Canadian Special Operations Regiment The Canadian Special Operations Regiment ( CSOR ) ( ) is a battalion - sized , high - readiness special operations unit part of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command ( CANSOFCOM ) . CSOR is capable of conducting and enabling a broad range of missions , including direct action ( DA ) , defence diplomacy and military assistance ( DDMA ) , and special reconnaissance ( SR ) . Unit history . The unit traces its roots to the First Special Service Force ( FSSF ) , the Canadian - American special forces unit that was stood up in 1942 and earned the “ Devil ' s Brigade ” moniker for daring night raids on German forces at the Anzio beachhead . In April 2005 , the Canadian government ' s new defence policy statement was made public . It included a concept of first responders for international tasks consisting of " special forces " ( such as an expanded Joint Task Force 2 ) supported by one of the light battalions . This concept of operations is similar to the US Army ' s 75th Ranger Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group of the UK Special Forces Group who support high - level special forces units . This eventually led to the formation of the Canadian Special Operations Regiment ( CSOR ) , although CSOR was not to be limited to a supporting role . " In the main , the Canadian Special Operations Regiment enables special operations and , specifically , JTF2 ; thus , JTF2 can focus on the precise tasks for which they are so well selected and trained . However , particularly in out - of - area operations , we see that the Canadian Special Operations Regiment would be the more appropriate organization to put to the task . " ( Colonel Barr , commander CANSOFCOM , in Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence , 27 November 2006 . ) Recruiting for the new unit took place in early 2006 , and the first CSOR selection course took place with approximately 175 candidates . On 13 August 2006 , an official stand - up ceremony for the Canadian Special Operations Regiment took place at the unit ' s home station , Canadian Forces Base ( CFB ) Petawawa , with approximately 250 soldiers participating . The ceremony included a skills demonstration including rappelling from helicopters , and both static and freefall parachuting . It was also announced that the second training serial of CSOR recruits would take place in early 2007 . The regiment suffered its first casualty on 24 June 2011 : Master - Corporal Francis Roy died in a non - combat incident while deployed in Kandahar Province , Afghanistan . In 2013 , the unit competed in an international Special Forces Competition held in Jordan , coming in 3rd place after Chinese Special Police teams took 1st and 2nd place . Operations . The regiment has maintained a presence in Afghanistan since 2006 , in support of the Canadian and coalition forces in the southern province of Kandahar . " Canadian Special Operations Forces serving in Afghanistan " ( 2005 and 2007 ) by André Gauthier ( sculptor ) were commissioned to honour members of Canadian Special Operations Regiment . The regiment also works with international partners , and helped in the training of the Jamaican Defence Force counter - terrorism assault team . Organization . While the regiment is composed of personnel from the Canadian Army , Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force , it is part of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command , a joint command responsible for providing agile , high - readiness special operations forces capable of operating across the spectrum of conflict at home and abroad . The command is composed of CSOR and 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron ( 427 SOAS ) in Petawawa , Joint Task Force 2 ( JTF - 2 ) near Ottawa , and the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit ( CJIRU ) in Trenton . Colonel Jamie Hammond was the first commanding officer of the Canadian Special Operations Regiment , followed by Lieutenant - Colonel Greg Smith , followed by Lieutenant - Colonel John Vass . The current commanding officer is Lieutenant - Colonel Hank Szelecz .