Roughly 400 army reserve soldiers from across Canada and even the U. S. are in Dundurn, Sask., completing a yearly major exercise that’s designed to build on previous training done by the separate units.
“For us to achieve some of the aims that the army wants us to achieve, they bring us together and concentrate us so that we have the ability to train at a higher level,” said North Saskatchewan Regiment commanding officer Lt. Col. Tony Engelberts.
“The world is an unstable place and we have to be ready if Canada needs us.”
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The week-long exercise finishes Sunday and includes soldiers from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Minnesota. The troops shoot guns equipped with lasers that connect with body sensors which indicate where an injury would occur.
“This is still practice, one hundred per cent,” Engelberts said.
“We would need a lot more training to be able to deploy, so we’re on kind of the second round of practice here.”
The exercise is allowing a number of soldiers to hone their craft, including vehicle technician Cpl. Ben Browning.
“With a lot of the scenarios they’ve run and just the amount of people that’s here, it’s a fairly small training area,” Browning said.
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“A lot of the roads are closed, so we’ve had to get creative when I’ve had to go from here up to the forward positions.”
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Browning was one of many soldiers who were part of a tour Thursday that included members of the media and business world. Organizers said they brought in civilian professionals to highlight what reserve members do while training.
“I think I have a better appreciation of really what they’re going through when they’re learning because it’s a significant commitment for them to come and take this training,” said Robert Reimer, a partner at Pricewaterhouse Coopers who was on the tour.
A number of officers and soldiers Thursday said the training taken by reservists can directly translate into civilian life.
“They’ve been big on the mentorship and the leadership,” Browning said of his time as a reserve soldier.
“Now I find myself wanting to do that to the same guys that I see who are new now.”
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