Corporal Warren’s decision to become a Dragoon brought him to Operation UNIFIER
December 6, 2023 - Defence Stories
By: Major Christopher Daniel, Senior Public Affairs Officer, Joint Task Force-Ukraine
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Operation UNIFIER was Corporal Alex Warren’s first deployment. He was stationed in Poland from August to October 2023 as part of the Leopard Training Element.
“I’ve always been fascinated by tanks and wanted the opportunity to be part of a crew operating these massive 70-ton steel beasts,” said Corporal (Cpl) Alex Warren, an armoured soldier from C Squadron, The Royal Canadian Dragoons based out of Gagetown, New Brunswick. “I’m so glad to have made the decision to become a Dragoon as it brought me to Poland to share my knowledge and skills with Ukrainian tankers during Operation UNIFIER.”
Cpl Warren’s father, who has been an artillery officer for over 35 years, is his biggest inspiration for joining the CAF.
“From a really young age I’ve looked up to what he did and it made me want to join,” said Cpl Warren. “When I applied to join the CAF, my only choice was to become an armoured soldier and I got it!”
Cpl Warren explains that an armoured soldier could be part of a crew of three to four people inside of an armoured vehicle, either on a Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV), a Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV), or a Leopard 2A4 main battle tank (MBT). “As a crew member, we’re doing maintenance of the vehicle, taking it out for a drive and shooting. When we’re out in the field or on exercise, we spend a lot of time living with our crew mates and enjoying camaraderie,” he shared.
Operation UNIFIER was Cpl Warren’s first deployment. He was stationed in Poland from August to October 2023 as part of the Leopard Training Element.
“Myself and five other CAF tankers were responsible for providing driver training to the Armed Forces of Ukraine soldiers. That encompassed driving the Leopard 2 MBT and performing maintenance on it,” said Cpl Warren. “It was amazing experience sharing our knowledge and best practices with Ukrainian tankers. They were very professional, motivated and eager to learn. It’s very rewarding to know that our efforts during this deployment make a positive difference on the lives of Ukrainians as the skills they develop in operating the Leopard are being used to defend their country’s sovereignty and independence.”
Cpl Warren’s advice to those aspiring to join the CAF is to never give up on their dreams. “Just persevere and when you become a CAF soldier, focus on the camaraderie and the bonding experiences with the people you work with because that is the experience that you will remember forever.”
Asked why CAF applicants should consider becoming an armoured soldier, he answered, “If the idea of being in a large armoured vehicle appeals to you, go for it. There is no better feeling than driving around in a 70-ton Leopard 2 and being deployed abroad making a positive difference when it matters!”