Page 188 - The Bugle 2018

THE EFFORT THE TROOPS PUT IN OVER THE LAST YEAR EXEMPLIFIES THE PARA- TROOPER ETHOS: HARD WORKING, HARD CHARGING TROOPS READY TO ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION THAT COMES THEIR WAY
The exercise saw the company stage out of Abbotsford for a parachute descent out of a CC-130J Hercules aircraft into Comox. B Coy seized the airfield and then moved its command post to Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Quadra, a cadet camp located in Comox at Goose Spit. There, B Coy linked up with battalion command and a joint exercise with Global Affairs Canada began.
Immediately following Ex READY ANGLE, B Coy participated in Ex PEGASUS TRIDENT. The company moved its base of operations from Comox to Albert Head, just outside of CFB Esquimalt. The purpose of this exercise was to train the troops in both urban and amphibious operations. At Albert Head, B Coy took part in another shooting package under Warrant Officer Tom Millar. B Coy linked in with members of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Diving Unit. The troops partook in the aquatic obstacle course, which entailed an 800 metre swim, followed by a rope course. This was a precursor to the main event, helo-casting from a Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King. Staged out of Albert Head, the troops were picked up by a Sea King from 443 Squadron based out of Patricia Bay.
The end of June saw B Coy deploy on Ex TALISMAN SABRE. The entirety of B Coy, supple- mented by 1 Platoon from the 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment, deployed to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Our mission was to conduct a parachute descent into the Shoalwater Bay training area in Australia and to seize key terrain and secure routes in order to facilitate a forward passage of lines with Australian mechanized forces. The 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion facilitated this training.
In August B Coy deployed to British Columbia on Op LENTUS. Ravaged by wildfires in the area, the RCMP requested assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in facilitating evacuation orders, manning posts, and assisting in firefighting. B Coy deployed to Williams Lake, where 6 Platoon was detached to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. 4 and 5 Platoons were relocated to 70 Mile and Clinton. The platoons conducted tasks in and around their areas of operation admirably. The operation demonstrated their ability to work with both military and civilian agencies. The military received a warm reception from the locals in British Columbia.
The effort the troops put in over the last year exemplifies the paratrooper ethos: hard working, hard charging troops ready to adapt to any situation that comes their way. The training opportunities afforded to the B Coy offered a vast and varying set of tasks.
From February to August, Charlie Company formed and deployed a company group with attachments from reconnaissance platoon; the sniper cell, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment; 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and various reserve regiments to the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area in Poland for Op REASSURANCE Roto 7. Replacing A Coy, 1 PPCLI, the C Coy Group was sent as the Land Task Force part of North Atlantic Treaty Organiza- tions (NATO) assurance and deterrence measures to reinforce collective defense in Central and Eastern Europe. Their mission was two-fold: to support NATO in helping make the area more secure and stable and to demonstrate that the CAF is a professional force ready for any task.
C Coy achieved their mission by attending several major exercises: ALLIED SPIRIT VI, PLATINUM EAGLE 17.2, SPRING STORM, SABER STRIKE, and SABER GUARDIAN. These exercises took place in various countries including: Germany, Romania, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. When not on exercise, the Charlie Company Group perfected their soldier skills and ran many training events and ranges. For two weeks in July, 8 Platoon was tasked out to conduct fast rope training with the Polish 1st Air Cavalry Battalion. They seized a rare oppor- tunity to work with a competent unit and received advanced training and qualifications.
Reconnaissance (Recce) Platoon deployed one section on Op REASSURANCE Roto 7 in support of C Coy. They participated in three multinational exercises. First in Hohenfels, Germany, they practised a delay against a superior enemy force. In Romania, they conducted live-fire training with the Romanian Army and American Marines. Lastly, in Bulgaria they seized an Airfield in a large battalion airborne operation. The remainder of the platoon was part of the NEO confirmation in Comox, British Columbia, part of Ex READY ANGLE. Recce Platoon was employed as enemy force during Ex MAPLE FLAG in Cold Lake, Alberta, where they conducted training with the engineers on explosive handling and breaching.
Signals Platoon deployed a section on Op REASSURANCE Roto 7 where they reaffirmed their interoperability with 26 Allied countries on multiple exercises. Some of the highlights included
teaching high frequency communication to the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne battalion. Signals platoon supported the Brigade in all exercises throughout the year. Currently, Signals Platoon is looking at increasing overall unit effectiveness by acquiring new Harris 150 radios,
man portable satellite systems.
Finished the Exercise, Exercise SPARTAN ASCENT