MEDIA ADVISORY - NEXT CANADIAN FORCES CONTINGENT IN AFGHANISTAN - LAST FLIGHT
TO KANDAHAR

VALCARTIER GARRISON, QC, Dec. 8 /CNW Telbec/ - Media representatives are invited to witness the departure of the last group of Valcartier soldiers who will join their colleagues in Afghanistan this Thursday, December 9, to take part in the 10^th Rotation of OPERATION ATHENA.

---

THURSDAY, DE CEMBER 9, 2010

2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.: Meeting with soldiers and their family at the Valcartier Garrison (Interview opportunity)

3:30 p.m.: Departure of the buses in direction of airport (Photo opportunity from a distance)

5:15 p.m.: Departure of the flight from Quebec to Afghanistan

---

This flight, comprised of approximately 120 soldiers, is the 19^th to leave Québec for Afghanistan since the beginning of the deployment on November 3, 2010. This will complete the deployment of about 2700 soldiers of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, ROTO 10.

To attend the gathering of soldiers in Valcartier, please contact a member of 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Public Affairs at 418-844-5000 ext. 4688. Reporters are requested to arrive at the Valcartier Garrison's main gate on December 9, at 2:00 p.m.

For more details on OPERATION ATHENA, visit: http://www.comfec.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/ops/athena/index-eng.asp.

For further information:

Lieutenant Dennis Noël
Public Affairs Officer, 5 CMBG
Telephone: [phone], ext 4688
Pager: 418-260-3082