The Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) is a battalion strength unit found under the command of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). This is a secretive unit, as it is one of Canada’s premier military units. The unit normally has about 700-800 personnel ready to deploy, and members are usually in their late 20s or early 30s. Like other special forces units, CSOR members are each trained in a primary specialty, but are also cross trained in several other disciplines to achieve mission success, regardless of the conditions.
This elite Canadian military unit can trace its heritage back to the First Special Service Force (FSSF). This was a joint American-Canadian unit created for special missions during WWII. They earned the name the “Devil’s Brigade” as they successfully carried out some of the most daring raids during the war, especially during the Italian Campaign. On several occasions, the FSSF scaled steep slopes and crossed hostile terrain to surprise, attack, and eradicate enemy positions atop some of Italy’s most imposing mountains. The unit and its members were awarded with numerous medals and citations. These hard-earned battle honors have been handed over to and carried forward by CSOR.
The modern incarnation of this unit, CSOR, was established on August 13, 2006 when the Canadian military put out a recruiting call and began its first selection process. Recruitment for the unit is open to any member of the Canadian military, regardless of sex or current military branch (this is a key point which differs from American special forces units as they are found within their respective branches). A two-day initial evaluation occurs every September, and new applicants are put through several tests and evaluations. Like with any military based training, these include physical, mental, and medical tests. Any candidate who passes this initial examination is then recommended to move forward in the pipeline. Once officially in, new members continue training and are included in operational rotations. CSOR uses both common issued Canadian gear and weapons, but also has access to a host of specialty and cutting-edge weapons, equipment, information, and technology.
Like virtually all other modern special forces units, CSOR is trained and ready for a variety of mission sets. The unit is primarily tasked with both domestic and foreign missions, with the ability to be flexible and adapt to achieve mission success. As such, CSOR can work well with domestic Canadian entities, like law enforcement, other allied special forces units, conventional military units, and even more clandestine entities across the globe. CSOR saw extensive deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, as Canada directly supported America and its allies during the two decades long Global War on Terror (GWOT). Although this war has not ceased, it has shifted to new arenas and drawn in new players, therefore CSOR has had to adapt and shift with the times. CSOR suffered multiple causalities during their GWOT deployments, as they took on some extremely tough missions, in some of the worst places, much of which is still classified through today.
CSOR continues to train, both at home and with foreign partners, to maintain Canada’s interests and security. As the fight shifts back to more near-peer actors (China, Russia, etc.) CSOR is preparing for what these types of direct conflicts or the more likely proxy battles will entail. The modern battlefield is more complex and chaotic than ever before, and as such units like CSOR will continue to be the tip of the spear as the free world maintains and protects the freedom of billions of people.
