For the last month, Duncan L has been participating in the Cold Weather Operator course with the Lincoln & Welland primary Reserve unit and two other RCAC cadet units.
Thursday nights have been classes on the equipment they would be using in winter and arctic conditions, including clothing layering, meals, tent set up, improvised shelters, snares for small game, skiing, snowshoeing and survival. Two weeks ago, they had a training exercise in Winona where they practiced skills, including snowshoeing, setting up tents, setting fires and snares for small game.
This past weekend, Jan. 27-28, Duncan traveled to CFB Borden for the culminating exercise. They arrived after midnight due to transport issues, were then trucked to their site where in the dark they set up their arctic tents. Reveille was 0530hrs for a scheduled 0600hr hot breakfast. Training commenced at 0800hrs, a daylight navigation exercise back & forth with map and compass through the extended training area. Lunch was cooked by each tent group – IMPs (Individual Meal Packs) the consensus being that they were “way better!” than the MREs cadets usually eat. The afternoon started with cross-country skiing and then building an improvised shelter. Each group chose their own design. Duncan’s group opted for a lean-to with a wind/fire block and a firepit in-between. Temperature dropped to about -4celcius, which was excellent for sleeping.
The last morning started with a hot breakfast and then the culminating competition. Teams lined up their sleds, raced in snowshoes to a field and as they started setting up their tents were told their tent commanders had been seriously injured. Tents had to be finished setting up, lanterns lit and then the injured raced to another area where a fire had to be started and water boiled. Our team wasn’t first, but they also weren’t last, and all teams enjoyed displaying what they had learned over the last month.
I was given multiple compliments from soldiers at how well our cadets performed and that we were welcome back for training any time.
