Reserve Summer Training 2024 with 41 CBG
August 29, 2024 - Emily Tam, Communications Assistant, 41 Canadian Brigade Group
This year’s Reserve Summer Training (RST) for 41 Canadian Brigade Group (41 CBG) started back in May and will finish at the end of August.
Directed by the 41 CBG Battle School, Commanding Officer Lieutenant‑Colonel Peter Boyle stated the purpose of RST is “to increase the brigade’s trained effective strength and meet operational remits by executing individual training courses.”
As part of the Department of National Defence’s greater mission to ensure the safety and security of Canada, RST is essential to achieving such objectives.
This year, RST took place in a few areas located within Alberta. Training primarily took place at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Suffield, the largest military training area in Canada, and 3rd Canadian Division Support Base (3 CDSB) Edmonton. Some aspects of courses also occurred at 3 CDSB Edmonton Detachment Wainwright. The staff and students involved mostly came from 41 CBG. However, there were also many participants from across 3rd Canadian Division and as far away as 32 CBG in Toronto.
RST focuses on providing various courses for new recruits and soldiers, one such example being the Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course. Out of all the courses this summer, the largest output of soldiers came from the BMQ course.
“Approximately 120 soldiers completed their BMQ course, which means there are 120 more soldiers available to deploy domestically to fight forest fires or floods,” said LCol Boyle.
Deputy Commanding Officer Major Chris Bradley said this is almost double the number of soldiers who participated when the BMQ course was offered during the first year RST took place.
In total, the 41 CBG Battle School will have seen close to 300 students attend training over the course of the summer. Adding the large number of staff and instructors would bring the total number of soldiers involved in RST to approximately 350.
Beyond the BMQ course, there were also several Rank Qualification courses, which are meant to train soldiers to operate within their specific trades. This includes roles like Armour Officer, Artillery Engineer, Combat Engineer, Infantry, Human Resources Administrator and Financial Services Administrator. In addition to these courses, the Battle School also trained a group of new officers on their initial leadership phase of training.
Caption
Scenes from 41 Canadian Brigade Group’s Reserve Summer Training
Photos courtesy Capt Kwabena Apomah, 41 Canadian Brigade Group
Many soldiers who were previously students undergoing their Basic Training years have grown to become the instructors. One such individual is Captain Kwabena Apomah, a Signal and Communication officer with 41 Signal Regiment. He served as a Course Officer for this summer’s RST while fondly recalling his own years as a trainee in the Battle School.
“When I first enlisted, these sergeants were the instructors who shaped my initial military experience,” said Capt Apomah. “To now find myself in a position of leadership alongside them is both humbling and gratifying.”
Highlighting how his experience had come full circle, Capt Apomah expressed how personal and professional development can be intertwined in a military environment. RST not only introduced individuals to military routine, tradition and knowledge, but also discipline, adaptability and leadership.
Just as it had every year before this one, RST 2024 successfully provided new recruits with experiences that will serve as the foundation for their military career, helping them to find their place in the military community and forge bonds of camaraderie with fellow peers.
Page details
- Date modified: