Cougar Salvo 2006, 11-18 March

[m410]

I thought I'd open a thread for the upcoming 39 CBG exercise Cougar Salvo 06.  I'm involved in the planning and it's always good to have an ear in unofficial places.  So post questions, comments, feedback on training leading up to the ex, gripes, etc.

The official exercise dates are 11-18 March but deployment is 10 March (Friday evening) which probably won't appear on the propaganda posters popping up on the armoury floors and on your pay statements.

A couple of old threads from last year:
Re: Cougar Salvo 05
Cougar Salvo 05 - non-BMQ/SQ discussion

 

[C/WO_Q-Ball]

My friend and I are both applying for Cougar Salvo 06.  We're both cadets (17 & 18) from 3005 11-SVC BAT RCACC.  Thanks for posting this thread and hopefully we'll see you and the rest of 39 brigade this spring.

I'm sure I'll find out all of the information from past threads or from my Ops Order, but just for the heck of it: what kinds of exercises go on during Cougar Salvo?  I heard from my officer that I'll have to have a waiver signed for possibly riding in a Griffon helicopter or an APC.  Can anybody clarify, i'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[ImanIdiot]

M410:

What is the focus of this year's ex? We haven't really had a proper briefing as of yet, only that it will involve section live fire. The rumor mill suggests it will be similar to last year, which was among the best exercises I've been on.

 

[m410]

MasterPrivate: This year's exercise is very similar to last year's.  Kamloops again.  Major activities for infantry include: live fire attacks (pairs to section) at the same range as last year, a company cordon and search operation (at Rayleigh, again, but with a different insertion planned and tweaks to the scenario), and a heliborne company raid culminating in an (as yet not approved) engineer C4 demolition.  Armoured recce can expect to do convoy operations, area recce, and support to the cordon and search.  Engineers are busy as usual, with assault boats for the infantry and the C4 thing.  Arty are enemy force.  The field ambulances are doing a big casevac ex.  Elements of service support will be doing convoy training, with and without armoured recce.  There will be a limited attendance support weapons shoot in Yakima again for infantry and the arty are planning on a gun shoot in Yakima with that (CAUSTIC SHOCK is technically a different exercise).  If you liked last year's Ex then you should enjoy this one as well (as long as you're not allergic to deja vu).  Hopefully your unit training in February and March will orient on Cougar Salvo tasks.

Helicopters, simunition, MILES, assault boats, etc. are all promised again.  Last year's Ex was probably unique in CF history because all the supporting equipment promises were kept.  Maybe lightning will strike twice.

Q-Ball - As I understand those cadets that go will be grouped with the brigade recruiting staff.  Keep in mind that the helicopters are very busy but there is a chance you may get a ride.  There are no APCs on Cougar Salvo.  I can't say exactly what you should expect to see, but hopefully you'll see parts of the training outlined above.

 

[MikeL]

When I was at Cougar Salvo '05, I saw the cadets getting a tour of the FSB an what not. But AFAIK no cadets got to ride in the griffons. Since they were pretty busy doing tasks related to the ex(dropping/pick up troops, delivering supplies, etc). m410, any word if the SVC BN convoys will get any action? Since last year none of them got attacked, which kinda sucks an isn't realistic, since in real ops, convoys make good targets are attacked by either insurgents an/or IEDs.

 

[Dissident]

For starters, the food was great last year. I really like interacting with the rangers and Hopefully we will have more civpol present this year.

This year should be better for us, there seemed to be a missunderstanding about our capabilities and taskings last year. We ended up being underutilised, or missedused.

 

[m410]

When I was at Cougar Salvo '05, I saw the cadets getting a tour of the FSB an what not. But AFAIK no cadets got to ride in the griffons.

Noted.  For Q-Ball and any other potential participating cadets, my advice to you is to go expecting NOT to fly.  It may happen but helicopters are never certain even for soldiers.

m410, any word if the SVC BN convoys will get any action? Since last year none of them got attacked, which kinda sucks an isn't realistic, since in real ops, convoys make good targets are attacked by either insurgents an/or IEDs.

I can't say for certain, but I would wager routine service support convoys (say,moving from the Airport to Tranquille) will probably not get hit.  Remember you need to train for the trucker's greatest challenge: facing boredom in a high threat environment.  The convoy escort scenario will have OPFOR.  We'll have to see how safe the armoured recce guys keep you.

For starters, the food was great last year. I really like interacting with the rangers and Hopefully we will have more civpol present this year.

This year should be better for us, there seemed to be a missunderstanding about our capabilities and taskings last year. We ended up being underutilised, or missedused.

The food was not so good at the pointy end last year.  Canadian Rangers are not participating this year.  CIVPOL is still engaged, mostly on the VPD side including ERTs.

I can't say I was aware of your midunderutilization so I'll be sure to ask a few questions to get people thinking MP.

 

[Docherty]

Oh we will keep them safe  ;D

 

[2929]

Does anyone know what I can expect from the sigs aspect? I mean I've heard stories from people who went on Cougar Salvo 05 that basically involved 7 days sitting in the pod doing what amounts to absolutely nothing.

 

[chrisf]

Welcome to the world of grossly under-used signals capabilities

 

[chrisf]

Though I should note, depending on who you were talking about who was on Cougar Salvo last year, if it's a certain private, anything less then ripping a tiger apart with his bare hands is considered boring.

 

[Dissident]

I can't say I was aware of your midunderutilization so I'll be sure to ask a few questions to get people thinking MP.

My understanding is that the big push right now is towards force protection. Our training has been focused on convoy escort lately. Route signing and traffic control are not something we should be doing outside of domops. But I'm getting outside of my payrate here...

