Grizzly Defender 2015

ALBERTA, CANADA

08.18.2015

Story by Sgt. Matthew Sissel 

122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element

ALBERTA, Canada - More than 60 Washington Army National Guard soldiers from 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Spokane, Wash., along with nearly 300 Canadian Army Reservists from 41st Canadian Brigade Group participated in Exercise Grizzly Defender from Aug. 13-25 at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, Canada.

The exercise conducted combined arms training in a contemporary operating environment scenario. The training integrated U.S. and Canadian soldiers and focused on offensive tasks including patrols, raids, convoys, information operations, and traffic control points.

To increase the realism of the scenario, actors were hired to play the role of civilians on the battlefield and were cast as residents, local police, a mayor and religious figure, as well as opposition forces.

Many of the military operations during the exercise were conducted in urban terrain environments in which the soldiers had to interact with civilians in peaceful, tense, and armed-conflict scenarios.

The focus on offensive warfighting skills is within the context of realistic, challenging and engaging training scenarios tested the resolution and determination of leadership and troops at all levels.

Canadian Army Reserve Lt. Col. Kyle Clapperton, commander of the Calgary Highlanders, highlighted the value of an integrated U.S. and Canadian training environment.

“This week has been a great opportunity to bond and to learn from each other as professional soldiers to fight our wars for our countries,” Clapperton said. “This is important — we don’t fight alone, we fight together. We are each other’s strongest ally.”

• Date Taken: 08.18.2015
• Date Posted: 09.08.2015 13:17
• Story ID: 175426
• Location: ALBERTA, CA