Armed Forces conducts Exercise Northern Bison 2011 on Lake Winnipeg
Approximately 90 Armed Forces personnel from the Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) spent much of their weekend in Gimli and Winnipeg Beach, with all of Saturday morning spent on the frozen surface of Lake Winnipeg.
The group, composed mainly of reserve soldiers, set up a command post at the Gimli Air Field RCAC Hangars, Fri. Jan 7, deploying early the next morning onto the lake to practice tactics, techniques and procedures as a preamble to their upcoming mission in the north, such as techniques in movement and long range patrolling.
Capt. Ron Taylor, the main planning person for the exercise, called 'Exercise Northern Bison 2011', oversaw the training of personnel from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, many of whom have never experienced conditions that far north. The group will be taking part in a 300 km journey from Churchill, MB to Arviat, NU from Feb. 19 to 27, 2011.
"We are the cold weather specialists for the army right now," said Taylor, who appeared warm after many hours in the frigid temperatures. Taylor explained that forces personnel would be equipped to deal with events such as a major air disaster, or could conduct ground search and rescue operations as far north as the Arctic.
"We have all the equipment with us that we will be using in Churchill," Taylor said.
Indeed, the soldiers were all equipped with standard issue C7A1 automatic rifles, held on their person by sturdy straps. The C7A1 is a gas operated weapon that is not always reliable in extreme cold conditions but which will be taken nonetheless on the northern mission as one means of protection. Shotguns, for close-up protection, and Lee Enfield 303 bolt action rifles for shooting large game, such as polar bears, will also be taken along with them. On last year's mission, an opportunity to use one of these presented itself when a wolf was caught 'stealing' army rations.
Komatiks, long wooden sleds built by the company in Winnipeg last month, were brought along, as well as fiberglass sleds carrying enough gear (clothing, hygiene kits and extra ammunition) for eight people, and rations for 72 hours. Pressure cookers included in the gear heat meals of meat loaf and chicken breast in as little as 10 minutes. The gear also included tents, which they later set up at the Winnipeg Beach Recreation Area.
The 'rugidized' tents were designed with extreme cold in mind, with a tall central pole functioning better than a square structure, which could mean poles that snap in arctic temperatures, falling as low as -60 C.
"It takes about 10 minutes to set up a tent," said Taylor. "If it takes them any longer, they are not working hard enough."
The soldiers continued setting up tents many minutes past the ten, but this was time for training.
Other soldiers put up a larger "Hot Tent", which is able to retain heat as high as -20C with its portable diesel Yukon stove, even at a -60 C temperature outside. The "Hot Tent" is a 'hospital in a box' that will find a permanent home at the Forward Grounding Base Nunalla, on the Manitoba-Nunavit border. A crew of one doctor and six medics will be along for part of the journey.
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Komatiks
Troops build komatiks for Ex NORTHERN BISON
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Soldiers from the Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) spent the first week of December building komatiks (wooden sleighs) in preparation for Exercise NORTHERN BISON 2011 from February 15–28
The Canadian Forces (CF) will be contributing to a top government priority—protecting the territorial integrity of the Arctic—and the komatiks will play a crucial role in ensuring that the soldiers can successfully move, shoot, communicate and sustain themselves in austere northern conditions.
“We will be packing a komatik with the UMS [unit medical station] and another komatik will be like a snow ambulance,” said Master Corporal Calin Ritchie, a medical technician with 17 Field Ambulance.
The komatiks will be pulled by snowmobiles throughout the exercise that will see both Regular and Reserve force soldiers work together with 1 and 4 Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups as they conduct a 300-km trek from Churchill, Manitoba to Arviat, Nunavut.
article continues at link...
(Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act)
Photo:
Finished komatiks are piled onto wheeled stands for ease of movement.
Approximately 90 Armed Forces personnel from the Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) spent much of their weekend in Gimli and Winnipeg Beach, with all of Saturday morning spent on the frozen surface of Lake Winnipeg.
The group, composed mainly of reserve soldiers, set up a command post at the Gimli Air Field RCAC Hangars, Fri. Jan 7, deploying early the next morning onto the lake to practice tactics, techniques and procedures as a preamble to their upcoming mission in the north, such as techniques in movement and long range patrolling.
Capt. Ron Taylor, the main planning person for the exercise, called 'Exercise Northern Bison 2011', oversaw the training of personnel from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, many of whom have never experienced conditions that far north. The group will be taking part in a 300 km journey from Churchill, MB to Arviat, NU from Feb. 19 to 27, 2011.
"We are the cold weather specialists for the army right now," said Taylor, who appeared warm after many hours in the frigid temperatures. Taylor explained that forces personnel would be equipped to deal with events such as a major air disaster, or could conduct ground search and rescue operations as far north as the Arctic.
"We have all the equipment with us that we will be using in Churchill," Taylor said.
Indeed, the soldiers were all equipped with standard issue C7A1 automatic rifles, held on their person by sturdy straps. The C7A1 is a gas operated weapon that is not always reliable in extreme cold conditions but which will be taken nonetheless on the northern mission as one means of protection. Shotguns, for close-up protection, and Lee Enfield 303 bolt action rifles for shooting large game, such as polar bears, will also be taken along with them. On last year's mission, an opportunity to use one of these presented itself when a wolf was caught 'stealing' army rations.
Komatiks, long wooden sleds built by the company in Winnipeg last month, were brought along, as well as fiberglass sleds carrying enough gear (clothing, hygiene kits and extra ammunition) for eight people, and rations for 72 hours. Pressure cookers included in the gear heat meals of meat loaf and chicken breast in as little as 10 minutes. The gear also included tents, which they later set up at the Winnipeg Beach Recreation Area.
The 'rugidized' tents were designed with extreme cold in mind, with a tall central pole functioning better than a square structure, which could mean poles that snap in arctic temperatures, falling as low as -60 C.
"It takes about 10 minutes to set up a tent," said Taylor. "If it takes them any longer, they are not working hard enough."
The soldiers continued setting up tents many minutes past the ten, but this was time for training.
Other soldiers put up a larger "Hot Tent", which is able to retain heat as high as -20C with its portable diesel Yukon stove, even at a -60 C temperature outside. The "Hot Tent" is a 'hospital in a box' that will find a permanent home at the Forward Grounding Base Nunalla, on the Manitoba-Nunavit border. A crew of one doctor and six medics will be along for part of the journey.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Komatiks
Troops build komatiks for Ex NORTHERN BISON
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Soldiers from the Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) spent the first week of December building komatiks (wooden sleighs) in preparation for Exercise NORTHERN BISON 2011 from February 15–28
The Canadian Forces (CF) will be contributing to a top government priority—protecting the territorial integrity of the Arctic—and the komatiks will play a crucial role in ensuring that the soldiers can successfully move, shoot, communicate and sustain themselves in austere northern conditions.
“We will be packing a komatik with the UMS [unit medical station] and another komatik will be like a snow ambulance,” said Master Corporal Calin Ritchie, a medical technician with 17 Field Ambulance.
The komatiks will be pulled by snowmobiles throughout the exercise that will see both Regular and Reserve force soldiers work together with 1 and 4 Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups as they conduct a 300-km trek from Churchill, Manitoba to Arviat, Nunavut.
article continues at link...
(Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act)
Photo:
Finished komatiks are piled onto wheeled stands for ease of movement.
