Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) is the Canadian Forces (CF) contribution to the international effort in Afghanistan. Its operations focus on working with Afghan authorities to improve security, governance and economic development in Afghanistan. JTF-Afg comprises more than 2,750 CF members.

Brigadier-General Gary Stafford, OMM, CD, in Afghanistan.

In 1970, Brigadier-General Stafford joined The Royal Regiment of Canada as a Private and progressed to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in 1983. He held the position of Regimental Sergeant Major from 1983 to 1987.

In 1988, Brigadier-General Stafford commissioned from the ranks, promoted to Captain and posted to Toronto Militia District Headquarters as the Recruiting Officer for one year. He returned to The Royal Regiment of Canada where, in 1992, he was promoted to Major.

In 1999, he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer of The Royal Regiment of Canada.

From March 19 – 27, 2005, members of The Royal Regiment of Canada deployed to Fort Knox, Kentucky to use state-of-the-art ranges and training facilities.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Regiment of Canada.

Like all members of the Royal Family, The Prince of Wales has close personal links to the Armed Services. In addition to his own career in the services, he holds a number of appointments as Colonel-in-Chief and Royal Colonel.

His Royal Highness’s first Colonelcy-in-Chief was of the Royal Regiment of Wales, to which he was appointed on 1st July 1969 – the day of his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle. He was appointed as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Canada on June 11th, 1977.

Soldiers from 32 Canadian Brigade Group attack an enemy bridge during Exercise Stalwart Guardian.

Exercise Stalwart Guardian ran from August 20-28, 2005, at CFB Petawawa and involved 3,200 Army reservists from across Ontario conducting raids and airmobile assaults. This was part of a series of exercises training soldiers for domestic and overseas missions. Two hundred Ontario reservists deployed to Afghanistan the year after.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Governor General Michaelle Jean speak with veterans following a Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa, November 11, 2009.

Adrian Wyld, The Canadian Press

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, joins The Royal Regiment of Canada for Exercise Royal Grenadier in March, 2008.