 

[m410]

Does anyone know what I can expect from the sigs aspect? I mean I've heard stories from people who went on Cougar Salvo 05 that basically involved 7 days sitting in the pod doing what amounts to absolutely nothing.

If your profile is correct and you are SQ trained but not a qualified sig op then you can expect to be employed in the D&S platoon, and not in the sigs trade.  Probably a better go.

I have the impression qualfied sig ops are in short demand.  There will be jobs for that at TF Cougar and possibly down to the companies.  I know there will be at least one RRB (whee!) and comms are potentially complex as we've got 522, 521, civilian radios, air force UHF, and IDEN cel phone/radios.

If you want excitement, consider joining the infantry!

 

[chrisf]

If you want excitement, consider joining the infantry!

Plenty of interesting stuff to do in the sigs world, but unfortunately, we're usually lacking in equipment or when we've got the equipment, we're grossly underused by the commanders.

 

[C/WO_Q-Ball]

Thanks for all of the info guys, I'm sure the recruiters are gonna try to convince me to join again.  I still have a file at CFRC Victoria, and I thought about doing Reserve work (11-SVC BAT Weapons Tech) to get some extra experience, (and enjoying my job more than stocking shelves at Safeway,) before going Reg force.
:soldier:

 

[RangerRay]

I haven't been in the Reserves for almost 10 years, so I hope my input isn't out of line.

My biggest beef with COUGAR SALVO when I was in was it was held at the wrong time of year.  Being in university at the time, I could not participate due to classes and mid-term exams at the time.  Has there been any thought to holding during the uni Reading Break when more reservists in uni can take part?

Again, I apologise if this is out of line.

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

Does anyone know what I can expect from the sigs aspect? I mean I've heard stories from people who went on Cougar Salvo 05 that basically involved 7 days sitting in the pod doing what amounts to absolutely nothing.

As the guy who acted as the Sig Tp WO on Cougar Salvo 05, I'll tell you this: you'll be sitting in a radio pod, "doing nothing".  That's your job.  If you don't like it, remuster.  I tried to throw in excitement when possible, and to switch things around for the guys as much as I could.  I probably could have done more to make things cooler for them, but I haven't lost any sleep over the fact that a couple of them might have gotten bored just yet.  We aren't there to ride in Griffons.  We're there to make radios work, and anything else is a secondary priority.  If you go, I advise you to bring a couple of good books, and to not feel hard done by if you have to sit in an RRB for 3 days.

If your profile is correct and you are SQ trained but not a qualified sig op then you can expect to be employed in the D&S platoon, and not in the sigs trade.  Probably a better go.

There were Sigs pers there without QL3 last year who weren't in the D&S pls: they made up almost a third of my troop.  Not my place to say for certain, but I doubt that the Comm Gp will agree to send our SQ guys to be part of your D&S pls when we can't fill our Sigs dets without them.  I know that your rule is that they do D&S if they aren't trades qualified, but we're there in support of your exercise, not on it, which always seems to mean that slightly different rules apply to our guys.

If you're looking for other tidbits to consider in your planning process, then all I can do is refer you to the Sig Tp PXR from last year.  I can probably even forward you a copy if you don't have access to it.  There were a number of problems that arose because we Sigs (I) failed to appreciate the intent of those we were there in support of, and a number that arose because those we were in support of failed to appreciate or understand our capabilities and limitations.  The easy fix for that is for coord to occur before the ex begins.

 

[m410]

If you're looking for other tidbits to consider in your planning process, then all I can do is refer you to the Sig Tp PXR from last year.  I can probably even forward you a copy if you don't have access to it.  There were a number of problems that arose because we Sigs (I) failed to appreciate the intent of those we were there in support of, and a number that arose because those we were in support of failed to appreciate or understand our capabilities and limitations.  The easy fix for that is for coord to occur before the ex begins.

I have access to the PXRs.  I've even read them.  As we're getting closer to the Ex I should probably have a go at re-reading them.  I think the sigs PXR is in the pile but if it isn't I'll ask you by message to forward it.  Thanks.

 

[2929]

Though I should note, depending on who you were talking about who was on Cougar Salvo last year, if it's a certain private, anything less then ripping a tiger apart with his bare hands is considered boring.

If I am thinking of the same certain private you are then yes he was the one who told me how boring it was. He made Cougar Salvo seem like the most boring hell on earth which I guess for most would be just a regular old Sig Op day.

As the guy who acted as the Sig Tp WO on Cougar Salvo 05, I'll tell you this: you'll be sitting in a radio pod, "doing nothing".  That's your job.  If you don't like it, remuster.  I tried to throw in excitement when possible, and to switch things around for the guys as much as I could.  I probably could have done more to make things cooler for them, but I haven't lost any sleep over the fact that a couple of them might have gotten bored just yet.  We aren't there to ride in Griffons.  We're there to make radios work, and anything else is a secondary priority.  If you go, I advise you to bring a couple of good books, and to not feel hard done by if you have to sit in an RRB for 3 days.

I never said I don't like my job, in fact from the few unit level ex's I have done I find that I absolutely love my job. I like learning new things about my chosen trade. I was hoping on Cougar Salvo I would actually get a chance to put to use on a larger scale the VP and other Sig Op related stuff I have learned at my unit and not be doing guard duty with the D&S Platoon.

There were Sigs pers there without QL3 last year who weren't in the D&S pls: they made up almost a third of my troop.  Not my place to say for certain, but I doubt that the Comm Gp will agree to send our SQ guys to be part of your D&S pls when we can't fill our Sigs dets without them.

That seems to be consistent with what I have been told by the higher ups at my unit, if they can't fill the Sig dets with trained pers they will use us non QL3 Pte's. Which I hope is the case because it provides newer Pte's like my self with an excellent learning experience.

- edit for spelling

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

Then you'll get your wish.  Bring those books.