promoting the value of reservists

A-CR-007-000/ag-003 Alliance PROMOTING THE VALUE OF RESERVISTS
By MCpl ADAM WINNICKI
Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
Whenever I hear of training to be
held in United States, I jump at the
chance. When it’s conducted by Third
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment,
combined with The United States
Marine Corps, I know that it’s an opportunity
that I cannot miss. This year, I and
six other members of the Queen’s Own
Rifles accompanied Oscar Company, 3
RCR to train in Yuma, Arizona.
Our preparations started in late
March when we left the cold climates of
www.cflc.forces.gc.ca
Petawawa, Ont., for the hot deserts of
Yuma. Members of 3 RCR and The
Royal Canadian Dragoons were sent
down to assist in training for The Weapons
and Tactics Instructors (WTI)
Course. Our home for the next five
weeks was FOB Laguna, a makeshift
Forward Operating Base located in US
Army Yuma Proving Ground. Conditions
mimicked those of Afghanistan,
and with Yuma’s terrain and heat it reminded
me of my deployment overseas
in 2008.
Oscar Company’s intent was to complete
company level live fire ranges, so
LEFT - A soldier of Third Battalion, The
Royal Canadian Regiment, practices a
fast-rope insertion from a United States
Marine Corps helicopter, Yuma, Arizona,
Tuesday, May 8. RIGHT - Soldiers
from Third Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment, augmented by Reserve
soldiers from the Queen’s Own Rifles
of Canada, during the training.
- Photos by Cpl MARK PENNY
Reservists and Regulars train in Arizona
we began with personal weapons tests
and section-level training. These gun
camps ran us through every weapon system
employed by the infantry, from pistols,
shotguns and M203 grenadelaunchers
to 84 mm anti-tank rockets,
.50 calibre heavy machine-guns, and
even the dependable 60 mm mortar. Following
that, we spent four grueling days
of Close Quarter Battle training in an
urban compound called West LA. On the
fourth day of Urban Ops we traded our
notional rounds for paintballs and faced
off with a challenging enemy force,
which included Oscar Coy’s OC - Major
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