Ex CALIFORNIA BEAR
Recce Sqn - Lt Al Rodgers
Recce Sqn - Lt Al Rodgers
After a well deserved Christmas Break, Recce Sqn was back at work early on the 2nd of January in order to prepare for our deployment to California for Ex CALIFORNIA BEAR. Recce Sqn soldiers began flying out on the 4th with the Sqn complete in Ft Irwin by the 8th of January. Before we headed out to the simulated Kandahar Airfield, soldiers were put through a number of courses conducted by our American hosts that would help prepare us for operations in the desert, both here in California, and more importantly, in Afghanistan.
While we have only been here just over a week, we have already been impressed by the immense resources that are available to us at the National Training Centre, Ft Irwin. Operating in a harsh desert environment, with situational actors and locations, allows us to be fully immersed in the Afghan scenarios we are being put through. Our first “stand” exercise that we conducted was a route reconnaissance. A dawn to dusk operation, this task combined a number of skills that Recce Sqn will be required to conduct during our overseas deployment.
When not being tested on formal training lanes, Recce Sqn has kept busy conducting Troop Level training in the area surrounding the Forward Operating Base (FOB) we now call Kandahar Airfield. This included allowing drivers to experience some of the difficulties of moving over uneven desert terrain. From rocky outcrops to deep sand and steep drop offs into hard to see seasonal dry riverbeds known as wadi’s, operating in the desert is proving to be a challenging task. As a vital skill to Recce Sqn, we also practiced setting up Observation Posts (OPs) using our surveillance equipment in our Coyote reconnaissance vehicles, allowing us to effectively and efficiently observe areas from long range.
While we have only been here just over a week, we have already been impressed by the immense resources that are available to us at the National Training Centre, Ft Irwin. Operating in a harsh desert environment, with situational actors and locations, allows us to be fully immersed in the Afghan scenarios we are being put through. Our first “stand” exercise that we conducted was a route reconnaissance. A dawn to dusk operation, this task combined a number of skills that Recce Sqn will be required to conduct during our overseas deployment.
When not being tested on formal training lanes, Recce Sqn has kept busy conducting Troop Level training in the area surrounding the Forward Operating Base (FOB) we now call Kandahar Airfield. This included allowing drivers to experience some of the difficulties of moving over uneven desert terrain. From rocky outcrops to deep sand and steep drop offs into hard to see seasonal dry riverbeds known as wadi’s, operating in the desert is proving to be a challenging task. As a vital skill to Recce Sqn, we also practiced setting up Observation Posts (OPs) using our surveillance equipment in our Coyote reconnaissance vehicles, allowing us to effectively and efficiently observe areas from long range.
Training here allows us to work closely with other members of the Battle Group, an immensely important factor in training. We experienced this during our last operation a “Cordon and Search” in which we worked with a number of supporting elements, from infantry to Counter IED and dog teams, creating a task tailored force to defeat the enemy insurgents. Quickly moving in to cordon a village with suspected key IED cell leaders, Recce Sqn was able to neutralize the enemy presence in that village. Again, the resources at the NTC were outstanding, from realistic Afghan buildings, to actual Afghan actors who acted as both friendly and enemy personnel.
Thus far, the soldiers of Recce Sqn are impressed with the training being offered us, and are looking forward to the challenging stands and scenarios we will face over the next month and a half.
Thus far, the soldiers of Recce Sqn are impressed with the training being offered us, and are looking forward to the challenging stands and scenarios we will face over the next month and a half.
Early morning departure
(Click to enlarge)
Deploying to STX Lane
An After Action coffee, (L-R)
Sgt Burwell, Sgt Woodcroft, MCpl Brown
Sgt Burwell, Sgt Woodcroft, MCpl Brown
Getting ready to deploy
More preparations for deployment
Preparation for the next day's activities
Preparing all equipment for deployment
Preparing for the STX Lane
Preparing for the STX Lane
Redeployment in KAF (FOB KING)
Copyright 2010 Royal Canadian Dragoons, All Rights Reserved
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