Iron Talon II
May 12, 2007

The 32nd Canadian Army Brigade rehearsed war fighting and stability tasks at the Land Force Central Area Training Centre in Meaford, Ontario. The exercises code-named Iron Talon II were designed to train army reserves in full-spectrum operations, such as humanitarian aid, stability operations and focused warfare exercises. 790 reservists, with additional full time military took part in scenario based exercises which were adapted from the various experiences of troops who had recently returned from serving in Afghanistan. Senior journalism students were also embedded with the units participating in the exercises, to mimic the reality of war, as media presence on the battlefront has become the norm. This addition of journalists helps the army get accustomed to having them around on the front lines, as well as helping to train the journalism students who may become future Canadian foreign correspondents.

I spent the day with the Queens Own Rifles based out the Dalton Armoury in Scarborough and The 32 Combat Engineers Regiment based out of Denison Armoury at Downsview Park in Toronto. The Q.O.R. executed a number of strategic infantry based scenarios, while the 32 C.E.R. were engaged in an exercise which was built around a scenario of "Destroying Remnants of War".

It was pretty damn cool watching the 32 C.E.R. set off various 155mm and 76mm live artillery shells with C4.