Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 10, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A13 Winnipeg free press thursday August 10, 2006 from newest and beyond ready for action new training system prepares Canadian soldiers for Afghanistan by Bob Bergen i to not every Day that you can use the words state of the Art and Canadas forces in the same sentence but remarkable new computerized army training equipment used for the first time at cab Wainwright in Alberta allows just that. Known As weapons effects simulation or by its acronym Wes the Complex array of lasers sensors global position ing systems radio transmitters and computers gives the Canadian military among the worlds most sophisticated training capability. The Canadian forces demonstrated How the system works to a group of four Calgary area academics during a trip last week to the new Canadian manoeuvre training Centre at Wain Wright. the $132-million Wes system has been in trials for two years. This was the first time it has been used on exercise. Here is How it works. Each Soldier wears an array of 10 detectors on his or her body and another four on his or her Hel met that registers laser simulated fire emitted from rifles machine guns tank cannons mines artillery grenades improvised explosive devices and chemical contaminants. If a Detector is struck by a laser the systems computer in each sol Diers tactical Vest you fired five assesses whether he or rounds and on these has been killed third round you mortally injured or slightly wounded. Killed a villager it tells wounded individuals where they have been injured their comrades the Emer gency first Aid required and How Long the wounded will live unless they get medical treatment. the Wes system also shows commanders Moni Toring giant screens where each and every sol Dier vehicle or weapon is on the entire 640-Square Kilometre Wainwright training area. It monitors their movements and reveals in near real time every shot fired who fired it who has been hit and who is a Friendly Force or not. As a result commanders can look a Soldier straight in the Eye and say you fired five rounds and on the third round you killed a the thinking behind such precise training is that it is better to get it wrong in Wainwright and learn from it than to get it wrong in Afghanistan. Moreover the actions of an engagement ? or for an entire Battle if need be ? can be played Back so commanders can assess the strengths and weaknesses of every action with unprecedented clarity. In addition individual unit actions like a raid on a building Are recorded with video cameras which allow Ever More precise after action reviews of the soldiers performance. That precision is what the Wes system brought to commanders and 80 Nova Scotia reservists on exercise at the manoeuvre training Centre since late june. Later this fall the same group of reservists will return to Wainwright and join up with the 2nd Royal Canadian regiment Battle group to train for a deployment to Afghanistan in Early 2007. When they do each and every member of the 2rcr Battle group of about 1,200 that will include a 300-member provincial reconstruction team a Royal Canadian Dragoon amour erd Squadron assorted engineers artillerymen command and support elements will be equipped with the new Wes training equipment. Altogether there will be 2,300 individual player units that will enable the tracking of soldiers vehicles weapons weapons sys the soldiers must tems and personnel. Learn to Deal with other countries have insurgents moving similar systems the americans were the Back and Forth first followed by the across the Border British and the australians. Just like they but Canadas system would in theatre is the most modern and the Best in the world. On top of that it was absolutely amazing for a Long time visitor to Camp Wainwright to see what the forces have done with the training Centre in an Effort to replicate the environment Canadian troops will find in Afghanistan thanks to canadians who have already been there. In the past when soldiers trained to fight in built up areas they had Only one cinder Block building to either assault or defend they now have near exact replicas of afghan villages markets farm complexes towns and caves. And they will have 150 people dressed and act ing like locals to Deal with. In the replicated abandoned town of spin boldak in the South that Borders on Pakistan the soldiers must learn to Deal with insurgents mov ing Back and Forth across the Border just like they would in theatre. They will have to Deal with refugees and imams and a police chief who cannot speak eng Lish. This will Force the soldiers to Deal with translators because there is an Art to carrying on business with a translator. To make the training even More life like the forces will bring in College journalism students from Calgary and Edmonton who will receive course credits for spending extended periods covering the training and reporting on what went right and what went wrong. This is great news for the next rotation of troops into Afghanistan because the next time the government trots out the old argument that Cana Dian troops Are Well equipped and Well trained for their Mission it will actually mean it. Bob Bergen is a research fellow with the Canadian defence & foreign affairs Institute Cefai in Calgary. Learn More about the Cefai and its research on the internet at Young Soldier lost his legs not his courage o ver the past few weeks i have visited a Young Soldier Cpl. Ryan Elrick in the health sciences Centre where he is recuperating from the loss of both legs to a mine strike while serving in Afghanistan with Princess Patricia a Canad an Light infantry. He has recently begun the Long and arduous process of rehabilitation. Despite his Terri ble misfortune he is