EDMONTON- Hundreds of Canadian soldiers are in training for what will be our country’s final deployment to Afghanistan.
700 soldiers from almost every element of the Canadian Forces are preparing for Operation Attention- Canada’s contribution in the NATO training mission in Kabul. Of those, approximately 300 soldiers are based out of CFB Edmonton and took part in live ammunition weapons training Thursday afternoon.
Specifically, soldiers took part in close encounter shooting training, the kind they’re most likely to encounter while in Kabul.
“The troops today are doing their qualifying shoots on their 9-mm pistols and small arms and that kind of thing. That’s a big part of this mission because that’s the weapons that they carry with them all the time,” Colonel Lee Hammond, Deputy Commander, Canadian Contribution Training Mission Afghanistan.
This mission will be very different than past missions; it’s a training and advisory mission.
“They’re essentially enabling the Afghan security forces- the police and the army. They’re teaching the skills that we have to pass on to those elements so that they can go on and do their missions by themselves,” Hammond explained.
But soldiers say that doesn’t mean it will be any less dangerous.
“We are travelling in smaller groups. The enemy is very difficult to see, so surprises happen and you may only be with a few other Canadian soldiers,” said Hammond. “Afghanistan’s come a long way, but there are still elements out there that would do us harm if they had the chance. So our soldiers have to be ready for any circumstance that may arise.”
That’s why soldiers say training is absolutely crucial.
“These situations are for worst case scenario. On a daily basis everybody will be doing their jobs, participating in convoys and all that. But, there is the enemy threat there and … you need to be able to defend yourself,” said Master Corporal Jordan Taylor, a paratrooper who was in Afghanistan in 2009 as part of an infantry battle group.
Troops will be deployed over the course of the next six weeks. One paratrooper who is heading out for the first time says he’s proud to be part of Canada’s final mission to help rebuild the nation.
“Obviously our mission is coming to an end, and that’s great, that’s what we want to do,” said Corporal Daniel Choong.
The mission is expected to be complete sometime next spring.
With files from Shane Jones.
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