Canadian Army training in Chatham-Kent

Members of the Immediate Response Unit (IRU) in Quebec load food supplies during Operation LENTUS 1703 at CFB Valcartier in Courcelette Québec, May 8, 2017. (Sgt Marc-André Gaudreault, Valcartier Imaging Services VL08-2017-0010-039)

Over 600 Canadian Army soldiers from 31 Canadian Brigade Group (31 CBG), headquartered in London, Ontario will conduct Exercise ‘Arrowhead Response’ from April 25-28, 2019 all across Southwestern Ontario.

Approximately 120 soldiers will deploy to Chatham-Kent, and operate as a Domestic Response Company at the Chatham Memorial Arena.

Residents will also see soldiers and military vehicles in the immediate area and around Chatham-Kent.

The aim of the exercise is to practise the planning and execution of domestic support operations, which take place after receiving a Request for Assistance (RFA) from civil authorities during a crisis like a natural disaster or industrial accident.

31 CBG will be responding to a simulated hazardous material spill in a scenario that includes an RFA from a local Municipality.

Overall, the exercise will include the deployment of three Domestic Response Companies to Chatham-Kent, Hanover and Woodstock, Ontario, and other unit deployments including an armoured reconnaissance squadron, a combat engineer squadron, an administrative support company, a communications squadron, and a Headquarters to provide command and control of deployed personnel and assets.

The exercise scenario will include a variety of training tasks and objectives, including the set-up of reception centres, establishment of command posts, and conducting patrols in the community by vehicle and foot.

There will be opportunities for the public to interact with Army personnel and they are encouraged to visit the various locations and talk to the soldiers.

All Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members will be completely unarmed, and will have no access to ammunition or pyrotechnics of any kind.

Army officials say it is asked that the public use extra caution when near military vehicles, as the CAF takes every measure to conduct safe exercises with minimal impact on the people living in the communities they serve.

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