A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 largest military bases.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a once-a-month weekend training session at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, 260 kilometres southeast of Calgary, for 158 members of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, composed of Army Reserve units in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
They range in ages and include a high school teacher, the owner of a sewing company, a private investigator and a mountain guide.
Many have hopes of being deployed to the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Latvia and helping fend off Russian threats.
Col. Chris Hunt, commander of the brigade group, delivers a pep talk to reservists practising with C6 machine-guns.
B次元官网网址淔or those of you B次元官网网址� just coming off your basic infantry course now, weB次元官网网址檙e going to need to fill two battle groups back-to-back in B次元官网网址�27 and B次元官网网址�28. So get as many qualifications as you can now,B次元官网网址� he yells over a howling west wind.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 going to make you competitive for deployment. WeB次元官网网址檙e one bad newscast away from being full-time on active service for all of us.B次元官网网址�
CFB Suffield has been the site of military training in the region since 1972 and, at 2,700 square kilometres, is the largest military training area in Canada. There are rolling hills and knee-high native Prairie grasses as far at the eye can see and, for safety reasons, the artillery range sits 20 kilometres from other training areas on the base.
Capt. Peter Rosendal, 55, is being deployed to Latvia and promoted to the rank of major for a six-month tour beginning in December.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very much looking forward to it. ItB次元官网网址檚 my first deployment.B次元官网网址�
Rosendal belongs to Southern Alberta Light Horse, an armoured reconnaissance unit, and was in the reserves from 1986 to 2000. He then worked as a high school teacher in Lethbridge, Alta., for 17 years before rejoining the military.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 actually a strange bear. I had to (do basic training) all over again,B次元官网网址� he says.
He says conflict around the world, including Ukraine, makes the training more urgent.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a direct impact to what youB次元官网网址檙e doing.B次元官网网址�
Maj. Brent Peters joined the Canadian Forces when he was 17. He continues to serve part time with the KingB次元官网网址檚 Own Calgary Regiment and has been deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan.
B次元官网网址淭he new soldiers are really, really keen to get out and be on the armoured vehicles,B次元官网网址� says Peters, who in his civilian life works as a mountain guide.
Pte. Rhys Dunnill Jones, 23, says he comes from a military family and wanted to enhance his mental and physical strength.
He owns a company that sews and designs tactical gear.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 awesome to be part of a bigger, cohesive group. You get to play with machine-guns as well,B次元官网网址� he says with a laugh.
B次元官网网址淚 would absolutely love, if given the chance, to deploy.B次元官网网址�
At 18, Pte. Zachary Fowler is the baby of the group. Also coming from a military family, he is eager to serve overseas.
B次元官网网址淚 am trying to get all the steps I can done so I can,B次元官网网址� he says.
Bombardier Raymond Chow owns a paintball field in the Edmonton area, works at the airport and is also a process server and private investigator.
Chow, 31, says he joined the reserves after university and would like to deploy one day.
B次元官网网址淣ow I do it as sort of a side hobby. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of fun,B次元官网网址� he says.
B次元官网网址淒efinitely at some point in my career, maybe when IB次元官网网址檓 a little older B次元官网网址� maybe in five years.B次元官网网址�
Hunt, the brigade group commander, says reserve recruitment has been ramping up to turn out as many part-time professional soldiers as quickly as possible.
B次元官网网址淐anada has a long-term commitment to Latvia,B次元官网网址� he says.
B次元官网网址淭he army is going to be in Latvia for the long term. So in order to sustain that commitment, itB次元官网网址檚 going to take reservists working alongside our regular force colleagues.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
