• Troops will soon be heading overseas
The largest military exercise in Canada in a decade is underway to the north of the M.D. of Provost, at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.

Major Dave Anderson told media on Friday that “This is to confirm war fighting capability skills in conflict.”

The exercises will use $17 million and an additional $17.6 million in ammunition alone.

Anderson adds that this training is “critical” to the success of the army and is designed to meet Canada’s defense plans.

Now at the base and out in the field are 4,400 soldiers, 1500 vehicles and there will be training of small arms and tanks up to F-18 and F-16 fighter jet aircraft.

Another component of the exercise is a tear gassing of troops and counter measures that will take place immediately. If some soldiers do not move quickly they will feel the effects of the gas—including two who did just that already and suffered a burning sensation on their eyes.

Major Jim Jenson who plans attacks on soldiers says that a decontamination process set up is used in conjunction with smoke to confuse the enemy. He says it takes about 10 hours to set up their decontamination site.

Lt. Dave Yurczyszyn who is in charge of the decontamination process a few miles away wears special papers on his uniform to quickly detect what agents are being sent their way. The papers are like a litmus paper and change colours when it comes in contact with certain agents. Yurczyszyn’s soldiers under his command wear full body rubber suits and gas masks for the simulation.