Mishall RehmanApproximately 1,500 soldiers from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) completed Exercise STORMING BEAR on Nov. 21, the 2 CMBG’s first benchmark on the Road to High Readiness army training cycle.
“Exercise STORMING BEAR was an essential stepping stone for the soldiers from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group on their Road to High Readiness. Ensuring that these soldiers can move, communicate, and fight in a complex, combined arms environment proves their versatility and shows that they are ready, when the time comes, to deploy domestically or abroad,” said Col. Conrad Mialkowski, Commander, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade.
Based out of Petawawa, ON, units from 2 CMBG taking part in Ex. STORMING BEAR included 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions; The Royal Canadian Regiment; The Royal Canadian Dragoons;, 2 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery; 2 Combat Engineer Regiment; 2 Signals Squadron; 2 Service Battalion; 2 Field Ambulance; and 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, as well as supporting personnel.
Held in both Petawawa, ON, and Gagetown, NB simultaneously, the exercise featured live-fire, combined arms training events featuring complex groupings of soldiers alongside armoured vehicles, supported by artillery fire, CH-147 Chinook, and CH-146 Griffon helicopters, and other supporting personnel.
The Road to High Readiness is the Canadian Army’s flagship training regime to ensure soldiers are prepared for domestic or expeditionary deployments.
Soldiers from the 2 CMBG began their Road to High Readiness training in July 2016. They will become the Canadian Army’s High Readiness Task Force next summer.
