This weekend’s anticipated frigid temperatures will serve as a perfect training ground for local members of the military.
Canadian Forces Base Borden, located about 20 minutes west of Barrie, is set to host close to 100 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) from across southwestern Ontario on Saturday, Feb. 4 as they take part in Exercise Arrowhead Chill, a training exercise led by 31 Canadian Brigade Group and Barrie’s Grey and Simcoe Foresters.
Members of the 4th Canadian Division Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) will be at the local military base to participate in the exercise in preparation for Operation Nanook, which is a major CAF operation that includes the deployment of local army reservists in support of a larger effort that also includes aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force and ships of the Royal Canadian Navy.
This weekend, troops will participate in cold weather survival drills and, using specialized equipment, CAF members will develop and test advanced winter operations skills while preparing for quick responses to simulated threats and domestic emergencies.
Operation Nanook takes place each year across Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Labrador. It features up to four deployments over the course of the year.
The operation is described as the Canadian Armed Forces’ "signature" northern operation and consists of a series of comprehensive activities designed to exercise the defence of Canada and to secure the country’s northern regions.
