LFCA / SCFT NR-001.08 - February 11, 2008
CAMP DONA ANA,
Fort Bliss, Texas - One of the largest recent Canadian
army exercises involving roughly 3,300 soldiers began this week at Fort Bliss,
a United States Army base located in western Texas.
The exercise is being led
by 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and will last the month of February
with the redeployment of soldiers back to Canada happening during the first
week of March. The exercise is designed to prepare another rotation of Canadian
soldiers for deployment to Afghanistan later this year.
“This is a very important exercise,” says Colonel Dean Milner,
Commander of 2 CMBG, “This is a huge logistical challenge for the brigade
to get down to Texas, and it will be challenging training for all the soldiers
who will be a part of the exercise.”
These challenges include a number of training scenarios that will force the
soldiers to conduct their operations in areas where there are friendly and
hostile civilians, enemy insurgents, media, and Afghan National Security Forces.
All of the training is specifically designed to prepare soldiers for Afghanistan.
Involved in the exercise will be The Third Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
led Battle Group, the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team led by 2 Combat
Engineer Regiment, the Observer Mentor Liaison Team led by The First Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment, the National Support Element led by 2 Service
Battalion, and Joint Task Force Afghanistan Headquarters who will deploying
to Afghanistan in April of 2008.
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Note to editors: All information regarding Exercise
Southern Bear can be found on the 2 CMBG website at http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/2cmbg_hq/
For more information please contact Lieutenant Andrew Hennessy, 2 CMBG Public
Affairs Officer via cell phone in Texas at (613) 639-0485, or via blackberry
at hennessy.ad@forces.gc.ca