Resolute in his belief that Canadian troops Are making a huge difference in Afghanistan and is justly proud of his service there and of the wonderful work being carried out by his fellow soldiers in the Kandahar Region. His Only regret is that he is not Able to Complete his tour of duty with his com rades. It is a humbling experience to see a Young incapacitated Soldier who has Given so much for the country yet is so positive and upbeat about Canadas role in restoring some degree of nor Malcy in a War torn country. He is con Vinced that he will walk and run again. He shared with me that his situation was not All that bad because he has a very sound mind a Strong will to succeed and bears no other ill effects of the tragic incident that took both his legs. He also has his regiment ? his second family ? and his buddies who Are All helping him through this very challenging situation. His greatest wish is that he will be allowed to continue to serve his country in some capacity. The recent deaths of six soldiers and a poll indicating a drop in Canadian approval of the Afghanistan Mission have again raised the Issue of Canadas continuing role in the Kandahar Region. But this is not the time to walk away from the accomplishments and gains made to Date. It is not the time for our political leaders to turn cold on the Mission. And it is certainly not the time to turn our backs on the unselfish sacrifices of the 24 soldiers killed in action and the dozens of others like Cpl. Elrick who have been severely wounded and maimed for life. This is not to suggest a cold hearted approach or that the number of casual ties is not of grave concern. Most of the casualties in Afghanistan were and Are members of Princess Patricia a Canadian Light infantry and on a per Sonal note the regiment that i served with and continue to serve in other ways. These Young soldiers Are like family which makes their death and injury that much More difficult to accept. Having had the Opportunity to talk to some of the wounded soldiers and their families they All speak very highly of the just and Noble contribution that Canada is making in Afghanistan and the need to continue the Mission. Surely this is what Canada is All about ? protecting our freedoms Liv ing up to commitments supporting our troops helping others in time of need. Ujjala Dosanjh the Liberal defence critic recently called for a review of Canadas Mission stating that it had become too combat focused and had strayed from the original peacekeeping Mission. He is either extremely naive or does to have a clue about the realities of Afghanistan. There is no peace to keep in the Kan Dahar Region. Canada is at War against the terrorists whose aim is to prevent a peaceful existence for the afghan peo ple and indeed for All democratic nations. Humanitarian Aid reconstruction and redevelopment of the nation cannot occur without the commensurate Security within which such activities can occur unhindered. Kandahar is the Centre of Gravity for military operations. Most of the remainder of the country is relatively peaceful and much Progress has been made in All areas of reconstruction and gradually a degree of normalcy is being established for the Afghani peo ple. Understandably this is a Long process and one that cannot be accomplished within a few months or even years. Canada is contributing to the redevelopment and reconstruction through its training of the afghan police and military As Well As through the provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar. But until the afghan government is capable of securing the nation in the broadest sense by ridding the country of the Taliban All of this will be for naught. The country will once again become a Haven for terrorists capable of inflicting grave damage to democratic nations including Canada. Prime minister Stephen Harper is absolutely right in his firm resolve to stay the course despite the growing casualties. The Federal governments decision to withdraw from the Mission cannot be based on casualties and polls. Rather it must be based on the measured and gradual ability of the afghan government to assume full responsibility for All aspects of Gover Nance. This includes maintaining peace and Security ensuring human rights Are protected providing for economic development re establishing key infrastructure and essentially getting the country Back on its feet. This will take a tremendous amount of International resources and Effort and Canada can be justifiably proud of the role it is playing in this regard. The initial indication of Success in establishing Security is the elimination or significant reduction of the Taliban and other operatives in the area. This has occurred in most areas except the volatile Kandahar Region which of course is the focus for Canadian troops and rightly so. Economic and construction Progress cannot be accomplished without the necessary Security being established. This is being done now with Canadas military assisting in the training of these forces and having the afghan police and Mili tary participating in operations along Side nato troops. Canada has committed to nato the International Community and to the afghan people to remain As part of the Mission until 2009. Canada is playing a very significant role in All these areas and has begun to recover some of its lost International credibility by show ing that As canadians we can be relied upon and trusted to live up to commit ments and to play our expected role in world affairs. We can All learn a very valuable Les son from these wonderful Young men and women like Cpl. Elrick and the Many others who have Given their lives for the country and who have suffered lifelong injuries. We must stay the course in Afghanistan. . Ray Crabbe retired is a former Deputy chief of defence staff ;