Canadian Forces Base Borden hosts annual Health Team Challenge

August 18, 2026 – Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 1:29

Caption

Participants depart to begin the 5 km route of the MBBR Challenge from Andy Anderson Arena at CFB Borden on Monday June 29.

Photo credit: CFB Borden Base Imagery

Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden hosted its annual Mind, Body Battle Ready (MBBR) Challenge in Borden on June 29. This year’s event was organized by the Personnel Support Programs Health Promotion team, featuring 65 teams totalling over 400 personnel.

Along the five-kilometre route, the teams participated in 10 surprise stations, each of them hosted by a different unit on base, and each of them geared towards a specific set of skills. Teams had to adapt quickly and figure things out together. The uncertainty throughout encouraged members to remain agile and responsive. Planning could only take place on location at each station, which was an intended effect of the overall goal of preparing members for what they might see in an operational environment. “You won't know what’s coming, same as how we don’t get a playbook when we’re in a theatre of conflict. We adapt and overcome whatever is thrown our way, as a team,” said CFB Borden/ Military Personnel Generation Training Group (MPGTG) Commander Colonel Melissa Ramessar prior to the start of the day’s events. Morale was high throughout the morning and team cohesion shined through. While the order of finish was what was rewarded, the team experience was the valued takeaway.” As one member noted, “In the end, we were tired, but it felt good knowing we pushed through together.”

The event marked the end of the broader annual MBBR campaign cycle, which highlights the connection between physical fitness, mental resilience, and operational readiness. The recurring events that make up MBBR also include seminars, workshops, and panel discussions promoting mental health, sleep hygiene, and physical fitness. Events like the MBBR Challenge give members a chance to step away from their usual routines while still building on important skills.

For most participants, the highlight was the experience itself and the sense of accomplishment at the end. This year’s winning team was the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (RCEME) School. CFB Borden would like to thank the event organizers and all who took part in making this event a hotly contested success on a sunny and muggy day in late June.