situation. Basically, the Continental United States NORAD region was responsible for the defense of North America at the time. So to have something like that happen was a huge shock because it happened on our watch.
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