mattpair
09-08-2005, 11:36 AM
Hello all, I just got back home from a two week traing exercise in Canada. It was such a wonderfull experience I thought I'd share a little bit of it with you fellas.
Every year the Canadian army and its reserve components stage a simulated war in an exercise they call "Stalwart Gaurdian" Somehow 10 soldiers from my Army reserve company and 30 soldiers from another company in SC were invited to play.
Once we arrived on site we were given the low down on the 'war' and what our role would be. We were working in a close support battalion were we would work along side the Canadians providing convoy securities and all maintence operations.
Myself and the rest of the american mechanics were turned over to the canadian maintence co and given our duties for the rest of the exercise. I was a MRT (maintence recovery team) commander. Basically the way it all worked was whenever a vechicle or piece of equipment would break down they would radio in to our log ops and report their problem and grid cordinate. I would then get a sheet of paper with all the info on the downed equipment. I would gather up my team of 2 canadian mechanics, get a map plot my grid coridinates, and off we'd go to either repair the equipment or tow it back. All of this in a tacticle manner as enemies were active just about everywhere.
I have to say this was some of the most realistic and best training I have recieved since I left active duty. And on top of that the Canadian mechanics I worked with were some of the best guys I have met in my whole carreer. Not just saying they were nice fella's, these were some very, very skilled mechanics. I know we have some canadians on this board, and your boys really represented your country so well.
Before this I had never been to Canada, now I have to go back. We were in Petawawa which is in ontario next to the border with quebec. weather was amazing! highs arround 70 and lows at night around 50-55. and all this in late august, thats the kind of weather an alabama boy can only dream of. Also the land was just so breath taking. From wild blue berries growing everywhere to beautiful mountians and deep blue streams and lakes. This country seemed to be as much of a sportman's paradise as you could ask for. I saw plenty of black bears, red chipmunks, black squirels (thats a new one on me) racoons the size of my dog and countless others. I have a few pics I took while up there and I'll try to post them this weekend so you guys can see a little of what I'm talking about. All in all I just want to give a big thank you to the Canadian Army for showing a handfull of southerners a wonderfull time.
Every year the Canadian army and its reserve components stage a simulated war in an exercise they call "Stalwart Gaurdian" Somehow 10 soldiers from my Army reserve company and 30 soldiers from another company in SC were invited to play.
Once we arrived on site we were given the low down on the 'war' and what our role would be. We were working in a close support battalion were we would work along side the Canadians providing convoy securities and all maintence operations.
Myself and the rest of the american mechanics were turned over to the canadian maintence co and given our duties for the rest of the exercise. I was a MRT (maintence recovery team) commander. Basically the way it all worked was whenever a vechicle or piece of equipment would break down they would radio in to our log ops and report their problem and grid cordinate. I would then get a sheet of paper with all the info on the downed equipment. I would gather up my team of 2 canadian mechanics, get a map plot my grid coridinates, and off we'd go to either repair the equipment or tow it back. All of this in a tacticle manner as enemies were active just about everywhere.
I have to say this was some of the most realistic and best training I have recieved since I left active duty. And on top of that the Canadian mechanics I worked with were some of the best guys I have met in my whole carreer. Not just saying they were nice fella's, these were some very, very skilled mechanics. I know we have some canadians on this board, and your boys really represented your country so well.
Before this I had never been to Canada, now I have to go back. We were in Petawawa which is in ontario next to the border with quebec. weather was amazing! highs arround 70 and lows at night around 50-55. and all this in late august, thats the kind of weather an alabama boy can only dream of. Also the land was just so breath taking. From wild blue berries growing everywhere to beautiful mountians and deep blue streams and lakes. This country seemed to be as much of a sportman's paradise as you could ask for. I saw plenty of black bears, red chipmunks, black squirels (thats a new one on me) racoons the size of my dog and countless others. I have a few pics I took while up there and I'll try to post them this weekend so you guys can see a little of what I'm talking about. All in all I just want to give a big thank you to the Canadian Army for showing a handfull of southerners a wonderfull time.