Ex ORNERY RAM

May 8, 2019 - Tim Bryant, Western Sentinel

After many months of preparation, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG) has descended on 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton Detachment Wainwright for its penultimate test along the Road to High Readiness – Exercise ORNERY RAM 2019.

The exercise, which runs from April 6 to May 5, 2019, is designed to test the units making up 1 CMBG—1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1, 2, and 3 PPCLI); Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians); 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1 RCHA); 1 Combat Engineer Regiment; 1 Service Battalion; and 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron—on their live fire battle task standards, soldier skills, and battle group and brigade manoeuvres. It is the final step along the Road to High Readiness prior to Ex MAPLE RESOLVE, which is a force-on-force exercise that determines the readiness of 1 CMBG to be deployed as directed by the government of Canada.

2 PPCLI and 1 RCHA came the furthest for the exercise, travelling from their home at Canadian Forces Base Shilo.

Ex ORNERY RAM is led by Colonel Bob Ritchie, Commander 1 CMBG, who intends to conduct this exercise as a progressive, challenging and safe dry and live training to develop 1 CMBG as an agile and lethal combined arms team. Combat teams will emerge as certified experts at combined arms effects, confident and ready to fight.

“1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is committed to providing the Government of Canada with a professional and well-trained military force. Over the past year, we have made deliberate investments in our readiness, resilience and growth, including training tactically and realistically in austere environments,” said Col Ritchie. “Exercise ORNERY RAM will sharpen our skills and galvanize 1 CMBG’s commitment to being an agile, scalable and responsive land force.”

The exercise is also designed to hone fundamental soldier skills, and battle group and brigade proficiencies, which includes tactical movement, warfighting and sustainment, all while creating a culture that engenders professional learning. In addition, 1 CMBG will embrace all lessons learned from Ex ORNERY RAM and apply them to future training exercises.

Success in Ex ORNERY RAM sets 1 CMBG up for future success in Operation IMPACT, Op REASSURANCE and Op UNIFIER.

Ex ORNERY RAM consists of four phases: preparation and deployment, Enhanced Level 3 Dry and Live, L5 confirmation, and L6 and L7 dry and the final transition to Ex MAPLE RESOLVE.