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Yellowknife bids adieu to Arctic Ram Simon Whitehouse Northern News Services Published Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Though a very cold day, many were out on the frozen ice watching as seven members of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry Bravo Company dropped from a chartered aircraft to the middle of the lake. A number of families viewed various armoured and non-armoured military vehicles which were on display. The army estimated there were about 100 soldiers, with roughly 200 visitors coming and going. "Even though I'm here all year long, I came with the Arctic Ram people to help let people come and see what we do," said Cpl. John Pavey of the Yellowknife C-Company army reserves. "I think it is important people come out, but also very important for the army to experience Yellowknife." The two-week exercise wasn't offered the bitter Arctic cold soldiers were expecting, which Pavey called "abnormal." However, it was clear the weather was a topic that many of the men and women in service were discussing before visiting. Cpl. Derek McAstocker was at the weapons display tent and table showing a number of young children various weapons, including C7 and C9 assault rifles, and a machine gun. Though he had been in Yellowknife before - he was here in 2010 with the 41 Canadian Brigade Group to help build a walkway on the Frame Lake Trail - he was expecting the weather to be a lot worse than what it was. "I like Yellowknife, the weather has been pretty nice to us so far," he said. "I'm pretty happy, because I was expecting something a lot worse. Everyone is happy about the weather. It is the number one topic." The outing proved to be an exciting endeavour for young families. Five-year-old Cameron Mason was seen holding a large rifle near the weapons display tent and scolding his older brother Gairon, who also held it with him, to "stop wiggling it." The Mason boys said they had a great time, especially after viewing a Canadian Forces tank. Other long-time families in the community said the exercise was an historic one for Yellowknife. "It has been great and pretty neat, actually," said Lorne Gerwing, who has lived in Yellowknife for 22 years. He brought his nine-year-old son Spencer and seven-year-old daughter Joelle. "I haven't seen anything like this, particularly on this scale. The family was excited, absolutely, and it was a good experience for them to get to see a few army vehicles, hold onto a couple of guns and go into the tank." In some ways the event proved to be educational for the kids, Gerwing said, because he had to explain to his daughter the role of the military police. Similarly, Andrew Mackay brought his wife Jaime, and two sons William and Matthew. "It is interesting to see it all," he said. "The kids really enjoyed these types of displays. They loved looking at all the trucks and the guns and the different equipment. That is a lot fun to watch." Maj. Lena Angell, an army public affairs officer, said the troops began deploying Sunday and will continue until the last soldier is gone March 15. She said the army determined the exercise to be a successful one overall. "From our perspective, we met our objectives set out," she said, which included building winter roads and running vehicles across them, weapons training, and parachute jumps. The Canadian Forces were also able to work hand-in-hand with the Canadian Rangers, she noted, picking up survival tactics in largely new surroundings for the troops. Just being able to move troops and vehicles and supporting goods was in itself a commendable feat, she added. "Being able to move 1,500 personnel with 500 vehicles over 1,500 km was a logistical achievement itself," said Angell. "Not to mention supportive goods like food and fuel and just pushing forward."
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