JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Designed to test Soldiers' stamina and mental resilience, nine U.S. Army Alaska Soldiers attended the third annual Canadian Patrol Concentration, also known as CPC, in Wainwright, Alberta.
Maj. Gen. Bryan Owens, U.S. Army Alaska commanding general, alongside Canadian Col. Martin Frank, USARAK deputy commander - operations coined each Soldier for their participation in the event. It was the first time a team from U.S. Army Alaska had been represented.
"I am so proud of you all," Owens said. "Taking part in this kind of exercise is very important to your development as a Soldier."
The CPC, described as both physically and mentally exhausting, is designed to test Soldier skills and section-level leadership. The event provides junior leadership with a chance to test and build their skills.
Twenty-six teams from across Canada and five teams representing the land forces from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States came together to respond to realistic and challenging scenario-based events as they patrolled in unpredictable terrain and weather.
Interaction and interoperability with international partners are important aspects of U.S. Army Alaska's mission. With this uniquely Canadian event, came a chance for USARAK Soldiers to take full advantage of a number training opportunities that will help further cultivate these growing relationships.
"International participation underscores the value of this type of training and demonstrates the strong ties between our allies and the Canadian Army," said Commander of the Canadian Army, Lt. Gen. Marquis Hainse. "I am convinced that participants will find the concentration both challenging and rewarding."
The team's mission was to conduct a reconnaissance patrol covering more than 20 miles of terrain. The USARAK soldiers were actively hunted by enemy combatants, being role-played by Canadian soldiers, and had to move tactically to avoid being compromised by the enemy while keeping time constraints in mind. After spending close to 30 hours on the ground, the team was extracted by a CH-146 Griffon helicopter to friendly lines where they were required to debrief their chain of command about the mission.
"We definitely learned a lot," said Staff Sgt. Andrae Bermudez, who visited Canada for the first time for this exercise. "It was important because it gave us a more realistic training scenario to test our knowledge."
The CPC is organized by the Canadian Maneouver Training Centre (CMTC). CMTC is part of the larger Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre, which plans and manages the intellectual development and training of the Canadian Army.
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