ASU Chilliwack
Encyclopedia
Area Support Unit Chilliwack (ASU Chilliwack) is a Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

 facility located in Chilliwack
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...

, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

.

Located in the upper valley of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...

, approximately 100 km (62.1 mi) east of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, it is the only Land Force Command
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...

 facility in the province. It provides essential support and services for 200 Regular Force and 1800 Reserve Force personnel.

Mission

The mission of ASU Chilliwack is to provide direct support for all its assigned dependencies by providing logistical support and maintenance.

Badge

The unit badge depicts the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...

 and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

, which form the east and west boundaries of the unit’s area of operations, respectively. This concept is further illustrated by the unit motto Ad Mare Usque Mons (Latin), which translates to "From Sea to Mountain".

History

Military presence in the region is thought to have began with the Royal Engineers who established a camp at Sumas near Chilliwack Mountain in 1858. From the camp, they conducted surveys and established boundary markers along the border to the south.

Camp Chilliwack was opened on 15 February 1941, as part of a government decision to establish a military training facility in the region. Initially, it served as a garrison for several army units that had been formed for terrestrial defence.

In 1966, Camp Chilliwack was renamed to Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack
CFB Chilliwack
Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack was a Canadian Forces Base located in Chilliwack, British Columbia.On 2 September 1997, Area Support Unit Chilliwack was opened on the former CFB Chilliwack properties that was retained by the Canadian Forces.-Camp Chilliwack:Military Camp Chilliwack was...

 (CFB Chilliwack) as part of the Canadian Forces unification program. Along with the change in name, CFB Chilliwack assumed additional responsibilities, such as providing support to all of the CF units on the lower mainland and assuming responsibility for the Jericho Beach Garrsion in Vancouver. In 1970, Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School was established at CFB Chilliwack and offered a tri-service Basic Officer Training Course. In 1994, the 3rd Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) moved from CFB Esquimalt
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....

 on Vancouver Island to CFB Chilliwack.

Due to budget cuts, CFB Chilliwack was closed in 1997 and new bases were found for the units located at the former CFB Chilliwack. The Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School was moved to St-Jean, Quebec, the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering was moved to CFB Gagetown
CFB Gagetown
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, referred to as CFB Gagetown is a large Canadian Forces Base located in southwestern New Brunswick.- Construction of the base :...

, New Brunswick, and 3PPCLI moved to CFB Edmonton
CFB Edmonton
CFB Edmonton is a Canadian Forces base located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Edmonton Garrison or "Steele Barracks".-History:...

, Alberta. Because of the closure of CFB Chilliwack, a need arose for a supporting formation to provide area-wide support for the Canadian Forces units remaining in mainland BC. In response to this need, 1 Area Support Group (1ASG) was created in 1999. On 4 February 1999, ASU Chilliwack was formed and allocated as a unit within the 1ASG.

Supported Units

ASU Chilliwack supports the following Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

 units on the British Columbia Mainland:
  • 39 Canadian Brigade Group
    39 Canadian Brigade Group
    The 39 Canadian Brigade Group is part of Land Force Western Area of the Canadian Army. It is composed of Canadian Forces Primary Reserve units which are based in British Columbia. No. 39 CBG is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Jericho Garrison on West 4th Avenue...

    • The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
    • The British Columbia Dragoons
      The British Columbia Dragoons
      The British Columbia Dragoons is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is based in Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton, British Columbia...

    • 15th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
    • 39 Combat Engineer Regiment
      • 6 Field Engineer Squadron
        6 Field Engineer Squadron
        6 Engineer Squadron is a Primary Reserve Canadian Military Engineer unit of the Canadian Forces. 6 Engineer Squadron is part of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group , headquarters for all Primary Reserve units in British Columbia...

      • 44 Field Engineer Squadron
      • 54 Field Engineer Squadron
    • 12 (Vancouver) Service Battalion
    • The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
      The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
      The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada is a light infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The regiment is subordinate to 39 Canadian Brigade Group, Land Forces Western Area...

    • The Rocky Mountain Rangers
      The Rocky Mountain Rangers
      The Rocky Mountain Rangers is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regimental headquarters are located at JR Vicars Armoury in Kamloops, British Columbia...

    • The Royal Westminster Regiment
      The Royal Westminster Regiment
      The Royal Westminster Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. It is based in New Westminster, British Columbia at The Armouries, located at the corner of 6th and Queens....

  • 6 Intelligence Company, Detachment Vancouver
  • 12 Field Ambulance
    12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance
    12 Field Ambulance is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve medical unit in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:This unit has a long and distinguished history that lives up to the medical corps tradition of being faithful in adversity...

  • 12 Military Police Platoon
  • 744 Communication Regiment
  • HMCS Discovery
    HMCS Discovery
    HMCS Discovery is a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve division and shore facility based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Created during World War II from the Vancouver Half Company of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, Discovery was used for recruitment and training, and provided almost 8,000...

  • 192 Airfield Engineering Flight (Abbotsford)
  • Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre (Vancouver)
  • National Defence Quality Assurance Region (Vancouver)
  • National Defence Public Affairs (Vancouver)
  • University Liaison Office (Vancouver)
  • Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific)

Training Areas

ASU Chilliwack has responsibility over several military training areas. These areas are often used by Regular Force units from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian army...

, Reserve Force units from Mainland British Columbia, some units training for deployment to Afghanistan, and as well as Cadets.

ASU Chilliwack maintains ranges and training areas for use by it dependencies, as well as visiting units.
  • Vokes Range
  • Slesse Creek Demolition Training Areas
  • Columbia Valley Training Area
  • Trail Rifle Range
  • Stone Creek Training Area
  • Vernon Military Camp
  • OPSEE Training Area
  • Chilcotin Training Area
  • Vedder Mountain Training Area
  • Richmond – Armoury and transmitter site
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